Grapes Of Wrath And The American Dream - 1644 Words

The idea of the American Dream is ever changing depending on the person and the time of life that person is in. Although the main ideas of the American Dream remain the same to be educated, economically sound, healthy, to have a family, and equal rights. Many great films and works of literature were created to show case all the different ideas people have for their American Dream. The film â€Å"Grapes of Wrath† directed by John Ford and the poem â€Å"I Will Fight No More Forever† by Chief Joseph, both depict two different American experiences, one of a family immersed in poverty; the other, imbedded in a dying culture. However, in both stories there is a strong focus on protecting the family and keeping it together. Even though the film and the†¦show more content†¦Their son, Tom, gets out of jail and his goal is to meet up with his family. He finds his family at the uncle’s house and he is happy to be back with them. This is important to him. Togethe r, the family decides to go to California so they can find work. They could have decided to spilt up and find work in different parts of the country. It might have been easier to split up because you are not trying to find work for a lot of people at one time at one location, especially during a time when work is very difficult to find. Again, keeping the family together is important to the Joad family so they stay together and to head west. Before they can leave the farm, the grandfather has a breakdown and refuses to not leave the farm. The grandfather say’s â€Å"It s my dirt! Eh-heh! No good, but it s - it s mine, all mine† (Grapes). Although the farm is in horrible condition and the plants are not growing, he feels that all his hard work has gone into this land. The only option the family has to keep the grandfather with them is to drug him and bring him with them. The trip to California from Oklahoma is long and not favorable to the family. It takes many days and nights to get there. The family has very little food and money to left. During the trip, both the grandfather and grandmother die along the way. Things look awful for the family. When they get to California, the daughter’s husband is skeptical about finding work and he decides to leaves.Show MoreRelatedGrapes Of Wrath American Dream Essay1448 Words   |  6 Pages If that fella’ll work for thirty cents, I’ll work for twenty-five†(Steinbeck). The renowned novel, The Grapes of Wrath, is a realistic portrayal of life and social conditions during the 30’s when the Dust Bowl swept across the nation, causing many to fall deeper into the depression. This caused many families to leave their homes in search of a safer and more hopeful land. 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