1. The book's ending left me feeling kind of empty in that I was hoping to see Tom Joad one last time before the book ended, as he was the character that I was the most invested in. Honestly, I never cared much for either Ma Joad or R.o.S, so the last paragraph of the book only confused me. I would've much rather the entire Joad clan had been swept away in some freak flood rather than have to sit and suffer through the tedious last act of the novel, which ends with no real resolution; no light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak.
2. I feel as though the Joad family will keep on surviving, as that's what they're best at. They might be anachronisms of a time and place that no longer exists, but they're the embodiment of tenacity. Regardless of the hardships they suffered they kept on going, even if it was because they couldn't go back to what they'd left behind. If the chapters in novel that revolved around the nameless farmers suffering under the corporations and banks were supposed to highlight the hardships in the country, then aren't the Joads just Steinbecks way of showing off the sheer strength of the human spirit? I don't think the Joads will ever falter in their never-ending "quest" to find a new home, simply because they are the Joads, it's just not in their nature.
I really hoped to see Tom once more as well. I also agree the end was confusing, but I personally felt MA was one of the most important character. I also think the Joad family will keep on keeping on, so to speak.
ReplyDeleteIt was sad to not be able to see Tom again and i do, too, think the Joads will keep on surviving.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your alternate ending. I would have had them swept away because that would have ended the book with a real resolution. I agree that the Joads would persevere through about anything at this point because of what they had to go through just to get there. Your last sentence seems interesting because where else would they go if they run of places in California?
ReplyDeleteI sadly agree with the freak flood ending. When the book ended I was shocked and a little disappointed at the way Steinbeck chose to end it. It seemed not only unconclusive, it also started a train of though I didn't want to be on.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with the Joads, but only in part. Some of the family seems weaker, namely Pa and Uncle John. I know that Tom would persevere, however. He seemed to be the steady rock the family stood on during rough times, and Ma even said that at one point.
That is a good point that you made of hoping that Tom would come back into the book one last time. I mean the book started out with Tom and his life and was based around his jail time and from him we met his family. So it would have been nice to end on a note from what Tom is doing and if he was able to follow in Casy's footsteps. I guess that is something we will never find out and hope that the family was able to meet with Tom again.
ReplyDeleteJuan I agree with your response to number one, the ending was confusing, and a bit anticlimactic. The family had to go through so much struggle and it ends with a mysterious smile. There should have been some ending with Tom, either him coming back and them all dying, or Tom being able to make some kind of effect on the treatment of the migrants. I also have a theory about the ending, that the man being nursed back to health is symbol of the land being brought back.
ReplyDeleteI thought the ending, involving tom was a good one. Throughout the entire book, he was the most criminal like character. This wasn't surprising because he had been to jail, but i don't think he could ever get along with rules and he always wanted to break them.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping to see Tom in the end of the book as well. Apparently to Steinbeck, breast feeding a grown man suited his novel much better than bringing the best character of the book back!
ReplyDeleteI think I would have liked to see Tom again as well or at least hear something about him one last time. I agree that the Joads are Steinbeck's way of expressing human spirit therefore they should keep surviving or it kind of ruins the whole purpose of his book. Good point.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Tom and Casy were my favorite characters, the fact that Casy died and Tom never came back near the end of the novel was very saddening.
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