Grapes of Wrath Film Analysis

825 Words4 Pages
The director’s purpose in the Grapes of Wrath differed slightly from that of Steinbeck’s. In the film the director’s purpose was to illustrate the trials of a family affected by the Great Depression, and also to show that after countless struggles their situation could improve. The ending of the moving gave a sense of hope to the family’s future. Steinbeck’s book differed in that in the end, the family’s future was not hopeful; his book also put emphasis on the aspect of survival in difficult times. Consequently, the film diverted from the books plot, particularly in the resolution. The director of Grapes didn’t follow the traditional dramatic structure noticeable in most plots; there is no clear cut climax or resolution. The film does this because the point of Grapes is to illustrate the general day to day struggles that the Okies faced. With this in mind, the director did not want to create a dramatic story with a climax, but rather a portrait of the Joad family’s life during the time they moved. As far as character development, the film does a good job staying true to the characters in the book. Each had different motivations which satisfied the audience, such as Ma’s role in keeping the family together. There are three characters that appear to be the most dynamic in the film, and they are Ma, Tom, and Casy. These characters are dynamic because they all change and grow as the film goes on. Ma for example becomes the leader of the family, while Tom and Casy both realize they want to help their fellow Okies achieve equality. Although the Joads are travelling across the mid-west and through California, there are two main settings that occupy the movie: the car, and Okie camps. Executing the camp settings correctly was important in the film because the state of the camps emphasized how destitute the people who lived in them were. Although the main focus is on
Open Document