Chapters 11-15- Selflessness - Letter [G]

Ma is telling Sairy that she'll repay her for helping them bury Grandpa. Sairy replies, "You shouldn't talk like that. Were proud to help. I ain't felt so-safe in a long time. People needs to help"(141). This shows exactly what obligation humans have to one another. The Wilsons are absolute strangers who are camping nearby. When Grandpa is sick, Sairy does not hesitate to let him inside her tent. Then, when he dies in her tent, she is not even fazed. She instantly decides to help the Joads to relieve their pain in these tough times. This shows that humans should be able to set aside their differences, recognize that they are all in the same boat, and help each other to the best of their abilities. Even if you are poor you can still help. Also, Sairy and Ivy do not give them everything they have. They give them exactly what the Joads need and not very much more. This also demonstrates that people should help each other out but not to the point where the other person becomes dependent on that help. People should be able to fix their own problems on their own, and then ask for help when they absolutely need it. This results in people being helped in the long-term. Then, because the Wilsons helped the Joads bury grandpa, the Joads allow Ivy and Sairy to come with them to California. Sairy and Ivy had no money and have  a broken car. The Joads wanted to help fix the car and bring them along. This shows that it's not only you helping others. It is other peoples' obligation to help you too when you need it. Throughout this whole ordeal, Sairy is sick and yet she assists the Joads. Also, the Joads have no room and not enough money but they still invite the Wilsons. This shows their selflessness towards each other. Although they are suffering themselves, they focus on helping others when they can. Another example of selflessness is when Mae had to sell bread to travelers. Mae just sold the man a loaf of bread and they asked about the price of the candy. She hesitated and said, "Oh, - them. Well, no- them's two for a penny"(160). Mae, at first, reluctantly sold the men the bread. She was looking out for herself at first but then had the heart to give them the bread. She could have just kept turning them away, but she didn't. She was also putting her job at risk to help those people. this again shows that people should help each other when the help is wanted and needed. The men desperately needed the bread because they had no food, and although she still sold it to them, she still helped them. These two examples of selflessness help get across Steinbeck's message about a person's duty to another. Steinbeck's overall message is to help one another in times of hardship. Because the times are so hard, giving each other a hand would help them survive. He constantly describes the migrants as being one unit, working together to get where they need to go. He wants to tell the audience that helping each other will bring people closer together and will help people achieve their goals.