The Character of Tom Joad Essay - 1700 Words

The Character of Tom Joad In the novel The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck delves deep into each character thoroughly. Throughout the book, Steinbeck uses intricate descriptions in order to depict the development and subtleties of each character. Each character has a unique personality that essentially develops into new qualities and attributes. Such development is seen in many characters throughout the book, including Rose of Sharon. She is seen as immature at the start of the book, but by the end, she quickly learns to take the world into account and grows to become less selfish. This is only one of the substantial growths in character can be seen in the characters of this novel. One of the many characters in this novel that greatly†¦show more content†¦As the novel progresses, Tom transforms from this selfish nature to become a caring person. Several examples of this transformation are seen throughout various chapters. When the Joads are traveling west to California with the Wilson’s, Tom o ffers to help them when their car breaks down. â€Å"Tom said nervously, ‘Look Al. I done my time, an’ now it’s done†¦ Let’s jus’ try an’ get a con-rod an’ the hell with the res’ of it.’† Tom is showing a little more care for other people’s problems, however, he still has a selfish side because he still does not regret killing a man. He knew he had to pay for it by going to prison, but he still believes he did nothing wrong by taking a man’s life. By offering to help out with the Wilson’s’ car, he is on his way to becoming a less selfish person. As the book draws to a close, Tom stumbles upon Jim Casy again, who is murdered in front of his own eyes. As a result, he is thrown into a silent rage and kills another man which causes him to hide in the forest. He realizes that he is a danger to his family, so he sacrifices his safety in order for his family to be safe. ‘â€Å"Ya ca n’t do that, Ma. I tell you I’m jus’ a danger to ya,†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (391). There is a clear transition from Tom acting selfish at the beginning of the book to him acting completely selfless at the end. This selflessness also contributed to him being a figure committed to bettering theShow MoreRelatedTom Joad Character Analysis946 Words   |  4 Pagesquote said by Tom Joad from John Steinbeck’s novel Grapes of Wrath. Written during the great depression, John Steinbeck depicts a Oklahoma family traveling to California for work after losing their farm. The main character Tom Joad is first seen as caring only for himself and his family. By the ending the novel Tom has grown from caring about himself to caring and seeing the whole world as his family. Tom Joad from the beginning of the novel can be seen as a very introverted character who seems toRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s The Great Depression1405 Words   |  6 PagesSteinbeck portrays a story about a humble family who are forced to find jobs during the time of the Great depression. The characters are hopeful, as they pray for a pray for a brighter future. Steinbeck tries to demonstrate the strength of unity, and that working together will triumph anything that is done individually. Rather than sticking to their own beliefs, the characters are modeled by their environment. They have no choice but to seek help to be able to survive in such a devastating time periodRead MoreThe Transformation of Tom Joad in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath742 Words   |  3 PagesIn John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, Tom Joad is the protagonist. After serving four years in jail for murder, he is finally out on parole. When Tom is first introduced, he is portrayed as a n egative character. Tom is stubborn and likes things to go his way. In the beginning of the novel Tom lives his life day by day, the future does concern him. Throughout the novel Tom develops from a man only interested in his own independent personal needs and desires to someone who is devoted to hisRead MoreDignity and Transformation in the Face of Tragedy in The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck777 Words   |  4 Pageseffects of both selflessness and selfishness, all seen through the eyes of an altruistic, omniscient narrator following the much begotten Joad family on their migrant journey. Through characters such as Tom Joad, a young man struggling to overcome his past and endeavoring to live in the moment who learns to be a leader of all people, and the painful yet dignified character arcs of his entire family and his best friend, Steinbeck shows what he most wants us to take away from this novel, which is the understandingRead More Dynamic Characters and Survival in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath809 Words   |  4 PagesDynamic Characters and Survival in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath In the American epic novel, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, there are pivotal and dynamic changes that occur in the various significant characters of Jim Casy, Ma Joad, and Tom Joad. Steinbeck specifically uses these characters to show their common realizations about all of humanity, in order to demonstrate his underlying meaning about the importance of people coming together, helping each other out, and survivingRead MoreEssay about The Grapes of Wrath - Lifestyle in the 1930s1164 Words   |  5 Pagesmain characters of the novel. The novel begins as the main character, Tom Joad, is released from an Oklahoma state prison after serving four years for killing a man. He makes his way back to his family?s farm and meets Jim Casy, a former preacher who is not preaching anymore. He goes with Tom to his home and finds out that it deserted. Muley Graves, an old neighbor, tells that everyone has been expelled off the land. The next day, Tom and Jim go to Uncle Jones place. When they arrive, Tom findsRead MoreCharacter Analysis on Nunnally Johnson in The Grape of Wrath679 Words   |  3 Pagespeople went through. It focuses on the Joad family, a small family that is forced out of their home. Because of the large family they have with them, they have to head west in hopes of finding jobs. After a long difficult journey, the finally reach California after finding a bill looking for workers. They go through many different trials while the men try to find jobs, and the son, Tom Joad is haunted by the past he thought that he left behind. All of the characters are very well developed and they allRead MoreThe Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Essay1408 Words   |  6 Pagesnot like to narrate any of his novels in which he had no background information in. That is why he would often live the life of his characters before he wrote his novels or short stories. So in preparation for The Grapes of Wrath he went to Oklahoma, joined some migrants and rode with them to California. The Grapes of Wrath starts with Tom Joad, the main character, hitchhiking a ride home after being paroled from the state prison. The reason he was in jail is because four years ago he got intoRead MoreThe Selfish and the Selfless in The Great Gatsby and The Grapes of Wrath919 Words   |  4 Pagesaccommodate everyone. It’s much more satisfactory to have everything go one’s way than having to compromise with another. This selfish mentality is something that repeatedly takes place in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, where many characters act out of their own self-interest. However, throughout The Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck, the individuals often commit acts of true altruism. Instead of always being on the lookout for themselves, they often make sacrifices for othersRead MoreThe Steinbeck s Book And The Migrant s Choice Of Words And Speech Patterns1231 Words   |  5 Pagesopportunity, to become involved with Tom Joad (and his family) and Janie Crawford (and her grandmother and three husbands). From my reading, I saw connections with the issues of power and self-fulfillment, survival, family life and relation ship, and community connections. Both books take place in the 1930’s; one in rural Florida and the other from Oklahoma to California. The writing style in the books relies on conversation indicative to the identity of the characters and the setting. The initial problem