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Migration In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

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The Great Depression ravaged through the entire country of the United States in the 1930s, tearing apart families and destroying lives. Millions of average Americans had to uproot their entire lives and move to promised lands of prosperity. This mass migration westward damaged souls and reigned in vast amounts of death. The journey that many migrants, commonly called Okies or Arkies, made was treacherous and danger lurked behind every corner. John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath” chronicles the trek across the country from the viewpoint of the Joad family from Oklahoma. Their journey represents issues and struggles that occured for these migrants. From death, to employment, to disappointment, and little hope, the hardships of these migrations …show more content…

He employs the use of the words such as “Okies”, “gleaming”, “goddamn”, “lithely”, and “dark curl of crisp pork”. These words, together, manifest into a detailed description of scenery, characters, and the common life of the migrants. The words “Okies” and “goddamn” demonstrate Steinbeck’s desire to allow his piece to flow with accuracy as if the characters were real people having a conversation. These words were common and conversational throughout the time of the 1930s and the Dust Bowl, allowing the reader to be transported within the story. Steinbeck’s written conversations in Grapes of Wrath demonstrate unity due to their communal and friendly nature. People throughout this time were able to connect with one another by the way of shared vernacular. “Gleaming”, “lithely”, and “dark curl of crisp pork” are illustrative and expressive. They accurately describe the surrounding scenery and characters with precision . This allows vivid imagery to form and transport the reader into the plot. Solidarity is formed between the reader and the character storyline because it allows the reader to feel at one with the issues. The appeal of pathos is applied in order to draw out emotions and create a bridge between the characters as well as between reader and story. John Steinbeck’s drive to demonstrate unity is able to beautifully flow and adhere to the minds of the readers and his

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