But he owed it to them to do something more...because being rich should not mean you are irresponsible. It should pertain to someone who is cultured, mature, noble, thoughtful, and hardworking. It should imply you’re ready to risk raising the standard of living for the rest of the world because you can afford to risk it. The thought made his eyes light up. He had great ideas, this boy. But he knew that the only way to make them a reality was to find the perfect place to share them. A place where people say “yes” when others would say “no.” If he could find this place, all the privilege in the world would not be enough to sway him from sacrificing for it.
Therefore, whenever I see Grapes of Wrath, I’m reminded of the boy on that summer evening who promised to make his existence matter. And as I get older, a part of him still remains with me. Though time has taken its toll, we are still united. United under the same name, the same eyes, the same family, same mind. But most importantly, under the same goal. A goal to do more than score high marks on a piece of paper, but to live on in the hearts of the people we’ve touched long after we ultimately “die