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In Nathanael West’s novel Day of the Locust, he captures a certain perspective of human’s behaviors that can arrive within life in search of acceptance. Throughout his intriguing novel in America’s well-known Hollywood, the readers can feel a sense of escapism, and a longing for affection and success within the characters. It seems as though they are looking for not only acceptance in society but acceptance of one’s self. 

The society West portrays with their constant rush towards stardom could be a craving to escape the desolate scene of America after its downfall in 1929-1933. The people in California seem to be trying to make something out of their new lives: “The fat lady in the yachting cap was going shopping, not boating: the man in the Norfolk jacket and Tyrolean hat was returning not from a mountain, but an insurance office” (2). They all want to become a person different than themselves. Many, like Faye Greene, look for opportunities in the pictures which is the perfect chance to escape the dark reality of America’s recovery from almost complete destruction. They not only become a different person to act out a different life to escape the aftermath of the Depression but they use that character to find a stronger role in Hollywood’s cutthroat race towards fame. 

There seemed to be a certain emphasis of a desire for affection in Day of the Locust. In the beginning of the novel, right away he lays out Faye’s thought of love. In her mind she couldn’t love just any man. She insisted that “she could only love a handsome man and would only let a wealthy man love her” (9). Since Tod does not fit into either category, he could only be considered a friend. Secondly, there was Tod’s and the other mens’ constant desire for Faye. Other than just the physical aspect, I believe they searched for any kind of connection within the black and white of the Hollywood scene. In Hollywood, people always have their eyes for fame and money and the idea of being with a woman like Faye gave them a certain satisfaction when the men themselves might not be able to be the perfect Hollywood success story. 

Along with a search for affection, the people within the Hollywood society also tend to resemble robots always looking for success. Toward the end of the novel Tod began to notice a “strange thing about [Faye’s] gestures and expressions was that they didn’t really illustrate what she was saying… It was as though her body recognized how foolish her words were and tried to excite her hearers into being uncritical” (103). Within Faye’s struggles to become a successful actress she learned how to capture an audience. Though she took it another step into real life. She grew so accustomed to putting on a show in order to receive praise that she is always striving for fame even in her own house. Like her own father she “seemed to enjoy suffering… Like many people [s]he only enjoyed the sort that was self-inflicted” (63). All some people want is recognition and they will do whatever they can for it, even if it involves breaking down their own dignity because to them, success in the only way to fit in their idea of society.

Overall, Nathanael West displays a certain culture and way of life that some people choose to lead. It may not apply to everyone but when people experience loss or a never ending struggle in life, they can begin to act desperately even if it means turning into someone new. They might turn their whole life around to not just ‘make it’ in a society where expectations can be extremely high already but know that they can achieve self worth.

The Grapes of Wrath follows the Joad family and their companions as they flee the Oklahoma dust bowl to seek work in California. The group is a mix of different people who all want the same thing: survival. What I’ve noticed about these characters is that they all seem to have an individual set of characteristics or actions that are fundamental to their personality and allow them to cope with the difficulties of their displacement. Even if a character wants to change, they seem unable to, no matter the effort they put into it. The struggles we watch the group deal with over the course of the novel only seem to emphasize each individual’s beliefs and actions rather than changing or diminishing them. Tom Joad is likely the most obvious example, as he tries to leave behind his violent past in Oklahoma, only to find himself more angry, frustrated, and violent than he was when he left. Uncle John tries to be a good man out of guilt for his past but ends up falling to drink several times during the story. Ma, who has always held the family together, becomes more forceful in order to prevent the breakdown of the family. Again, their common goal is survival and that’s what keeps the group together. When survival is what’s at stake, the true nature of each character is revealed. For example, Connie abandoned his pregnant wife because he knew she would be a drain on resources and he would be better off on his own. Connie had always been young and immature, but he was pushed over the edge when he realized his own survival was at stake if he took on the responsibility of both Rose of Sharon and their child. He embraces his immaturity and opts to simply leave, rather than face his responsibility. Tom kills the man who killed Casy which reflects both his protective instincts and his deep frustration with the dire circumstances he and his family can’t seem to escape from. Throughout the novel, it becomes very clear that the Joads aren’t the only ones returning to their fundamental personalities and instincts. This is happening across the country, as millions of people lose their jobs and livelihoods in the wake of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. The Joads, like most other small scale farmers in the area, felt a strong connection to the land they had inherited from their ancestors. They grew up, worked, died, and were buried on this land, just like their parents and grandparents and so on. The land was a massive piece of their identity and the loss of it to the large and uncaring bank has turned them into primal, selfish, and uncivilized shells of their former selves. I believe that the Joads are simply a representation of the displaced American farmer in the dust bowl. John Steinbeck created these characters and this story to reflect on and raise awareness about the things he saw during the Dust Bowl era. He saw that the banks were buying up and collectivizing all of the land while kicking the poor farmers out without even a single moment of hesitation. In The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck points out how the economic and natural disasters of the 1930s have caused everybody to act according to their basic, selfish instincts. This includes the bank workers who are afraid of losing their jobs and ending up just like the people they’ve been evicting. In a way, “The Bank” is a representation of the selfish and cutthroat attitude that seems to develop in the people of the United States during this era. “The Bank” seems to transcend the people that make it up as it selfishly forces desperate people off their land and allows them to starve for profit. I believe that this story reveals Steinbeck’s opinion on human nature. He believes that people are fundamentally self-serving and will revert to this instinct whenever trouble happens and they’re personally threatened.

