Connection to Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is a novel following a group of family farmers by the name of Joad. The Joads worked to keep their family farm together when economic and natural disasters took away their farmland and income. Just like a typical family farm the Joad's were a large group which included mother, father, grandparents, children, and spouses. Understanding the inner workings of a family farm and the deep connections these families make to each other throughout their work can help the reader understand the connections between the Joad's better. Those who work on family farms have a strong reliance on each other, and strong sense of self-sufficiency. They work all of their own manual labor and keep track of their own financing. They also have a sense of pride over their land.
Just like the dust bowl in real life, the Joads in the Grapes of Wrath lose their farm and are forced to go east in hopes of starting over. Their bonds, sense of responsibility, and self-sufficiency follow with them on their journey. You can see these qualities come out as they hit bumps in the road during their journey.