Frederick Turner's American Dream

America was founded on the discovery and exploration of the frontier. For years there was a real American dream, and frontier to discover; but, as Frederick Turner argues, later as Americans settled further and further west, eventually there is no where further to settle. Struggling Americans are tricked into believing if something goes terribly wrong they can go to the frontier and discover new land, settle and build a life for themselves, but in reality there is no place in America like this. There are no short cuts to prosperity. In the early nineteen hundreds in reaction to the dustbowl throughout the south and the great depression, a great migration to the western frontier occurs, but their American dream has become a nightmare.
There is no more Wester frontier, the land is already settled. Additionally, the inflow of people into California only lowers wages and increases poverty. In John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath, the false American Dream, of owning land in the frontier, only benefits big landowners, and reveals all the Joads have is their love of each other to survive. The Joads and other Okies view California as a beautiful, fertile, frontier and the perfect place to settle. Also, because the farmers in Oklahoma are not producing enough money to the bank, they kick out the farmers. After the farmers are told to leave their land they, “walked back to the farms, hands in pockets and heads down, shoes kicking the red dust up. Maybe we can start again, in the new rich land—in California, where the fruit grows. We'll start over. “ (25). Not only are the nutrients in the Oklahoman soil gone, but also any hope of being successful where they are. The farmers know they need to start over and their brainwashed minds think of the American dream, the frontier, California. They have seen flyers offering jobs and heard people say to go. The Joads believe they can find land and settle on it. Moreover, they believe even though there are thousands of people arriving everyday, there are still tons of high paying jobs. Furthermore, The Joads do not want think about the problems, because this is there only option. The Joads believe from their heavenly perception of California that their problems will leave them when they arrive, but in reality the same land and debt issues occur in California. While working in California, “Little farmers watched debt creep up on them like the tide” (447). Through imagery one can literally see a farmer drowning in debt. Just as humans have no control over the tide, the farmers see the debt accumulating, but do not have a way of paying it back. Additionally, this quote shows the similarities of farming in California to Oklahoma; the Joads came to California believing these problems would be left at home, but the reality of the situation in California proves their journey almost useless if not hurtful. Another small Californian farmer experiences similar problems, “This little orchard will be a part of a great holding next year, for the debt will have choked the owner. This vineyard will belong to the bank.” (448). The violent imagery paints a picture and personifies the debt as a person strangling the owner. Moreover,little farms are almost impossible to sustain with the influx of new cheap labor. The Joads moved to California hoping to eventually own land and have there own farm, but because tens of thousands of other Okies also had that idea it is now unattainable. Lastly, banks and big landowners are profiting from the suffering of workers who fell into the trap of the American nightmare. Without a place to stay, a plan for the future and an empty stomach, the only thing the Joads still have is each other.
The landowners take away a lot from the Okies, but “the little screaming fact that sounds through all history: repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed.” (end of 19). The Joads have come to see what is really important in life, the one constant, each other. The Joads know they should take out their hate on the repressor, not fellow victims. Furthermore, the property owners actions have perpetuated the compassion to fellow workers. When in trouble, the people to stand up and help are the ones who know the feeling. Throughout the novel the Joads struggle, but the hardships “knits” them closer to each other. Outsiders expect the repressed workers to selfishly fight for their own food and resources, but instead the repressed join together because they been through similar conditions. The Joads know pain of other pickers, so repression creates a compassion for repressed strangers. In the last scene of the novel, The Joads find a young boy and his dying father. The starving man needs milk because he is unable to chew or swallow food, but neither the Joads or the boy are able to afford it. So, to save the mans life Rose of Sharon’s, “hand moved behind his head and supported it. Her fingers moved gently in his hair. She looked up and across the barn, and her lips came together and smiled mysteriously.” (538). Rose of Sharon performs a selfless, intimate act with a complete stranger for the life of a man she does not know. With the miscarriage of her baby, disappearance of her husband, and past inability to help work, Rose of Sharon feels important and proud of herself for the first time in a while. Repressed people with nothing are more willing to share because all they have is each other. Although The Joads may feel as if the land owners have everything, they do not have a group of supporters like the dying man does. Additionally, when
Rose of Sharon “smiled mysteriously” represents that they will survive. Although the future will not be easy, Rose of Sharon knows with a group of people behind her and a loving family to support she will definitely survive. They Joads will not get what they come to California for, but they gain new perspective from their journey that will keep them alive. This novel shows the importance of people and family, throughout everything in life, highs and lows, family remains a constant. This constance acts as a life parachute.