John Ford, the director of the film, The Grapes of Wrath, produced a classic masterpiece based off of John Steinbeck’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel which was published in 1939. According to Lisa Cornwell, “The films in this category for the most part are centered on a universal and timeless concern that in turn helps those films achieve the enduring excellence that qualifies them as classics” (5). As viewers watch the film, the constant theme of human suffering related to the social problems of the time is displayed throughout the film. Further, Ford uses the existing social problems of the Dust Bowl to display the unfortunate forthcoming the family faces in the beginning, the middle, and the end of the film.
In the opening scene of the film, …show more content…
For example, in the scene of Ford’s film, the family is driving away from their home the dialogue exchanged shows Ma struggling with human dignity issues. Ma is asked, “Ain’t you gonna look back, Ma? Give the old place a last look?” She replies, “We’re going to California, ain’t we? All right then, let’s go to California.” Then she is told, “That don’t sound like you, Ma. You never was like that before.” Her response is, “I never had my house pushed over before. Never had my family stuck out on the road. Never had to lose everything I had in life” (The Grapes of Wrath). This response is a clear indicator she is struggling with uprooting her family up, and moving to a new area in the country. The next scene presents the viewers with first loss the family faces in terms of a member of the family passing away. They pull over on the side of the road, and Grandpa Joad is still chattering about not going. He is referring to California, and he finally lays down in the grass where he passes away. The family is now grief stricken, and must struggle with this loss as they continue to travel to
In the opening scene of the film, …show more content…
For example, in the scene of Ford’s film, the family is driving away from their home the dialogue exchanged shows Ma struggling with human dignity issues. Ma is asked, “Ain’t you gonna look back, Ma? Give the old place a last look?” She replies, “We’re going to California, ain’t we? All right then, let’s go to California.” Then she is told, “That don’t sound like you, Ma. You never was like that before.” Her response is, “I never had my house pushed over before. Never had my family stuck out on the road. Never had to lose everything I had in life” (The Grapes of Wrath). This response is a clear indicator she is struggling with uprooting her family up, and moving to a new area in the country. The next scene presents the viewers with first loss the family faces in terms of a member of the family passing away. They pull over on the side of the road, and Grandpa Joad is still chattering about not going. He is referring to California, and he finally lays down in the grass where he passes away. The family is now grief stricken, and must struggle with this loss as they continue to travel to