The grapes of wrath

Summary: It centers on the Joads, an Oklahoma family evicted from their farm following the 1930s dust storms which ruined local crops. Losing their land, the Joads travel to California to seek work. On their journey they encounter hardship, prejudice, and police intimidation. However, when they get there, things become worse. They must stay in squalid camps and discover that work for migrants is scarce and poorly paid. Further, except for a brief stay in a government camp, they face harassment by the authorities. When protagonist Tom Joad kills a policeman, who murdered his friend for organizing a strike, he must go into hiding, leaving the family forever. The novel ends with torrential rain destroying the last of the family’s belongings, forcing them to seek refuge in a barn with a starving man and his child.

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