The Grapes Of Wrath Grampa Character Analysis
"How can we live without our lives? How will we know it's us without our past? No. Leave it. Burn it" (88). Do you know what it's like to move and only have room for one bag to pack? And you didn't even know if you were guaranteed a shelter or food? In the novel The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck, an migrant Oklahoma family, the Joads, sell their farm and travel west in search of a new life away from the tragedies of the Dust Bowl. A minor character, Grampa, plays a vital role with his childlike energy, common quixotism, and connection to his land and his family. Grampa is anxious to settle in California, because he sees his future as overflowing in wealth and "grapes." Convinced that California is going to be picture-perfect, he can't
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He gives himself a thrill just imagining himself picking a "big bunch of grapes off a bush'" (83), however, his feelings quickly change when he announces that he "jus' ain't a-going'" (111). His love for his land becomes apparent as he snaps, "This country ain't no good, but it's my country'" (111). Casey remarks that he didn't die on the road "[h]e died the minute [they] took im off the place'" (146). In chapter nine, the farmers being kicked off their land are torn, because "this red land, is [them]" (87). In a conversation with Muley and Tom, Casey states that when a "fella gets use' to a place, it's hard to go" (51). Living off "frogs an' squirrels an' prairie dogs sometimes'"(48), Muley didn't leave his land and go to California with his family because "somepin jus' wouldn' let [him]'"(48). No matter how rich, plentiful, and flawless foreign countries may seem, men, like Grandpa, have a strong bond with land that they can call …show more content…
Their competitive edge is seen when they "raced each other to get across the broad yard." While "they fought over everything," they "loved and needed the fighting" (78). After Grampa dies, Granma "got to a bellerin'" and "don' speak to nobody [and] don' seem to recognize nobody'" (174). She yells and screams as if "she's talkin' to Grampa'" (175). This ultimately leads to her death not long after, as if she can't survive without him. The death of Grampa followed by Granma illustrates the connection that comes with marriage and the significance of
He gives himself a thrill just imagining himself picking a "big bunch of grapes off a bush'" (83), however, his feelings quickly change when he announces that he "jus' ain't a-going'" (111). His love for his land becomes apparent as he snaps, "This country ain't no good, but it's my country'" (111). Casey remarks that he didn't die on the road "[h]e died the minute [they] took im off the place'" (146). In chapter nine, the farmers being kicked off their land are torn, because "this red land, is [them]" (87). In a conversation with Muley and Tom, Casey states that when a "fella gets use' to a place, it's hard to go" (51). Living off "frogs an' squirrels an' prairie dogs sometimes'"(48), Muley didn't leave his land and go to California with his family because "somepin jus' wouldn' let [him]'"(48). No matter how rich, plentiful, and flawless foreign countries may seem, men, like Grandpa, have a strong bond with land that they can call …show more content…
Their competitive edge is seen when they "raced each other to get across the broad yard." While "they fought over everything," they "loved and needed the fighting" (78). After Grampa dies, Granma "got to a bellerin'" and "don' speak to nobody [and] don' seem to recognize nobody'" (174). She yells and screams as if "she's talkin' to Grampa'" (175). This ultimately leads to her death not long after, as if she can't survive without him. The death of Grampa followed by Granma illustrates the connection that comes with marriage and the significance of