The Grapes Of Wrath–Movies In American History Essay, Research Paper

During the years of the Great Depression, a migration of peoples from Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico and Colorado to the West occurred, specifically to California. These people were a majority of former sharecroppers looking for work after being forced to leave the land they had previously settled. Wind erosion and a period of severe droughts in the 1930’s caused the land they had occupied to become nonprofitable for both the sharecropper and the landowner. When it became apparent that the landowner could make a profit using machinery instead of tenant farmers, they were forced to leave and started their migration West looking for work. The Grapes of Wrath deals with one family’s journey. It shows how they succumb to circumstances completely beyond their control. This movie compellingly moves the viewer and allows the varying feelings of the Joads to actually create a sympathetic bond between the viewer and the characters. This bond allows the moviegoer to feel the “emptiness” that plagued the victims of this tragedy. As a precursor to the family’s problems the viewers are introduced to two characters, who though not related to the Joads, play a major role in developing the mind set that allows the viewer to feel empathy and relate to the characters. Casey, the former preacher, who “ain’t so sure of things” anymore strikes close to home for many. He has lost his faith in God. Though he will still say grace if food is placed in front of him, he questions his own beliefs because of what he sees going on around him. Being a “man of God,” did not keep Casey from feeling the effects of the droughts and the Great Depression. He became a doubting man when his parishioners came to him for help and answers and he had none to give. At least this is what the viewer is led to believe. He relegates his loss of faith to affairs with women. What he does not allow himself to realize is that during times of despair people will look for comfort anywhere that it can be found. The girls he had dalliances with could very easily have been coming to him for spiritual guidance and he in this chaotic period of such hardship allowed himself to have relations with them. He was as confused as they were with the times. After these affairs with women he began to feel guilt and despair. He was as lost as any man would be trying to cope with such forces beyond his control. The movie uses Casey too as a symbol and possible warning to all, no one is above feeling the “emptiness” caused by guilt, despair, loss of faith and hope. Many viewers could relate to Casey as a human being, devoid of all hope and only feeling empty inside. Muley’s story is the epitome of the individual versus the corporation. He is given to the viewer as a lesson that one man cannot stand up to big business and win. Being used to dealing face to face for any need he had–he comes up against a force with no face, a force he cannot defeat with words or weapons. The viewer can easily relate to this fear that causes an empty feeling in the pit of the stomach–the fear of the unknown–the fear of an enemy with no face or body, just limbs to do its work. These limbs can be given faces and names, but when one of them is cut off it is only replaced with another. As Muley learns when the Caterpillar comes to force him off his land. Though he knows the driver of the vehicle, he accepts the fact that if he kills him others will only come to take his place. The viewer can relate to Muley’s feelings of inadequacy against this foe. And can vividly feel his loss as he explains how his home was destroyed and how his family has been forced to go West looking for work. The viewer is introduced to the Joads as Tom, just paroled from prison where he was sentenced to seven years for murder, meets Casey. Casey goes with him to his Uncle John’s place where Tom’s entire family has had to move. Tom has to become the backbone of the family and for a man who was just released from prison this is not an easy burden. Nevertheless, he sees the family through their trials and tribulations until he has to leave them because he murders another man–in self defense. The viewer feels for Tom because he is thrown into a situation he had no idea existed. His entire family needs his guidance and his help. Sympathy is easily bestowed upon Tom because of his situation. Being thrust into a leadership role, forced to take charge, with very little guidance from family and no friends to rely on, the viewer can recognize part of himself in Tom. Male or female makes no difference. Anyone who has been put into a leadership position where the livelihood of others depended upon that person empathized with Tom. The idea of attempting to salvage any vestige of family left falls squarely on Tom’s shoulders. Many a family’s patriarch or matriarch was put into this same position during the Great Depression. Not just having to provide for oneself but for others. That “empty” feeling flowed from the screen to the viewer.

Grandpa and Grandma have the most difficult time with the transition. Grandpa refuses to go claiming that “this is my country and I belong here . . . my dirt, it ain’t no good but it’s mine.” This sentiment was felt by not only the entire family but by the viewer as well. Where the other characters are able to accept the fact that they must leave Grandpa cannot and dies shortly after the journey begins. Grandma lives only long enough to get to California. She dies crying out for Grandpa. Ties to the land that a person was raised on and has worked on are very strong. Having that land taken away from them caused great stress. Sharecroppers were especially hit hard in this area because they did not own the land they might have lived on for 70 or more years. Many viewers could probably relate to this situation better than many of the others suffered by the Joads, simply because of the enormous numbers of families that lost their homes during the Depression. A very human reaction to a bad situation is to take an attitude questioning all previous decisions made. When something does not work out just as it was planned, people often look back at others options they had and lament. Connie, a minor character, married to Rose of Sharon, began his self-doubt about midway through the journey. He agonizes over their situation because he had the opportunity, however remote, to become a “radio expert.” He feels like a complete failure in his life and finally leaves his pregnant wife. Desperation can cause people to do things they would not normally do and Connie is the perfect example. Had the family not been forced to leave Oklahoma things might have worked out well for him and his wife. Nevertheless, he cannot handle the situation forced upon him and leaves. Abandonment was not uncommon during the Depression. Many pregnant women or women already with children were abandoned by their husbands, simply because the husbands could not handle all of the pressure that was suddenly piled on top of them. Viewers can very easily sympathize with Rose of Sharon by just imagining being in the same situation. Some may even be able to relate to the “emptiness” felt by Connie who feels lost since their world crashed. Ma Joad gives the viewer the most heart-wrenching scenes of the film. First, she must decide what to take with her and what to throw in the fire. She is going through her personal effects, heirlooms and mementos, that represent her entire life in one small menagerie. Her decision to burn the majority of her collection touched the soul. The sacrifices a mother will make for her family are incredible. Very few people would have the constitution to destroy so many irreplaceable possessions. Second, she somehow managed to feed her entire family and a group of hungry children on the small amount of food they had. Pity and sorrow hit the viewer in waves as these children stood around and waited for any scraps that were left. The viewer experienced both a physical and an emotional “emptiness” here. Finally, after Tom has killed the man in self-defense, she pleads with him to stay with the family because it is falling apart. Ma Joad expressed her belief that they “got nothing to trust.” By this scene the viewer is totally convinced that Ma Joad is correct in her assumption. All of the misfortunes that befell the families of the Great Depression seemed to bombard the Joads. The viewer could feel the “emptiness” Ma Joad was feeling. With the loss of home, family and friends the viewer would be hard pressed to survive as well as the Joads.The Grapes of Wrath allowed the moviegoer to see a side of America that many might not have experienced. By following the Joad family on their journey, the viewer is given a rare glimpse into the world of the migrant sharecroppers of the Great Depression. And the views are given with such detail that the viewer at times feels a part of the movie and experiences the “emptiness” the characters feel throughout the film.