home

Grapes of Wrath is a comprehensive novel investigating the cohesive bonds of companionship and universal suffering. Set in the Great Depression Era, the novel follows the journey of a displaced family searching for new opportunities. The Dust Bowl, poor economic conditions, and the “monster” of the banking system caused the diaspora of thousands, including the Joad family. Up to this point, the American society had been patriarchal with men at the top as leaders of domestic life and primary breadwinners. When the Great Depression hit, many men lost their jobs and consequently the ability to support their families. With no clear leader, women began to effectively assume the role as demonstrated in Grapes of Wrath by Ma Joad and Rose of Sharon. The result was short-lived because of the predetermined prejudices against women, but the wheels of change had begun to turn.

C. Brown, K. Dos Santos, R. Stack, P. Esfahani