The author puts a couple references in the Grapes of Wrath to just having to take life as it ocmes. Whenever there is a problem to be faced or a mountain to be climbed, it is best not to measture the distance you have to go but to take everything one step at a time. If you do it in this way it keeps you from getting discouraged too easily with the great length that lays before you.
One example of taking life step by step is in Joad's description of the life he led when he was in prison. When you are faced with a sentence of multiple years youc annot possibly look at the sentence as a while without losing heart. It will seem to be an impossible length of time to endure wihtout being in civilization among other people. However, if you take the sentence one day at a time and tell yoursel fif you can only justmake it through that one day then you will be fine, it is a lot more to bear. Anybody can take something for a day at a time.
The author used the previously discussed example as a reason for taking things one day ata time, but most people cannot sympathize with the actual feeling of being imprisoned so there is also another example. This example is more universal and is from the advice of Ma Joad. As they are on the road she too takes everything one day ata t ime. She tells Joad how impossible it is for her to take on the whole idea of what they are trying to do at one time, as shown in the following passage:
"'ain't you thinkin what's it gonna be like when we get there? Ain't you scared it won't be nice like we thought?'
'No,' she said quickly. 'No, I ain't. You can't do that. I can't do that. It's too much- livin too many lives. Up ahead they's a thousan' lives we might live, but when it comes, it'll on'y be oen. If I go ahead on all of 'em, it's too much. You got to vile ahead 'cause you're soy oung, but - it's just the road goin' by for me.'"
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