Grapes of Wrath Essay: Naturalism in The Grapes of Wrath :: Grapes Wrath essays

Naturalism in The Grapes of Wrath          In John Steinbecks novel The Grapes of Wrath, the Joad family and the changing cosmea in which they live is portrayed from a naturalistic point of view. Steinbeck characterizes the Joads and their fellow migrants as simple, instinct-bound creatures who atomic number 18 on an endless search for paradise (Owens 129). The migrants and the powers which force them to beat their journey--nature and society-- atomic number 18 frequently represented by animals. The Joads, when they initially leave home, are a group of simplistic, animal-like people who barely understand or even realize their plight, except as the story progresses, they begin to grow and adapt to their new circumstances. They evolve from a small, insignificant group of creatures with no societal consciousness into a whizz member of a much larger family--society.      Steinbeck strongly portrays the Joads and other displaced Okies as being animalistic. They often talk about their predicament in simplistic hurt that suggest that they are initially not conscious of the circumstances that force them to leave Oklahoma. Muley Graves, for instance, tells Tom Joad and Jim Casy that the rest of the Joads, whose house has been destroyed by a tractor, are piled in Johns house like gophers in a winter burrow (Steinbeck 47). This presents the image of a family of animals that have clustered together, hoping to fend off a vulture with their greater numbers. They see the societal problems around them in terms of a predator as well on one occasion, Casy asks a man at a service station, You ever seen one a them Gila monsters take hold, mister? (Chop him in two) an his head hangs on. An while hes layin there, poison is drippin into the hole hes made (Steinbeck 132). This refers to the devastating, unbreakable grip of the socioeconomic forces at work above them (Lisca 96). A particularly important element that represents th e migrants on a naturalistic level is the polo-neck (Lisca 97). Introduced in the first interchapter, the turtle trudges along wearily but steadily on a relentless search for a better place to life. In a similar way, the Joads are constantly on the move. They do not really comprehend why they have to travel, yet they accept it (Owens 131), and are determined to reach the promising paradise of California. Neither the turtle nor its human counterparts will be stopped by any obstacle.