The Grapes of Wrath

Traces the growing anger of the oppressed migrants, culminating in the novel's title image of wrath ready for harvest.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Seed of Anger

The Injustice The Eviction The Joads are forced off their land. They feel anger but are helpless. The seed of wrath is planted. The Exploitation On the road, they are cheated and harassed. The anger grows. They begin to understand the system. The Suppression The anger is suppressed by fear. They cannot fight back. But it simmers.

The Fermentation

The Growth The Hooverville The burning of the camp and the roadblock enrage Tom. He wants to fight. The anger is building. The Strike The killing of Casy and the wage cut fuel the anger. Tom kills a vigilante. The grapes of wrath are filling. The Collective Anger The migrants' anger is collective. It is not just individual. The novel describes the wrath of the people.

The Vintage

The Harvest The Flood The flood is a natural disaster, but the anger remains. The family is broken but not defeated. The Final Act Rose of Sharon's act is not wrath but compassion. However, the novel's title suggests that the wrath is still there, waiting. The Implication The grapes of wrath are heavy. They will be harvested. The novel ends with a promise of change. The anger will not be contained.

early in the story

throughout the California experience

the end of the novel