Toilets, Bathrooms, and Plumbing in The Grapes of Wrath

This exhibit is an exploration of the differences amongst the toilets and other restroom facilities of the migrants living in the midwest and their more modern manifestations in California. This exhibit will display how plumbing is one representation of the numerous practical and cultural shifts and evolutions that the Joads encounter during their migration. The exhibit will show how the Joads are moving from a place that is spread out, self-sufficient, and in terms of technology, a bit archaic, to a place that emphasizes interdependence, cooperation, and embracing modernity. The Joads and their fellow migrants are attempt to maange a significant number of transitions and these shifts are manifested in numerous ways throughout The Grapes of Wrath. This exhibit will display how restroom facilities are just one manifestation of these transitions and will explore how the Okies and the Joads adjusted to the new dynamics of their living situations in California.