While reading the Grapes of Wrath, I noticed that the term “Okies” is often used as a derogatory term by the California natives to refer to the migrant workers from Oklahoma. While I feel that this is more of class charged comment, (well off, bought off Californians talking down to poor migrant Okies,) it is interesting to note that these two groups of people are much more similar to each other vs lets say New Englanders. More-so Classism then racism. Another angle is that we as a human race are growing more and more connected and alike during the 21 century. While in the 1930’s Californians were racist towards Okies, (and at the same time Germans to Poles, Japanese to Chinese,) now in the 2020’s I’d say that 98% of the US populace isn’t racist at all. (Not counting 1% of the crazy goons on either side of the political spectrum,) Is that because of the lessons from history that we have learned as a people, or because of the interconnectedness of the globe today? Kids today are born and by age 5 or 6 are enrolled in schools that thankfully aren’t organized by race or gender. Kids today just aren’t taught to be racist, which I think is a very good, large step in the right direction for our society. (Big tangent there)

One quote that really stuck out to me that is found in Chapter 17 was, “In the evening a strange thing happened: the twenty families became one family, the children were the children of all. The loss of home became one loss, and the golden time in the West was one dream.” I thought this quote was very significant in the way that is reveals the reality of when disaster strikes, groups that are affected tend to come together. Individuals become groups and one person’s loss becomes everybody’s loss. The Dust Bowl, following The Great Depression, destroyed the lives of many, the majority of them being farmers. Food was scarce, water was a rare commodity and work was even rarer. Everyone was individuals at the start of the book, but by the end, everyone was one whole, unified in their struggles and inabilities to make a life for themselves because of the economic, and agricultural fails. The government left them for the dust (no pun intended), taking away everything they had. The concept of unity is most prominently seen when the Joads first arrive at the Hoovervilles. These shanty towns are full of people who nowhere else to go. It’s in human nature to want to find community, and this is were they all found each other. Children becoming children of all is shown when mom starts to feed the children who live in this community, she starts to provide not only for her own family, but also for the rest of the community. The people who were affected by this tragic historical event found oneness in a community of others who faced the same struggles as themselves. In other words, people share their happiness and sorrows, which give them relief from a disaster.  

No Country For Old Men and The Grapes of Wrath

To start off both books have similar country settings, No Country for Old Men takes place down in a barren part of Texas by the border, while The Grapes of Wrath takes place in the panhandles of Oklahoma as the Joad family moves west across the desolated south western part of the US. On a character aspect, Ed Tom Bell and Pa are quite similar, they both come from an older generation when times were much simpler. During the Joad journey, Pa quickly wears out and hands the role of the leader of the family down to Tom. Ed Tom Bell is worn down as a sheriff thinking about retiring because his job has very much turned into a young man’s game; both characters realize that they are not youthful enough to continue their previous life roles. In each challenge that characters face in both books, they refuse to accept defeat. In No Country for Old Men, Moss fights until his death, and never once believes that he will die at the hands of Chirguh, which leads to the death of Carla Jean, but nonetheless, he never gives up. In The Grapes of Wrath, the Joad family never gives up, despite every setback during their journey, every person that tells them not to go to California, they continue on.

Throughout the novel, Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck touches on the lingering prospect of prison. Immediately, we are introduced to Tom Joad with his brand new clothing he received when leaving being released from prison as one of his most prominent features. His shapeless and creased clothes bore a strong contrast against the colorless and run-down town. Later on we learn that new clothes are not the only accommodations available in prison that most men wouldn’t have in the outside world. Tom told Casy about a man who returned to prison after breaking parole: “A guy ast him why he bust his parole… “Well hell,’ he says. ‘They got no conveniences at my old man’s place. Got no ‘electric lights, got no shower baths… He says it makes him lonesome out there in the open havin’ to think what to do next” (27). Men during the Great Depression may see prison has a safe haven. They don’t have to worry where their next meal will come from and they even have the luxury of bathing every day. We see that for ourselves when Casy turns himself in instead of Tom at the Hooverville. He knew that the Joads needed Tom as a leader and he would be cared for without worry in prison. Tom has even mentioned that he wouldn’t mind going back to prison if it wasn’t for his family so Casy took his place hoping for relief and possibly a way to repay the Joads and find his direction in life.

