THE THEME OF AMERICAN DREAM IN JOHN STEINBECK'S "THE GRAPES OF WRATH"

John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath (1939) presents a poignant critique of the American Dream by illustrating the struggles of the Joad family during the Great Depression. This paper explores how Steinbeck deconstructs the idealized notion of prosperity and upward mobility, highlighting the economic disparities, systemic exploitation, and shifting social values that challenge the traditional American Dream. With a literary and socio-historical methodology, the research analyses principal symbols, character changes, and intercalary chapters which express the novel's larger criticism of capitalism and individualism. It is asserted here that Steinbeck reimagines the American Dream and propounds collective tenacity instead of personal achievement. By examining the themes of displacement, labor exploitation, and social justice, this study makes an original contribution to the literature on the plausibility of the American Dream during economic crises. The conclusions are that The Grapes of Wrath is not only a reflection on the past but also a warning for the present regarding economic inequality and calls for systemic reform