The ending of the Grapes of Wrath was very unexpected. I wanted the Joads to have some kind of resolution and happiness at the end, but instead Steinbeck decided to add a more symbolic touch. Ma displays her strong leadership as she directs the family to leave the safety of the boxcar and find shelter else where. When they arrive at the Shelter, a barn, there is a sickly man and a young boy. The man is so ill he cannot eat solid food and has to resort to liquid nourishment. Rose of Sharon volunteers herself and nurses the man with her own breasts. This situation made me uncomfortable, because its just not a normal thing to do. However, when you take into consideration the desperation of their situation her actions seem to be heroic. In a time of sorrow Rose of Sharon decides to use the milk that had come from her miscarried baby and share it with a suffering man. I think she mysteriously smiles because even though the situation is awkward she feels that her babies death has some kind of purpose. If the baby were to have survived the milk would have been taken and the man would have starved.
As the Joads continue on their journey they will overcome any obstacles that they face. They have already been through so much loss and disappointment there is nothing they can't get through. Even though they have met so much despair, I feel that the Joads will find happiness and triumph soon. They will meet any new challenge with the same determination and this is because they will continue to band together and work as a family unit.
I too was expecting a happy ending, it was a bummer that Steinbeck just left us hanging. It would of been better if he would of let us know a little bit about how the family ended doing.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the ending was symbolic. In my opinion, the last scene with Rose of Sharon was a symbol that things were going to start getting better for the Joads. Even though their family was even more split up.
ReplyDelete