Alyssa Hawkins
HON 440
The Grapes of Wrath
The film maker’s intention was to bring John Steinbeck’s novel, “The Grapes of Wrath" to life
and show the hardships thousands of rural people went through during the Depression. The film
maker’s goal was to show that family unity can get people through even the hardest of times.
Throughout the film, it seemed the female characters took supporting roles or acted as comedic
relief. It isn’t until the end of the film that viewers realize Ma Joad was the woman keeping her
family together. Despite the hardships the Joad family faced Ma was the encouraging figure in
their lives and kept their hope alive.
This film made me appreciate the length mothers go to, to keep their families together. While in
the film, she did not work in the fields, she still played a big role in helping her family survive.
Throughout history and even now, the things that mothers did often went unnoticed because it
was considered their job to do it. However, just like Ma, many mothers go above and beyond to
help their families, physically and mentally.
The film relates to the current affairs in our country because small business owners are
continuously being forced to close due to international companies monopolizing the market. In
“The Grapes of Wrath” the Joad family, along with thousands of other farmers, were forced off
their land because a corporation was taking over. In 2023, small businesses are struggling to stay
afloat and often must close their doors to find work elsewhere. In addition, migrant workers are
still being mistreated and underpaid. In the film, there are several scenes depicting police
brutality. One such scene showed police trying to create a riot to give them cause to close the
camp. Today, there are still reports of police treating migrant workers unfairly and deporting
millions.
Overall, “The Grapes of Wrath” and its depiction of the lives of a migrant family during the
Great Depression shows the strength of a united family. It’s not always the people leading the
family that holds them together, but the people in the shadows. Ma Joad was the reason the
family didn’t give up and succumb to the hardships they faced. She was the strongest out of all
of them because she never gave up hope.