The Fall of Self-Preservation

11/5/2009Lacombe Composite High SchoolErin Peck

Erin Peck Critical Analytical November 5, 2009

In The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck develops ideas about the role that self preservation plays

when and individual is faced with competing internal and external demands. Through characters like

Ma, Jim Casy and Tom Joad, Steinbeck presents the idea that individuals sometimes need to sacrifice

self-preservation when faced with competing demands or their well-being and the well-being of others

around them could be lost. Through these main characters Steinbeck displays the relationships between

external and internal demands and the struggle of the character to decide whether to pursue self-

preservation or respond to external demands. Steinbeck’s also uses other types of characters to

demonstrate his ideas and thoughts in the novel. His use of intercalary chapters and stream of

consciousness in other characters provides us with a clear perspective of Steinbeck’s suggestions about

the role of self-preservation.

Ma Joad is undoubtedly the leader of the Joad family, even though she appoints Pa the official

head of the family. Ma is the backbone that keeps the family together through all of the hardships they

come upon. Steinbeck uses her character to depict the idea that a person’s pursuit of self preservation

can lead to the downfall of other through her relations with other characters and the choices she makes

for the family. Ma is the classical portrait of a mother, whose whole identity tends to revolve around her

family. Ma had to make decisions that led to the benefit of the Joad family, or at the very least keep the

family together. Ma sacrifices her own self-preservation for the good the family; if she had make

decisions that were for her benefit, then the family would have been torn apart and would not have

made it through the depression.

Originally Tom Joad is solely concerned with his own interests and beliefs and is strong in his self

preservation, but as the plot develops and Tom is reunited with his family, and more importantly Ma, his

character begins to change and he becomes more concerned with the family than himself. Ma and Tom

have a very strong bond and her influence on him is very great, even after he had gone to prison for a

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Erin Peck Critical Analytical November 5, 2009

number of years. When Tom returns from prison he is very concerned with himself, and what was good

for him, he utilized all of the opportunities he had to return to the family, and restart his life in the

outside world. He meets up with Jim Casy early on in his journey and it is very clear in the conversation

that they shared, that Tom was solely concerned with the individual. When Tom is reunited with Jim

Casy at the Hooper Ranch where Casy was leading a rally, Tom realizes even more that he needs to

reach outside of himself and become more aware of the collective. Steinbeck uses Tom’s character to

show how an individual can be concerned with self-preservation, but the destruction of this individual

can be prevented by the influences of other individuals.

Unlike Ma, Jim Casy was most often concerned for his own well being and his actions were for

his own self preservation. Casy’s character is designed for the purpose of showing the role of self-

preservation in an individual who pursues the self-interest of himself, while pursuing the interests of the

collective. Jim Casy’s self-preservation is based upon his estrangement from the other people in the

home community, and when the community becomes no longer, Casy is forced to find new methods of

self-preservation, and so this is where competing demands become present. Casy believes that

everyone is part of one soul and sets out on a journey to develop his own philosophies. Casy’s journey

leads him to California where he discovers the atrocious working conditions of the migrant community

and his mission to pursue his own philosophy leads him to a mission to fight for equality and rights for

the people, eventually causing his death. If Casy had chosen to pursue his own well-being, he probably

wouldn’t have died, but many of the migrant workers may have because they were unable to make

enough money to provide food for their families. Steinbeck uses Jim Casy’s character to demonstrate

how a character must sacrifice their well-being for the benefit of the collective when the occasion arises.

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Erin Peck Critical Analytical November 5, 2009

The banks, corporations, - Self-preservation completely but, they lose quality of life because of

the circumstances. Migrant workers- have to respond to external demands and lower their self-

preservation standards in order to pursue their well being.

Steinbeck also uses intercalary chapters and characters who present a stream of consciousness

to the reader to develop his ideas about the pursuit of self-preservation leading to the destruction of an

individual. He describes how the banks and large corporations focus on the self-preservation of the

company without worrying about the target audience, the migrant workers. These company’s sacrifice

their quality of life and the common good for their own self-preservation. The migrant workers are on

the other side of this because even though they may not have much food, or money or anything, they

are still willing to share their goods with other families, in hopes that they would receive the same in

return. Steinbeck’s uses of these characters as well as the intercalary chapters is a good method for him

to present his ideas about the individual pursuit of self-preservation and having to sacrifice self-

preservation when faced with competing demands. If an individual was solely concerned about their

own self-preservation more harm than good would be done to the others around them.

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