Marriage and Conculsion

"Unemployment permitted a great deal more companionship between young men and young women, which ordinarily would have led to marriage. The only thing lacking was money. The arrangements called, simply, 'living together' became common. Often the man or woman was married, and couldn't get , couldn't afford, or didn't want a divorce. Sometimes the man simply refused to marry, and the woman took him into her home or moved into his as the next best thing."

 http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/article.php?key=3612#.VV2DYenbJfy

**Conculsion

Marriage is a commitment, but the meaning of marriage might have different interpretation during the Great Depression.  Like Al and Aggie, they see each other all the time.  Wainwright complains to Ma that "Well, her an' your boy Al, they're a-walkin' out ever' night.  An' Aggie's a good healthy girl that oughta have a husband', else she might git in trouble" (422). Essentially, Wainwright is asking Al to marry Aggie. If not, Al should leave Aggie alone.

The relationship between Connie and Rose of Sharon is even more complicated because Connie just disappears.  But Steinbeck elevates Rose of Sharon character.  She is no longer only an egocentric person, but rather to do what she is capable of.  This progression is important because both Ma and Rose of Sharon represent the real survivor in the novel.  Ma, so does Casy, believes in "do what you can". (384, 444, 449)  Steinbeck depicts this idea by stating "Woman, it's all one flow, like a stream, little eddies, little waterfalls, but the river, it goes right on.  Woman looks at it like that.  We ain't gonna die out.  People is goin' on--changin' a little, maybe, but goin' right on" (423).

Ma will never have the notion to forget about life for a while.  She, constantly, thinks what is the best for her family and for "anybody" at the end of the novel. (445)