"The Joads step right out of the pages of the novel that has shocked millions!"
The Grapes of Wrath - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
I'll be all around in the dark - I'll be everywhere. Wherever you can look - wherever there's a fight, so hungry people can eat, I'll be there.
— Tom Joad
Context:
Tom says this to Ma as he says goodbye, knowing he must flee because he is wanted for the death of a guard during the strike.
Meaning:
The film's most famous speech, symbolizing Tom's spiritual transition into a symbol of justice. He realizes he is no longer an individual but a part of a larger, eternal struggle.
We're the people that live. They can't wipe us out; they can't lick us. We'll go on forever, Pa, 'cause we're the people.
— Ma Joad
Context:
The final line of the film, spoken as the Joads drive away from the Wheat Patch camp toward another unknown destination.
Meaning:
An expression of populist indomitability. It asserts that while the rich and the powerful may die out or fail, the common laborers are the true, enduring constant of history.
Maybe there ain't no sin and there ain't no virtue, they's just what people does.
— Jim Casy
Context:
Early in the film, Casy explains to Tom why he stopped preaching and started observing the reality of people's lives instead.
Meaning:
Reflects a humanistic shift away from judgmental religious dogma toward empathy and understanding of the human condition.