Literature Analysis - The Grapes of Wrath

GENERAL
1. This book is about the Joad family who first goes through the hardship of being kicked off the land they farmed for years and being left with nothing. They didn't know what to do, but they were told that there was work for farmers in California. And so like everybody else in there position they migrate to California. Their large family packs into their car and does whatever they can to get food and simply survive.
2. I think the theme can be shown with a quote from the movie Finding Nemo, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming swimming swimming, what do we do? we swim!" The life of the Joad family was drastically altered and so the main message is to continue on, even though it's difficult.
3. The author's tone fit right in with the feeling of the family. They were down and depressed, so the author gave off the feeling of hopelessness. I think his use of the mini stories of the lives of other people really helped the story along just to show how bad things were for the people during this time.

CHARACTERIZATION
1. The author uses direct characterization when he describes what people look like and how they are as a person. He makes his writing interesting then by using indirect characterization by having the characters show who they are through their actions and words. (We learn what Tom looks like in the beginning when describing his clothes after he got out of jail and we learn what Pa thinks of Connie based on what he says after Connie runs off and leaves the family.)
2. I think the author's writing is pretty stable throughout the book. He used the language that the characters would understand which is somewhat broken English. (This is in a way irony because throughout the book nothing stays the same, things are broken and left behind, but the words are always the same.)
3. I believe Tom Joad is mostly a static, flat character. In the very beginning of the story we learn he was convicted of manslaughter due to him getting hot-headed in a bar and then towards the end of the book he avenges the death of Casy without a second glance. I can't say that this is necessarily a good or a bad thing, but throughout all their hardships Tom remained the same.
4. I feel like I read a character because I have never been anywhere close to the situation that this family went through. Also Tom is a convicted felon and I tend to stay away from those types of people...