As the book ends, I think the Joads will continue on just as they have for the whole book. I think Rose of Sharon has grown up if not on the last page, then the last chapter at least. Ma has adapted to her role in the family and I think they are closer now due to all they have lost so far. I think Tom's character has changed from living day to day, to taking on Casy's perspective. He hopes to help those he can and this is a good defining characteristic of the new Tom.
Looking from the book to our culture now, I think there are a great many motifs that transcend from them to us. The idea of decency and its applications and effects are a real eye opener. I think people today have lost some of the importance in family and often take advantage of such ties. Beside that, the premises on the restoration of the land is key to keep in mind. I'd like to think we take better care of the land today, but where farming has increased, drilling has taken its place. I think there will always be cause to look back and remind ourselves of past times, but I don't think we always learn what we should from it.
You are very right about the changes in our culture now compared to how it was then. importance of family as well as better care of land has really changed throughout the years.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you in that I also think Tom's become a "pseudo-Casy", if only to carry on the movement that Casy was spearheading. I'm still not entirely sure what Rose of Sharon's actions on the last page really signify, though.
ReplyDeleteI would agree the culture from then to now has changed, but i don't think it all has changed. I think if put in a similar scenario as the dust bowl the same kind of things would happen.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the how you think that family is very important and how it has changed through history. I actually wrote my essay 2 about how it was so important.
ReplyDeleteI never really thought of the situation with Rose of Sharon as "growing up" i think that is a really good view to take on the situation considering it is so awkward... I do agree that we are not taking great care of the land like we should be today. although some people say there is still enough land to plant crops and for people to live among i do find it a little nerve racking that we may run out of our land due to population growth.
ReplyDeleteI like how you said "I think there are many great motifs that transcend from them to us". I think this can relate back to when we discussed what's the difference between knowledge and wisdom. A lot of our wisdom we learned from older generations, only if we let ourselves. I also agree with you when you said we take better care of the land today.
ReplyDeleteI like how you applied what the lessons from the book to today's world. I think that decency and its affects are not something with think about today and this book is really an eye opener about what happens when they aren't there. it reminds us that decency is something needed in society and shouldn't be taken for granted.
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