Steinbeck uses this phrase to suggest a parallel between the Civil War and the Great Depression, as well as to foreshadow the eventual uprising of the oppressed and exploited masses against the greedy and corrupt system that oppresses them. The grapes of wrath also symbolize the bitter fruits of the farmers’ labor, which are either destroyed by the natural disasters or taken away by the banks and the landowners. The grapes also represent the potential for growth and renewal, as they can be turned into wine, a symbol of life and celebration.
The Structure and the Style
The novel is divided into 30 chapters, which alternate between two types of narration: the intercalary chapters and the narrative chapters. The intercalary chapters are short, descriptive, and impersonal sections that provide a broader context and perspective on the historical and social situation of the time. They often use symbolic language and imagery to convey the mood and the message of the novel. For example, the first intercalary chapter describes the Dust Bowl and the effects of the drought on the land and the people, while the last intercalary chapter depicts the flood that threatens the Joads’ camp and their survival.
The narrative chapters are longer, more detailed, and more personal sections that focus on the Joad family and their journey. They use a realistic and colloquial style that reflects the dialect and the culture of the characters. They also use dialogue and action to reveal the personalities and the relationships of the family members and the other characters they meet along the way. For example, the second narrative chapter introduces Tom Joad, the protagonist of the novel, who is returning home from prison after serving four years for killing a man in self-defense. He meets Jim Casy, a former preacher who has lost his faith and joins the Joads on their journey.
The Characters and the Themes
The novel features a large and diverse cast of characters, each representing a different aspect of the human condition and the social conflict of the era. The main characters are the members of the Joad family, who undergo various changes and transformations throughout the novel. The most important ones are:
- Tom Joad: The eldest son of the family, who is a strong, rebellious, and compassionate man. He is the leader and the protector of the family, as well as the voice of Steinbeck’s social and political views. He evolves from a self-centered individual to a socially conscious activist, who realizes that he is part of a larger community and a greater cause. He is influenced by Jim Casy, who becomes his mentor and friend, and who sacrifices his life for the sake of the workers’ movement. Tom eventually follows Casy’s example and leaves the family to join the fight for justice and equality.
- Ma Joad: The matriarch of the family, who is a resilient, determined, and nurturing woman. She is the glue that holds the family together, as well as the source of their strength and hope. She faces many challenges and losses, but never gives up or breaks down. She is the embodiment of the maternal and the feminine principle, which contrasts with the patriarchal and the masculine system that dominates the society. She also represents the humanistic and the spiritual values that transcend the material and the economic ones.
- Pa Joad: The patriarch of the family, who is a hardworking, honest, and proud man. He is the owner and the farmer of the land, which is his identity and his legacy. He is devastated and humiliated when he loses his land and his authority, and becomes dependent on the charity and the mercy of others. He struggles to adapt to the new situation and to maintain his dignity and his role as the head of the family. He is the symbol of the traditional and the rural way of life, which is threatened and destroyed by the modern and the urban forces.
- Rose of Sharon: The eldest daughter of the family, who is pregnant with her first child. She is naive, selfish, and romantic, and dreams of a better life for herself and her baby. She is married to Connie, a young and ambitious man who abandons her and the family in California. She suffers a miscarriage and loses her baby, which is a tragic and symbolic event that represents the death of the future and the hope of the migrants. She also experiences a transformation and a redemption, when she offers her breast milk to a starving man, in an act of compassion and generosity that signifies the renewal of life and the spirit of the community.
The novel also features many other characters, such as Uncle John, Al, Noah, Ruthie, and Winfield, who are the other members of the Joad family; Granma and Grampa, who are the elders of the family and who die on the journey; Muley Graves, who is a neighbor and a friend of the Joads and who refuses to leave his land; Floyd Knowles, who is a migrant worker and a leader of a camp; the Wilsons, who are a couple who help the Joads on the road; the Wainwrights, who are a family who share a boxcar with the Joads; and many others who represent the different faces and fates of the migrants.
