Beyond the Line

What does the trucker represent in the Grapes of Wrath?


The road was all he knew, yet when he met Tom Joad, he was completely different. He pried into Tom Joad’s life, trying to find out every single thing about him. He was sneaky and manipulative. You can almost compare him to the paparazzi and media of today.

Tom Joad only asked for a ride, not an opportunity to tell his life story. The trucker was manipulative to get the answers he wanted. He knew exactly what to ask.

Although the trucker was usually lonely, he still did gossip. This would have been a story to tell anyone he met, of Tom Joad, the murderer he drove.

The trucker needed a story of about someone else’s life to keep his exciting. The paparazzi does exactly that. Their lives are so mundane and boring, they have to fill it with the woes of others.

Tom Joad only asked for a lift. The trucker asked for personal information in return. The paparazzi and media make a living prying and intruding into the lives of others. The trucker enriched his life with the misery of Tom Joad.