A Study On The Personalities Of The Joads In The Grape Of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath of Steinbeck can be called the classic. It caused a numberof attentions of the American literary since it was published, and became the top ofthe best-selling book immediately. The Grapes of Wrath is a historical novel, whichdescribes a turbulent period in American history through the descriptions of the Joads.Therefore, since the publication of the novel, a great number of scholars both at homeand abroad made deeply critical analysis on it from different angles and offeredinsightful comments. However, there is no complete and thorough analysis of theJoads in the novel from the angle of personality. Therefore, the analyses of the majorcharacters of the Joads from the perspective of personalities are necessary.The Joads were the leading roles of The Grapes of Wrath. Due to the lost of theirland that they relied on to survive, the Joads had to leave Oklahoma for the promisingland, California. However, the journey was full of hardships and pains. The Joad’family suffered a lot of difficulties and hardships in the process of their spiritualjourney to California. Steinbeck puts them in a very tough environment, and exploresand analyses the potential qualities in their personalities as well as a series of changesin behavior caused by the changes of personalities. These potential qualities in theirpersonalities were fully reflected in the novel. They became to know how to rebel, bestrong, unselfish, and solitary. Of course, difficulties and hardships can not onlyexercise people but defeat people. The Joad’s family is no exception. In face of allkinds of hardships of life, there are also deserters among them. Anyway, theseexperiences changed them and made them complete the spiral journey. After arrivingin California, they found that the situation was not as good as they imagined.Everywhere was full of discrimination, oppression and disappointment. The Joadstried their best to look for a job, but the result was always disappointed. They sinkslowly, and finally their dreams were shattered. This thesis analysis the personalitiesof the major ones in the novel, including Tom Joad, Ma Joad, Pa Joad and Rose ofSharon.There are three parts in the thesis. They are introduction, body and theconclusion. The first part is the introduction. It briefly introduced the author and thenovel itself, including the present research situation of the novel both at home and abroad and its significance of study. The second part is the body. It includes fourchapters. The first chapter is about the historical background of the novel and theintroduction to the personalities’ characteristics of major family members in the Joads.The second chapter discusses the hardships and setbacks that the Joad’s familysuffered on the way to California and the changes of personalities exhibited by theJoads. Under the harsh condition of life, many positive and wonderful elements inpersonalities were inspired. However, every coin has two sides. There must somenegative elements in personalities were also exhibited in front of the readers. Thethird chapter is mainly on the analysis and conclusion of the personalities’ transitionof the major family members in the Joads. The fourth chapter is about the analysis ofthe symbolic ending of the novel and the growth of Rose of Sharon. At the same time,this chapter deepens Steinbeck’s analysis on the character of Rose of Sharon and herpersonality changes in nature. The third part is the conclusion. It is the generalanalysis and conclusion of the personalities’ transition of the Joads. This journeyreflects the positive elements in the personalities of the major character in the Joads,but the bad ones also shown in front of the readers.