There are many themes explored in GOW. Please choose two from below and write two to three sentences explaining Steinbeck’s use of each theme, what characters help convey that particular theme, and support for it from the text.
The myth of the American Dream
Anger as a way of uniting or dividing people
The Strength of Family and Groups vs. the Individual
Man’s Inhumanity to Man
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Steinbeck points out man's inhumanity to man over and over in The Grapes of Wrath. The Joad's and the migrants are victims of greedy employers, uncaring banks, unscrupulous merchants, and people in dominate roles who are trying to maintain their positions. The first example we see of this is when Tom tries to get a ride with the truck driver. He had to crouch down and hide on the rail of the truck because the trucking company had said there were no hitch-hikers allowed. During a time when hitch-hiking was common because many people did not have cars, there was no reason why the truck couldn't pick up hitch-hikers except for that the company wanted to exert it's dominance over the poor.
Anger can unite people to a common cause. As long as people stay angry and don't give up and give in to hopelessness they can band together to try to facilitate change. When people work together much can be accomplished and chance for survival is great. As long as anger or wrath is present, self-respect has a chance to survive. This is shown in chapter 29 when the women realize that their men will remain strong "as long as fear can turn to wrath."Tthe women realize that as long as the men ares angry, the still have their dignity and self-respect intact.
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