Human by Andrew

Human by Andrew - June 2022 Scholarship Essay

What does it mean to be Human? The meaning of what it means to be human has been a controversial subject throughout the past millennia, and some would say that being a human is the hardest thing one could be. There is no given definition, as to what it means to be human but at least we have a general outline we can base ourselves upon. John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath tells the story of a family who got evicted from their multi-generational home and must embark on a journey filled with hardships and tribulations to discover the true meaning of what it means to be human. It was thanks to Steinbeck’s character of Ma Joad, that I was able to formulate a basic foundation of what it truly means to be human. Ma Joad taught me the importance of committing random acts of kindness, the power of teamwork, and how these two elements are the key to being the best human beings that we can be.
Steinbeck uses Ma giving the leftover beans to the starving children as a representation that we all need to help one another in the times of need, for only then we will be one step closer to becoming a unified society. After a long day of searching for work, Ma prepares dinner for the family as a group of starving children stare at her with sorrowful eyes. As the children continue staring, Ma walks up to the children and tells them, “I’m a-gonna set this here kettle out, an’ you'll’ all get a little tas’, but it ain’t gonna do you no good” (Steinbeck 299 PDF). Prior to arriving at the camp to recharge their batteries, the Joads had experienced what it meant to be hungry. Children during the 1940’s and up to this day are seen to be a blessing from God, which therefore makes them one of the most valuable things one can have. So when Ma saw the starving children staring melancholically as the family ate, she empathized with them, for they too had to go through the same struggle along their journey to California and decided to feed them the families' left-overs. Steinbeck wants his audience to be aware that we should always strive to help one another in times of need, whether it's financially or emotionally by committing random acts of kindness. We need to learn how to stick together wherever we go and live as an unified entity, instead of a world filled with hate and selfishness just like the dystopian society in which the story takes place. At the end of the day we all bare the same skin and bones, so it's the least we can do.
Steinbeck uses Ma’s enthusiasm and optimism as a representation that we are able to accomplish anything in this world, only if we are able to work together to accomplish a common goal. After arriving at the peach farm, Ma tells the family that she hasn’t felt this happy for a long time, especially considering that the family have been having trouble finding work up to this point. Ma then reveals her master plan to the family when she mentions how, “F we pick plenty of peaches we might get a house, pay rent even, for a couple of months. We got to have a house” (Steinbeck 366). Ma has alway been the heart and soul of the family and the one who keeps the family together, like glue keeping pieces of paper together. Ma’s ambition, passion, and enthusiasm for her family, is what motivates the others to pursue what is best for the whole group rather than the individual. If it wasn’t for Ma’s motivational speeches and master plan, the Joad Family would be disorganized and would lack the ambition to accomplish what matters the most to them, which is finding a new home and ultimately starting a new life in sunny-side California. Steinbeck wants his reader to be aware that it is better to be part of a team that works in unison rather than working as an individual, because a team can ask one another for guidance instead of just relying on one’s personal interest. In order for the human race to truly move towards greatness, we must learn how to set aside our differences and come together for the benefit of the pack, for only then we may be one step closer to a unified society.
The character of Ma Joad giving food to the starving children, and her being the heart and soul of the family are all prime examples that there is still hope for humanity. No one really knows how to be human, or ever will. But why should that stop us from being our best selves. Life is all about improving ourselves in every way imaginable, whether it's working on our mathematical skills or just being an overall better person than who we were yesterday. I used to have no friends growing up. It wasn’t until I read Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath and started implementing Ma Joad’s principles that I was able to make a new life for myself. I went from an introvert to an all out extrovert, and I’ll be forever proud of that. At the end of the day we only live one life, so what is there stopping us from achieving the best life possible.