“Suddenly they saw the great
valley below them. The vineyards, the orchards, the great flat valley, green
and beautiful, the trees set in rows, and the farm houses.”
This is California! Things here
couldn’t be that bad, right? Its land is green, with rich—barns, peaches and
orange trees are a far cry from the dry, cracked, dusty land that they came
from. Along the way though they have been hearing, “we can’t make no livin’ out
there.” Looking from the outside in, things look better then they appear.
People can always look to something or someone and think that life would be
better if they had this or that. The Joads are determined to stick it out to
the end and stay as a family.
“None of this here talk gonna keep
us from goin’ there. When we get there, we’ll get there. When we get a job
we’ll work, an’ when we don’t get a job we’ll set on our tail.”
It cannot be as bad as what they
came from. The land is fruitful and green and there is work. What do they have
to lose? As long as they are a family and they stick together they will be alright. They need to go see for themselves what
California is really like and not just take someone’s word.
“Look, mister. I don’t know
ever’thing. You might go out there an’ fall into a steady job, an’ I’d be a
liar. An’ then, you might never get no work, an’ I didn’ warn ya.”
The Joads have nothing to lose.
They have everything they own with them, and the most important thing they have
is that the family is together. As long as the family is together, with Ma as
the “strong place” the Joads can face the storms of life.
The Joads are pretty good at staying optimistic. They understand that it might not be all that great in California but at least they are giving it a shot and are willing to work for what they get. They do not expect any handouts whatsoever. The Joads will be fine as long as they keep the same mentality that they have been having.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree most of the family wants to stay together, technically they are not still together. They have lost Grandpa, Grandma, Noah, and the Wilson's, even though they were not blood Ma still considered them family. I think the breaking apart of these parts of the family have started breaking down Ma's spot as the "strong place." It is not a bad thing, she is human so naturally this would upset her, but I think part of the reason she can stay as the "strong place" is due to the fact that the rest of the family can stay so positive. To Ma family is everything, and it crushes her when parts fall away, but seeing the rest of the family happy and optimistic gives her the strength to continue as the "strong place."
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