John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath discusses the circumstances of one American family as they struggle to conquer what has proven to be America's darkest economic era. The trial of the family portrayed in Steinbeck's novel is implicative of that encountered by more than twenty five percent of Americans. During the Great Depression due to the fallen economy, Americans lost their sense of security and well-being. Forced to abandon their homes in search of employment, American society slowly lost faith in their government. However, through President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's commitment to a New Deal, as well as the modification of parental roles within the American family, Americans began to recover their respect for, and faith in the American government.

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The Great Depression: America's Loss Hoover Administration: Near The End FDR Administration: Promises of a New Deal The Changing Face of Family

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