Grapes of Wrath

John Steinbeck's philosophy of "the transcendental oversoul", is used and found all over the book The Grapes of Wrath. The best quote describing this is "Maybe all men got one big soul every 'body's a part of." Jim Casey told this to Tom Joad, and it’s extremely significant to the Grapes of Wrath, as a majority of the plot centers on it. Through this difficult period of history (the Depression and the Dust Bowl), human kindness was often the most important resource left. And we see people giving their help and kindness and receiving it.

When the Joad family was going to look for work, Jim Casey asked to come along. Pa was against it because it would be hard to feed another mouth, but Ma said that the Joad’s never refuse food, shelter or a ride on the road to anyone who asks. So Jim went along with the Joad’s

Another example of the transcendental oversoul is when the Joad’s were on the road and when they got to California, Ma insisted that the family stay together, and not ‘break up’. Ma believes that even though they have nowhere to go, and there’s very little hope amongst them, the only thing they do is have each other, and that the whole family in essence is one.

Thirdly, when the Joad’s made camp their first night, they were next to the Wilson’s. The Wilson’s offered their tent to Grandpa, who died there; after the Wilson’s helped the Joad’s bury Grandpa, in return the Joad’s offered to travel with the Wilson’s and share their belongings, food and help. Here we see two families who know they might not make it, but they increase their chances of finding work and surviving by doubling up and sharing resources with each other.

Lastly, when the Joad’s are trying to find higher ground (after the river came over the banks), they found a barn with a starving man in it. Rose of Sharon who just had a miscarriage, let the man drink the milk from her breasts.