The Metamorphosis of Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck :: The Grapes of Wrath

The Metamorphosis of turkey cock Joad in The Grapes of resentment Tom Joad from Steinbecks Grapes of Wrath is a prime example of a soul whose ethical motive and spiritual growth cannot be restricted by the rectitude or any other limiting factor for long. Throughout the brisk he develops from a homo only interested in his feature independent in the flesh(predicate) desires and needs to one who is devoted to his family and sacrifices his own personal comfort for the benefit of the family. At the novels end Tom is continuing Jim Casys charitable work of uniting the short hand laborers against the rich oppressive landowners who atomic number 18 starving the poor with low wages. Toms concept of family grows with his work uniting the poor to encompass all of hu worldity. Maslows Humanistic psychological Hierarchy of Human needfully can be used to track Toms personal development. Humanists believe that cosmos are constantly striving to be the best person that their commit con ditions allow them to be. The Hierarchy of Needs lists the needs that humans need to meet to reach the next level of development. One cannot move to a higher(prenominal) level of development without freshman satisfying the more basic levels. The first level includes the physiologic needs food water, and sleep. The next level is guard and guarantor, then love and belonging. Next of the list is a healthy self-consciousness and finally self-actualization. One who is self actualized has efficient perceptions of reality, autonomy, fellowship with hum ity, laborious and loving interpersonal relationships, and is task centered. At the beginning of the novel Tom has just been paroled from prison serving time for killing a man in a fight. Tom feels he was merely defending himself. He feels no guilt or shame about killing the man and would do it again under the same conditions. Toms morals allowed him to justify the killing. These morals were instilled in him by his family especially f rom the strength and love of his mother. Tom is aspect forward to laying one foot down in face of another. At this point in he story Tom has his physiological needs met and is going home to his family to meet his needs of safety and security love belonging. In chapter 6 Tom finds his house abandoned and meets Muley, an elder neighbor that stayed behind after his family moved to California for work.