The Grapes of Wrath Travel Journal (Chapters 16-19, C)

From what I understand in this novel, hunger and poverty was everywhere during the Great Depression. Many struggled to provide the food necessary to satisfy the needs of their families as jobs and money were extremely scarce at this time. Grapes of Wrath also expands on the idea of community and helping others, regarding food as well. My poem explores the feelings of hungry migrant farmers during this time and how they deal with it as they travelled to California.

I was always hungry.
Hungry---when I woke up.
Hungry---when I went to sleep.
I lay with a permanent feeling of emptiness within myself.
But I couldn't do much.
I had to suffer.
It would be selfish for me to complain.
Everyone was suffering.
Everyone was growing weaker.
If we had to suffer, we had to suffer together.
There was no rising above, selfishness.
If you had something worth eating,
You had to share.
You had to share, or you'd have to suffer more.
They would put you down for being selfish,
for only thinking about yourself.
But, I don't think I could do that anyways.
No matter how weak I was,
No matter how tired I was,
No matter how much I wanted to give up,
I couldn't.
I couldn't because everyone was weak,
because everyone was tired,
because everyone wanted to give up.
But no one did.
We were all hungry,
But the thought of California made us full.
We strived for a better future, a better life.
California made the journey worth it.
Because I know that one day---
One day, I will not be hungry.
One day, we will not be suffering.

The Grapes of Wrath Travel Journal (Chapters 11-15, B)

 

The Grapes of Wrath Travel Journal (Chapters 11-15, D)*

"He was foolin', all the time. I think he knowed it. He knowed it. You fellas can make some kinda new life, but Grampa, his life was over and he knowed it. An' Grampa didn' die tonight. He died the minute you took 'im off the place." (146)

I think this is a powerful quote from Reverend Jim Casy, regarding Grampa's death. As I was reading Chapter 13, this quote really spoke to me. I think the quote is really deep and captures Grampa's connection to the Oklahoma farmland. I think this quote speaks on behalf of many farmers during the Great Depression, actually. It was a difficult decision to migrate west for many tenant farmers during the 1930s, mostly because they built generations of life on their farms. A farmer had such an incredible bond to his/her land and migrating to California broke that bond. When the Joad family decides to move to California, Grampa decides he wants to stay in Oklahoma in the very last minute. He says that he wants to stay "where [he] belong[s]". Casy explores the idea that Grampa felt trouble the moment he left the farm. Grampa belonged on the farm and he lost himself on the way to California. I think this idea relates to many farmers who develop strong connections with their life as a farmer in Oklahoma. These farmers have experienced great memories on their farms and they have ultimately become one with their land. Migrating west was difficult as they were forced to abandon this lifestyle and their memories, though they did not have much choice. Moving provided an internal conflict with these farmers, I believe. I think the concept of transitioning to a new life was difficult to grasp, in this case. In Chapter 5, there is a quote from tenant men that says,

"We measured it and broke it up. We were born on it, and we got killed on it, died on it. Even if it's no good, it's still ours. That's what makes it ours---being born on it, working on it, dying on it. That makes ownership, not a paper with numbers." (33)

This quote illustrates Grampa's passion towards the farmland, along with other tenant farmers. The land became a part of them and they felt that they could not abandon it, as it was their land. So, when the Joad family forced Grampa to travel with them, Grampa gave up. He knew that there was nothing left for him in California. Grampa did not want to abandon his dear Oklahoma and he lost his sense of happiness when he left the farm. I think the most powerful part of Reverend Casy's quote is,

"He died the minute you took 'im off the place."

This statement in itself has such a captivating message. Casy declares that Grampa's life was over when they decided to bring him with them to California though he refused. I think Grampa's actual death felt less painful to him than leaving his life behind. Grampa died of a stroke and died an unpeaceful death. I am sure he would have preferred to die "where [he] belong[s]". I can feel the passion behind Casy's words. Grampa "died" when he was forced to leave. Farmers developed impressive relationships with their land and walking away from them emotionally damaged these farmers. I think this quote could foreshadow similar experiences for the Joads, where they feel as though they lost a part of them while traveling. However, the Joads are extremely fixed on the idea of California being a "promise land" without any obstacles, despite the negative things they have heard from other people. Maybe California is not going to be the right fit for them and they will feel a loss of identity. I think the Joads are experiencing that "traveling is a fool's paradise" as they are blind to reality, so they could be confronted by an unfortunate surprise in the future.

The Grapes of Wrath Travel Journal (Chapters 1-10, H)

"I says, 'What's this call, this sperit? An' I says, 'It's love. I love people so much I'm fit to bust, sometimes' An I says, 'Don't you love Jesus?' Well, I thought an' thought an' finally I says, 'No, I don't know nobody name' Jesus. I know a bunch of stories, but I only love people. An' sometimes I love 'em to fit to bust, an' I want to make 'em happy, so I been preachin' somepin I thought would make 'em happy.'" (23) (Reverend Jim Casy)

The Grapes of Wrath Travel Journal (Chapters 1-10, E)*

Personification

"The dust road stretched out ahead of them, waving up and down" (27)

Personification is being used here to allow the readers to visualize the journeys travelled on the road. The road "stretches", which shows its flexibility. This contributes to the text as it expresses the path taken for the journey. The road stretched ahead of them, meaning there is a possibility for the spontaneity of life to surprise Joad and Casy. The road stretches ahead which signifies that there are "unknown" events to occur. The road also waves "up and down", which signifies that the journey is welcoming their presence. The road is personified to motivate travel and migration.

The Grapes of Wrath Travel Journal (Chapters 1-10, B)

Mistletoe:

• Oldest symbol of Oklahoma, adopted in 1893 (14 years before statehood)
• Grows throughout the state, especially Southern regions
• Is the State Floral Emblem of Oklahoma
• Scientific name is Phoradendron serotinum

Oklahoma State Capitol:

• Located in Oklahoma City
• Is a National Historic Landmark
• Construction began in 1914 and was completed 1917
• Houses the Oklahoma legislature and executive branch offices

Major Industries: Farming, Oil, and Natural Gas

The State of Oklahoma has rich history regarding Native American culture.

The Grapes of Wrath Travel Journal (Chapters 1-10, A)

Family during the Great Depression

I found this photo online when I searched, "the great depression farmers" into Google.

Upon searching for a photo, I did some brief research about the Great Depression as well. The Great Depression began on "Black Tuesday", October 29, 1929. On Black Tuesday, the Stock Market crashed which caused the United States economy to plummet severely. The Stock Market crash began the Great Depression and affected most Americans. In fact, in the worst year of the Depression (1932), the unemployment rate reached 24%. 

Many Americans during this time period struggled, especially those who lived in the Great Plains. The Great Plains was struck by the Dust Bowl, which acquired the name "Dirty Thirties" for the decade. The Dust Bowl occurred for several years and completely ruined the ecology of the Great Plains. Farmers suffered as the dust destroyed their farmland. Many struggled with poverty, lack of food, and bad health due to the dust. 

This research about the "Dirty Thirties" connects to The Grapes of Wrath. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, is about the life of Americans who live on the Great Plains during the 1930s. The characters living in Kansas are struggling to plant their crops, because the dust is everywhere. The dust created by the Dust Bowl even painted the sky black. The photo I chose related to the novel, because the Joad family aspires to move West for a better life. The photo above shows a family traveling along a road, possibly escaping the wrath of the Dust Bowl. Life out West in California was extremely desirable as the farmers in the region were not struggling. The Joad family were also like "Okies", Americans from the Great Plains regions that migrated to California along Route 66.