The great depression. A time of poverty and homelessness. Many lost not only their jobs but also their homes. They were forced to move and find new places to “start over”. Places where they were told that things would be better. That things could get better, that they could improve, be better than they were before. Many people were tricked by these lies. The Grapes of Wrath is a lengthy novel that portrays the many struggles of many people and their families throughout the great depression. Throughout the book, the reader will be taken on a journey not only with the family of the Joads, but also with many other people going through the struggles of making enough money to survive, and to stay afloat in this time of uncertainty and struggles. Some will make it, some will not. Gramma and Grampa are an example of those who could not handle the drastic changes necessary to survive in the ever changing world. The Joad family was one of many that was told that if they could make it to California, they could be prosperous and happy. Little did they know that was not the case. Things were just as bad in California as they were back home. Things are never good for the working class. The Joads are unable to survive in the capitalist society, struggling to make ends meet with the ever crippling economy. The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. Throughout the novel, John Steinbeck illustrates that capitalism feeds poverty, farmers struggle to make do with what they have during these hard times, and that the poorer are constantly getting poorer due to capitalism. In the story of Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck, a theme of anti-capitalism continues to rise to the surface and make itself known through the story of the Joads.
Poverty was an ongoing problem throughout the Joads life. The state of poorness that the Joads find themselves in, is baffling. They barely make enough money to live on, to survive, that they don’t even have enough money leftover to enjoy themselves or even to pay respects to their dead. In Chapter 20, Pa says; “We coldn’ no matter how hard we tried, no matter what we done. We jus’ didn’ have it; embalming, an’ a coffin an’ a preacher, an’ a plot in a graveyard. It would of took ten times what we got. We done the bes’ we could.” In this quote, the family is discussing the death of Gramma and how they would have liked to bury her and pay her respects. But they aren’t able to do any of that because they have little to no money. Pa clear