Existentialism In The Grapes Of Wrath

As the most recognized novelist of the American Depression of the1930s, John Steinbeck is dedicated to pursuing and discovering the truth of a genuine America. Having witnessed the grim conditions of migrant workers, he devoted himself to the creation of a series of "California novels" which are filled with keen observation and profound compassion for migrants from the Dust Bowl. Among this series, The Grapes of Wrath is more often than not considered his highest achievement and is appreciated around the world. The novel features the.load family’s journey to the west. It impresses the reader with migrants’hardships, sorrows as well as their various reactions to the change of their lives.Since publication, The Grapes of Wrath underwent from being read simply as a report of social problems to an example of diverse critical approaches. However, the novel is rarely studied from an existentialist perspective which the novel is greatly immersed with. This thesis intends to explore the existentialist potential in The Grapes of Wrath with special focus on the following three Sartrean notions:bad faith, authenticity, and humanism. The thesis will analyze several characters during times of drastic changes according to the aforementioned concepts, analyzing human vulnerability to bad faith, their adamant insistence on individual authenticity, and some of the characters’ultimate elevation into humanism.This thesis comprises five parts. The first part consists of a brief introduction to John Steinbeck and The Grapes of Wrath, a literature review and a general introduction of existentialist philosophy.Chapter One first deliberates on the Sartrean conception of bad faith, which is closely followed by an analysis of two categories of bad faith based on the examination of several characters.Chapter Two centers on the theme of authenticity, a significant proposition raised by existentialists as opposed to "bad faith". This chapter adopts the notion of authenticity to analyze how characters strive to maintain an authentic existence under multifarious forms of tremendous pressure.Chapter Three analyzes a significant stride in the Sarlrean existentialism, namely, how individualism evolves into humanism. It draws on the mental development and transition of Casy, Tom, and Rose of Sharon, offering an analysis of their respective spiritual maturity.The last part is the conclusion, which summarizes previous chapters. It points out the parallel between the novel characters and existentialist conceptions, reinforcing the existentialist dimension of The Grapes of Wrath. Similar to the existentialism, the novel winds up with an upbeat note that affirms the spirit of humanism.