Joad Family Progression Research Paper

Joad Family Progression Starting in 1929 to the late 1930's, America hit an amazing recession. So amazing in fact that it was called a depression, and the largest one on record at that. This time was called the Great Depression. Some refer to this time of sorrow, despair, and confusion as America's all time low. Many farmers were forced out of their farms by the development of tractors and other modern equipment. It was impractical to employ several families to do the work of one tractor, leaving many, many families seeking work. They all went west in search of employment. The Joad family happened to be one of them. Prior to modernization, the Joads enjoyed life just as any other hard-working farming family would. The men worked in the fields whilst the women labored in the house. It was men who said what was and was not allowed, as the women remained obedient to the men they committed themselves to. The young children were sent out after breakfast to have fun and go play, dreading the day they too would become old enough to work in the fields. The youngest of the Joads, Ruthie and Winfield, however, would not bear such a burden. Rather, they would have to prepare for another. …show more content…
It claimed there was work in the far off place of California. Picking oranges would not be a bad thing to do for a line of work, they thought. Little did they know millions of other hungry families who were all shooed away by the great force also saw the same pamphlet, and a large amount of them were already on their way over there. The woman of the house, Ma, thought there could be another way, a way that meant they would not have to leave. This was not the case, but it was the start of Ma getting more say in what the family did. Losing the debate to stay, the family loaded all of their valuables into an old Hudson truck and began the long journey toward California, with much resistance from the elders of the family, Grampa and