Perform a close reading of any passage or short chapter

The Grapes of Wrath, examining its use of theme, setting, tone, figurative language, allusions, etc. By Angela-Stanton The Grapes of Wrath not only criticizes the socio-economic problems provoked by capitalism, but advocates (moral courage) as the answer to conflicts and hostilities. In Chapter 29, Steinbeck emphasizes that although nature’s omnipotent power of destruction Is beyond human control, moral courage can sustain hope and faith In life.

This theme is successfully achieved in this short but significant intercalary heaper through the effective use of figurative language and diction, leading to the memorable ending in Chapter 30 where Rose of Sharon selflessly suckles the dying man. The narration paints a Blvd setting of the destitute land. The clouds, wind and rain are personified as the destructive forces of nature. The gray clouds are march[long] In from the ocean’.

The aggressive verb ‘march’ presents the military nature of the clouds, foreshadowing how this strong army overpowers humans and land. Contradicting auditory images describe the wind that ‘swished in the bush’ and ‘roared in the forests’. The auditory verb ‘swished’ depicts the swift, stealthy action of the wind as It passes the bush; whereas the contrasting auditory verb ‘roared’ reminds us the wind has a violent Impact on the land. The adverbs ‘fiercely and silently’ are oxymoron describing how the wind overwhelms humans brutally without announcing its arrival.

Rain is also personified as it Whipped the shining water and Whipped up the surfaces [of the fields]’. The repetitive use of the relentless verb Whipped’ illustrates the rain’s physical force and portrays it as a powerful tormentor of land and humans. The action of the rain and Its Impact on the land are emphasized by the parallel structure the streams and the little rivers edged up to the bank sides’, worked at willows and tree roots’, ‘bent the willows deep in the current’ ‘cut out the roots of cottonwood’ and ‘brought down the trees. This parallel structure consists of phrases starting with a powerful verb that inflicts misery on a ‘victim’, emphasizing the pervasive Impact of the unceasing rain. Personification is extended to the description of the land. Initially, the earth is ‘drink[inning] the rain’ when the rain only consists of ‘small drops and a steady beat’. This personification depicts the rain’s essential role as a nourishing provider for life. Then, the rain intensifies and the earth ‘[whisper] under the beat of the rain’ and the streams ‘[thunder] under the churning freshets’.

This parallel structure Juxtaposes the earth and the streams using contrasting auditory verbs, displaying the earth as a thunder[inning]’ streams. The earth’s changing reaction to the intensifying rain from drinking to whispering alludes to the rain’s volatility reigning over the vulnerability of the land. This insinuation extends to nature in general, implying that nature is precious which controls the well-being of humans and land. The narration also explores the severity of the rain’s impact on the migrant workers.

The water ‘[fouls] the ignition wires’ and ‘[fouls] the carburetors’ of the cars. This parallel structure emphasizes the extensive destruction with the use of active voice placing Water’ as the subject, suggesting that despite their level of technology and utility, the cars are inevitably destroyed. Although the migrants want to escape from this hostile environment, their cars Wouldn’t start because the wires were shorted’ ND ‘if the engines would run, deep mud engulfed the wheels’.

The use of the ‘if’ conditional structure indicates that there is no workable solution to combat the flood. All these details in the narration establish the people’s dire situation since their last resort, that is migration, is destroyed by the rain. The narrative perspective shifts from one adverse predicament to another, creating a prevailing sense of inevitability to escape from the disaster. The migrant workers ‘splashed out through the water’ to towns, country stores and relief offices to seek help and shelter.

The verb ‘splashed’ portrays the workers’ desperate attempt to survive which is further intensified Their suffering is further intensified by the parallel by the structure to point out how they ‘beg for bread’, ‘beg for rotting vegetables’ and ‘steal when they [can]’. The fact that they are begging for these basic provisions reveals their desperate attempts at survival shows the inevitability of their fate. Then, the narration focuses on the specific individuals’ reaction towards the flood. In the Wet hay of leaking barns’, babies are born to Women who [pant] with pneumonia’.

This situation is a contrast to the hopeful expectations of new life. Instead, these babies are born to intense suffering, sickness and death. Meanwhile, old people ‘[curl] up in the corners and [die] that way. This symbolic act underscores their need for consolation and security, regressing to their fetal position before death. The fact that the disaster has affected both stages of life reflects the scope of misery, aggravating the despondent tone which prevails the narration. This tone is accentuated through the repetitive use of the conjunction ‘And’.

This manipulation is intentional, conveying that difficulties are accumulating and both humans and land cannot escape from this disaster. The greatest fear amidst the catastrophe is the lack of work. This concern is accentuated by the two sudden, choppy paragraphs ‘No work till spring. No work // And if no work– no money, no food. ‘ These are hopeless complaints of the migrant workers. The abruptness, along with the repetition of ‘no work, highlights the workers’ dire financial situation. Since their hope for work is shattered, they are too feeble to sustain their struggle for survival.

This fear is intensified by the use of effects, ‘no money, no food’. The pause seems to imply the reluctance of the workers to acknowledge the consequences of unemployment. There is a change of tone when the migrants’ fear turns into wrath. The turning point is introduced by the short sentence ‘Theme’s horses— we’re men. ‘ This bitter comment demonstrates the men’s realization of their ill-treatment and worthlessness when compared to the horses. Realizing such an injustice, they ‘[gather] together’ and ‘anger [takes] its place’ instead of fear. The gathering empowers them to combat hostility actively instead of suffering helplessly.

This unity reflects Steinbeck proletarian ideology that men can generate surprising power collectively in brotherhood. It tends to advocate that moral courage is the answer to conflicts and hostilities. The change of tone is most prominent at the end of the chapter when hope and relief is conveyed through the color of ‘pale green’ in the ‘hills’ and tiny points of grass’ in the ‘beginning of the year’. This sudden change of color from gray to green creates a hopeful rebirth, suggesting that between the state of hopelessness and hopefulness, the only powers that can sustain humans through all adversities is moral courage.

This turning point rekindles readers’ faith in life and is vital to their understanding of the final message conveyed in Chapter 30 through Rose of Sharon. Overall, chapter 29 portrays the adversity of nature and underscores the conflict between nature and men. Together with the hopeful, symbolic ending, it brings out the theme that even though nature is omnipotent, it can be counteracted by moral courage. If humans remain individualistic, they become powerless. However, if humans are unified, they can benefit from the mutual support and bonding of brotherhood, which is the driving force that beautifies and prospers humanity.