“The women came out of the houses to stand beside their men – to feel whether this time the men would break… Women and children knew deep in themselves that no misfortune was too great to bear if their men were whole” (4). Throughout the novel, Steinbeck shows the roles of women and children next to the husbands and fathers within their families. During the Great Depression, everyone needed to fend for themselves and their own family. Men were seen as the protectors and providers and the women and children were intended to follow in their path.Women had the responsibility of cooking and taking care of the children while their husbands handled financial responsibilities. Steinbeck though also portrayed how the mothers of the family can often be the glue to the whole family. For example Ma, in the Joad family is their rock. They look to her for comfort within all of their troubles. Maybe not all women of families have her same sense of power but Ma has a large say in their decisions. No matter the situation, Ma wants to keep the family at all costs. Ma refuses to leave when Tom offers to stay back with the preacher when one of their cars break down so the family can keep moving. The men saw it as the best option but she knew that staying together is key to getting through their troubles. Families need a backbone and she is theirs. Families need each other make it through such a dark time in history.

One of the continuing themes that reoccur throughout the novel that is very prevalent is social unity. Starting with Tom Joad in the beginning chapters. He has shown his ability to create a relationship with someone even after the fact that he was in prison. When he comes across Jim Casy for the first time in years, he brings him along his journey and creates a friendly relationship with him. Not only Tom Joad, but the rest of his family shows social unity through this hard time period. Although neighbors are going against each other for their own survival, there is still a present unity between the farmers and their families.

In chapter thirteen–when the Joad family meets the Wilson’s–there is a strong sign of social unity. Both families do not have much belongings or money, but they still share with each other. Two examples being: When the Joad’s Grampa dies, the Wilson’s give their quilt to the Joad’s so they can properly bury him. The Wilson’s make a deal with the Joad’s to travel to California in their car. From the beginning, the Joad’s and Wilson’s have had a sense of social unity.

“You won’t be no burden. Each’ll help each, an’ we’ll all git to California. Sairy Wilson he’ped lay Grampa out.” is a quote that Ma said when she was telling the Wilson’s that they should stick together, because they showed kindness. Ma knows that they could create a good relationship with the Wilson’s, and hopefully make it to California together, and easier.

There are many different scenes and messages that Steinbeck presents to the readers and one important message is: in difficult times, there are still beauty in people and their morality. Each one of the characters have had to face harsh reality, and choose to either travel alone, or come together and create social unity.

Casy said, “He was foolin’, all the time. I think he knowed it. An’ Grandpa did not die tonight. He died the minute you took im’ off the place.” Obviously, this quote is a metaphor, he did not literally die the second the second they left the house but that’s what makes this quote so unique. Grandpa didn’t want to go on this trip in the first place but he was forced tp because the family drugged him and brought him with. For the quote Casy is actually saying that he died along with the house that they left. His heart was with the house, so when the house died, grampa metaphorically died too. Another quote that was earlier in the paragraph, also from Casy: “Grandpa an’ the old place, they jus’ the same damn thing.” (pg. 199) As I mentioned prior, Grandpa is compared to the old house mainly because he lived their is whole life and when asked to leave he did not want to give it up. He gave his heart and soul to that place and the second they took him his heart died because he was no longer happy. They should have just let him be and not forced him to come with if he didn’t want to.

This photograph is called “Migrant Mother” and it was taken in 1936 during the dust bowl migration west. In this photo we see the toll that a migration has on someone; providing for a family and attempting to move across the country with little to nothing. Tom Joad, in the Grapes of Wrath, is similar to the woman because Tom fills the position of the head of the family. During the migration, Tom plans out the route, finds places for the family to stay at night, talks to store clerks and other people on behalf of the family. In this photo the mother is the family member others rely on. She is staring off into the distance the photo and makes it appear as if she is thinking about ways to provide for her family. Similarly, Tom is constantly thinking about the family and how to make it to California. The children in the photo are physically and mentally leaning on her and trusting the mom to survive. They are wearing dirty torn clothes; so, we can determine that they have been on the road somewhere and are struggling. The Joad family is in the same position, they have not bathed, are riding in the trunk of a car across the desert with heat stroke, and they are all leaning on Tom to get them to their destination.