climbing the ladder: grapes of wrath
...amily learns that everyone in Oklahoma is being "tractored" off the land, they all head to California to look for work. The journey to California did not only seem endless, but was extremely arduous and difficult as well. However, through the Joad's sincere faith and optimism, they make it. Grampa and Granma Joad also did not survive during this trip, but they put it behind themselves and keep on going. They realize finding employment by picking fruit and cotton, is their only choice. Another aspect of getting closer to completing their final dream is for the Joads' to use cooperation and teamwork. Ma Joad especially contributes by accomplishing her significant role as "the citadel of the family." She is not only able to keep herself together during chaos and disorder, but is determined to keep the family together as well. "We're Joads. We don't look up to nobody. Grampa's grampa, he fit in the Revolution. We was farm people till the debt. And then—them people. They done somepin to us. Ever' time they come seemed like they was a-whippin' me—all of us. An' in Needles, that police. He done somepin to me, made me feel mean. Made me feel ashamed. An' now I ain't ashamed. These folks is our folks—is our folks. An' that manager, he come an' set an' drank coffee, an' he says, 'Mrs. Joad' this, an' 'Mrs. Joad' that—an' 'How you getting' on, Mrs. Joad?' Why, I feel like people again" (p. 339). Ma portrays the necessity of camaraderie among the migrants and families. The Joads' do display collaboration and cooperation throughout the novel, when their journey first initiates. At first, the Joads' dog is struck by a car, this serves as a symbol of the difficulties that soon await the family. Together, the family lives by their strong morals and works to move on in life. "…There ain't no sin and there ain't no virtue. There's just stuff people do. It's all part of the same thing. And some of the things folks do is nice, and some ain't nice, but that's as far as any man got a right to say" (p. 24). The social ladder in life is what the Joads' believe everyone in the world lives by. Some are fortunate enough to be increasing successfully up the ladder, and others cannot even get on. The Joads', for example, do...