Grapes Of Wrath Summary

The Grapes of Wrath begins with Tom Joad, a young man fresh out of prison and on parole, searching for his family home which he hadn’t seen in four years. In his search he finds an empty shell of a past, with his family home, as well as the rest of the town, being abandoned. In his searches, Tom also finds a companionship with an ex-preacher who is an idealistic man that believes humanity works best as one. While at his former home Tom comes across an old neighbor who is the only man who remains in the city, as all other inhabitants have migrated to California because of the Dust Bowl. The Dust Bowl itself allowed little to no crops to successfully grow, and combined with the Great Depression, forced the people of Oklahoma to find new opportunities. Muley …show more content…
As they neared the California borders, the Joad family heard the truth about California; it is no safe haven for the jobless Okies. There is apparently no demand for workers and migrants are treated horribly. Sadly there is no turning back for the Joad family and they must push forward on their journey. While near the border of California, the eldest daughter Rose of Sharon is abandoned by her husband. His abandonment leaves Rose of Sharon to be completely dependant on her family as she is pregnant. Oldest child of the Joad family Noah also leaves on arrival as he feels unloved compared to the rest of the family. This saddens Ma Joad as it is her mission to keep her family united and afloat. On arrival, California’s luscious valleys, fertile lands, and bright vegetation bring excitement to the Joads. Unfortunately, Granma Joad is found dead and the family experiences great hostility from the Californians as they loathe the migrant laborers who are stealing all the jobs. Work itself is almost impossible to find as Pa and Tom repeatedly return to the family