John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath: Book Review and Reflections

John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath: Book Review and Reflections

By Armando Ortiz

Is the migration of people a phenomenon that exists during one generation or is it something that has taken place hundreds of times for thousands of years? John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, published in 1939, captures the plight of Oklahoma farmers who lost their lands during the Great Depression. Steinbeck’s novel is one of the best novels I’ve read recently, resonating deeply with current migration issues as it explores the hardships faced by people displaced from their homes. 

I started reading Steinbeck’s novel a week before leaving for Peru and was completely engrossed by the plot. Once in Peru, the parallels between the Joad daily’s journey and the struggles of families migrating to the United States today became strikingly clear. This resemblance deepened my engagement with Steinbeck’s portrayal of resilience in the face of displacement. This review not only examines the novel but also reflects on its relevance on today’s migrants to the U.S.

The novel centers on the Joad family, particularly Tom Joad, as they struggle to survive in a rapidly changing world. In addition to chronicling the experiences that his characters go through he also describes the forces of nature over the American Southwest. The Joad family’s deep connection to their land is tested by unforgiving nature and relentless economic forces. During the Dust Bowl- a devastating drought in the mid-1930s Midwest- they struggle to maintain their home, only to be uprooted by banks prioritizing profit over people.

The banks and business interests of their property are not concerned for the wellbeing of people there. Locals in the countryside continue to lose their land to mechanized agriculture and are left with two options: try to get employed by those businesses or move somewhere else. The parcels lost by the families are the places they’ve called home for at least the last three generations. The uprooted family is forced to make tough decisions that will take them to California. 

The Joad family’s deep connection to their land mirrors the universal bond that many have with the earth- a bond often cut by forces beyond their control. As their fight against the banks becomes futile, this connection becomes a painful memory, pushing them toward a new hope in California. During my trek on the Inca Trail in Peru, a guide spoke of the spiritual connections people have with the earth, a sentiment that echoes in Steinbeck’s portrayal of Jim Casy and the Joad’s family’s bond to their land.

Ultimately, the Joad family abandons their fight against the banks and sets off for California, lured by pamphlets promising plentiful farming jobs and the hope of prosperity. For the Joads, the food, grapes and oranges, and the possibility of affording a home together draws them West. 

As the Joads journey west, their story eerily parallels the experiences of many Latin American migrants heading to the U.S. today, driven by similar hopes and hardships. People who decide to head North to where the myth of finding pennies on the ground or picking up used televisions on the corners is alive. 

Tragedy soon follows the Joads westward: their dog is killed, Grandpa Joad dies and is buried by the roadside, and eventually, Grandma Joad passes away. The family’s journey is marked by loss and abandonment, reflecting the harsh realities of displacement. Little by little the family loses members, and they abandon their material possessions.

The trials endured by the Joad family- loss, displacement, and the struggle for survival- are not relics of the past but living realities faced by countless migrants today. These scenes are poignantly mirrored today by the perilous journeys of migrants from South America to the U.S., who face immense hardships along routes like the Darien Gap. In South America, I witnessed first hand the strength of family and community ties, echoing the Joads’ experience of unity and loss. 

Just as Oklahoma served as a departure point for Dust Bowl migrants, towns in Colombia act as staging areas for those embarking on the perilous journey through the Darien Gap. Like many migrant families, the Joads family begin their journey united, but overtime, their cohesion erodes under the weight of tragedy and hardships.

In the midst of their journey, families like the Joads, are sadly separated by tragedy or necessity. Blood ties are not as strong as they once were. By watching videos and reading about the Darien Gap one learns that people begin to lighten their load once the weather, and terrain begin to take a toll on their bodies. Familial unity either becomes stronger or weakens. People get swept away by the rivers or get robbed by locals. The worst experience being one survivor of a five person family unit making it to the Panamanian refugee camp. 

Tragically, as Steinbeck illustrates, the hope of a  new beginning often demands a baptism of suffering. The renewal that comes with their move West has strings attached. Just as the Joad family faced discrimination, exploitation, and verbal abuse by the locals. Today there are politicians that blame our nation’s ills on illegal immigrants and asylum seekers. These new immigrants have become the new scapegoats for all that is bad in the country. 

Despite facing oppression from legal systems, neighbors and religious groups, the Joad family perseveres. They quickly adapt to their way of life and what keeps them moving forward is having a warm meal, but also a place to call their own. It is in their desperation, like immigrants today, where they find the strength to keep moving forward. 

Dispossessed and driven by necessity, today’s migrants, like the Joads, embody humanity at its rawest. Steinbeck’s novel compels us to recognize the enduring struggles of the poor and dispossessed, highlighting the shared human experience of seeking a better life amidst adversity.

Though written over 80 years ago, Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath remains a timeless exploration of forced migration and the universal quest for a better life. It shows us that there will always be a reason why people decide to put their lives at risk as they hold on to promises that are only that and that along the way they will have to find new ways to adapt and push forward towards a new and better life.