The Grapes Of Wrath Hero's Journey

The Spiritual Journey of Tom Joad
If one did not learn from each step they take in life, where would the world be now? This question may be impossible to answer, and yet easy to imagine the possibilities. A journey is not only a voyage set on foot, but also an adjustment in mindset. The Grapes of Wrath, a novel by John Steinbeck, paints a vivid picture about a particular journey in which a character learns about life and accomplishment. The book not only tells the tale of the tragically poor, but also an uplifting sense of discovery. To embark on a spiritual journey, one must acquire aptitudes and a perspective, which compels the mind to have hope, and to strive for proud existence.
Murder is something that society frowns upon. At the beginning
of the novel Tom Joad, the central character, has learned that fact the hard way. He tells Jim Casy, a former preacher that he spent four years in prison for murdering a man during a fight at a dance. "'I killed a guy in a fight. We was drunk at a dance. He got a knife in me, an' I killed him with a shovel that was layin' there. Knocked his head plumb to squash.' Casy's eyebrows resumed their normal level. 'You ain't ashamed of nothin' then?' 'No,' said Joad. 'I ain't. I got seven years; account of he had a knife in me. Got out in four - parole." (Steinbeck 33). Tom seems to feel no remorse and his reason for killing the man is also less than dignified. He mind-set tells him that his misconduct is a ritual of life everyone must undergo. He also believes that looking toward the future or into the past is a waste of time and Tom prefers to devote his energy to the day at hand.
After Tom is reunited with his family at this uncles farm, he learns that no matter what one's financial status is, humanity can always be demonstrated to others without thinking too much of oneself. For example, Tom witnesses an act of kindness that his mother could not pass up when she states, "There ain't enough. I'm a-gonna set this here kettle out, an' you'll all get a little tas', but it ain't gonna do you no good. I can't he'p it. Can't keep it from you" (Steinbeck 351). Tom's mother cannot ignore the famished children, so she decides to display an act of heart and prove that to be poor, one does not have to be bitter. Tom comprehends that the amount of money one has does not affect generosity. When Tom states, "An' I got to thinkin', Ma- most of the preachin' is about the poor we shall have always with us, an' if you got nothin', why, jus' fol' your hands an' to hell with it, you gonna git ice cream on gol' plates when you're dead" (Steinbeck 571), he acquires the fact that the goal to seek perfection is not worthy, for every lone soul contains a bit of poor quality. He freshly understands that the poor live every moment as the present and without the intense worry of the future, so that the distinct hope will keep them alive. On a vaguely hopeless quest, one must notice that to be poor is not only financially, and that this should not set anyone back from their goal.
In the end adventures can lead to negative outcomes, which is no reason to purpose to let go of one's ultimate dreams.
Tom determines that the rich are controlling the poor and that the poor need to retaliate when he declares, "I been thinkin' a hell of a lot, thinkin' about our people livin' like pigs, an' the good rich lan' layin' fallow, or maybe one fella with a million acres, while a hunderd thousan' good farmers is starvin'. An' I been wonderin' if all our folks got together an' yelled..." (Steinbeck 571). He is led to believe that if the people with a similar situation as his gathered to form an alliance, then possibly they can overcome the obstacle or make a difference in the world. Tom never apprehended the intensity of the migration dilemma prior to his journey, but as he has progressed he has grasped the despairing reality. "I'll be ever'where--wherever you look. Wherever they's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever they's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there. If Casy knowed, why, I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad an'--I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry an' they know supper's ready" (Steinbeck 572). Tom assures his mother that he will always be there to help those in need, whatever the obstacle may be, and assures her that regardless of whether he lives or dies, his spirit will continue on in the triumphs and turmoil of the world. His utmost goal is for all human beings to be equal and courteous to one another, Californian or otherwise. He has learned that if the world acted as a respectful community, objectives and desires are considerably simple to earn. Across this difficult, and bumpy adventure Tom does not give up on his strong devotion to the success of his family or his fellow human
beings.
The planet is comprised of millions of individuals that rely on each other for encouragement and support. Along his journey, Tom realizes that comfort and faith can be given through the strength and support of companions, that those who act alone do not possess the understanding that they will be supported if ever they fail, and that everyone must work together with integrity to accomplish responsible actions as a whole. The world must live as a Chinese proverb advises, "To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping," and we must all realize even when we may think that it won't help us to change our personality or our outlook on life it may actually be in our best interest.