Nomads Portrayed Eight Decades Apart

Chloe Zhao’s film Nomadland tells the heartfelt and awe-inspiring story of a group of on-the-road Americans looking to land seasonal jobs, but above all, they find inner harmony owing to the strong, meaningful relationships they build. Due to the Great Recession, the US Gypsum shut down its plant in Empire, Nevada after almost nine decades, forcing all of the resident workers to relocate. After the loss of her husband, job and home, Fern was left to pack up her life into a van and travel through the country in hopes of finding work. Little did she know, embarking on this journey would be the best decision she’s ever made as the relationships she built, conversations she took part in and experiences she underwent, ultimately healed her. 

     The nomads in Zhao’s film look out for one another as they try to evade the tyranny of the dollar, by trusting the direction in which life takes them. The roads of America become their home and their workplace, whichever workplace that may be at a given time. This all sounds a bit too familiar… After the release of Zhao’s film in 2020, sources such as CBR and Catholic Philly have claimed that Nomadland is The Grapes of Wrath of our times. After having had the pleasure of watching the film myself, I can concur! John Steinbeck’s novel is set during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, where the Joads family was driven out of their Oklahoma home due to a sudden drought, bank foreclosures, etc. Along with a mass of tenant workers, the Joads set out for California, in hopes of building a stable life for themselves and a brighter future. Similar to the nomads of Nomadland the migrant farmers try to land different jobs on different farms, hoping to earn enough money to get by and head forward. The individuals in Nomadland and the migrant workers in The Grapes of Wrath are American nomads portrayed 80 years apart, each dealing with the economic collapses of their time. Zhao’s film was set during the Great Recession, also known as the most intense economic recession since the Great Depression, which was the time of the publication of Steinbeck’s novel, greatly influencing his work. The consequences of their times were dire for both groups (the nomads and the migrant workers), but in the end they became stronger and gained something far beyond what they could have imagined: true friendships, a found family and a strong sense of community.

Though there are parallels between Steinbeck’s novel and Zhao’s film in terms of the harsh circumstances of the working class and disheartening economic situations, the aspects that really tie the two together are: sense of belonging to a community/unity, the building of new relationships and the distinct presence of generosity and kindness. Though the two stories are set almost eight decades apart, these are the common factors that allow the nomads to get through everything and are what save them. Towards the end of Steinbeck’s novel, when Tom Joads speaks to Ma in the bushes he conveys an undeniable sense of collectivity and unity of the Joad family, the migrant farmers and the working class as a whole. He opens up to Ma about his newly discovered goal, which was to work towards the collective good, as his soul was a mere part of a great big soul, of the working class. He wishes to continue Casy’s legacy by devoting his life to helping his people. Justice for the migrant farmers was his foremost priority. ”A fella ain’t got a soul of his own but only a piece of a big one” he exclaimed. This idea of a collective effort (“a collective soul”) and working towards a common great goal of defying the odds and attaining equality, manifests an undeniable sense of togetherness and community. The unity stemmed from an understanding of each other’s suffering, which is precisely what Steinbeck aimed to convey. In Nomadland, Bob Wells makes a similar speech, alluding to the idea of unity and community. He tells the nomads the analogy of the workhorse: “the workhorse that is willing to work itself to death and be put out to pasture is what happens to so many of us… we ‘work horses’ have to gather together and take care of each other and that’s what this is all about”. This is exactly what we see throughout the remainder of the film: unity and genuine care among the nomads. 

The Joads family cares for one another and for the other migrant workers. Rose of Sharon’s infamous selfless act in the final scene evoked deep care, kindness and generosity. After having tragically lost her baby and after facing countless hardships, upliftingly, Rose of Sharon thought quickly to save the dying man’s when she breastfed him. Furthermore, the Joads and the Wilsons care for one another as if they were one big family and foster a strong bond. Similarly, throughout Nomadland, the nomads are there for eachother and through their kind actions evince true care for one another’s well being. For instance, when Fern discovers that the tire of her van popped she turns to Swankie. Prior to actually helping Fern resolve her problem, Swankie shows immense care for Fern’s safety when she lectures her about not having a spare tire; as she repeated the phrase “you can die out here, do you understand that?” she spoke with such assertiveness. I felt as though I was watching a mother speak firmly to her daughter out of deep concern and love. Swankie goes on to help Fern paint her “ratty-looking van”, helps repair her tire, offers her paint and gifts Fern her good sitting chair. The two build a strong relationship. Dave, another nomad with whom Fern gets very close to, encourages her to quit smoking by giving her licorice sticks to curb her urge to smoke cigarettes, thus showing concern for her health. Later, when Dave becomes sick with diverticulitis, Fern tends to him, makes him soup and visits him in the hospital after surgery. Dave then helps Fern land a job at “Wall Drug” (a local restaurant) and Fern convinces Dave to visit his son James who has just become a father. There is this reciprocation of care between Fern and Dave as well as that of the other nomads. These are only several among many instances in the film when the nomads showed true care for one another. The nomads have an undeniable sense of community as they sit around the fire sharing their most inner thoughts and experiences, they teach each other survival skills for life on the road, advise one another on how to approach different life situations, etc. They grief together, laugh together, cry together, lookout for each other, truly listen to one another and have grown to appreciate the relationships and friendships they embarked on. In both Nomadland and The Grapes of Wrath, kindness and a sense of unity prevailed.