Portrait of Fear in The Grapes of WrathSteinbeck shows throughout The Grapes of Wrath that humanity is afraid of failure . Although this fear is present in both desperate migrant workers and ruthless large landowners, Steinbeck uses the character of Al Joad to his advantage to model this characteristic of the man. Al's personal fear of failure motivates him to succeed in life relative to his male role models, as well as to help provide for the family. This is demonstrated by Al's sense of responsibility towards his family, his cautious nature, and his sullen and defensive behavior. Al's sense of responsibility to his family is a major element in his determination not to fail. His knowledge and operation of automobiles are Al's major contribution to the family: "He may have been a musk goat at times, but that was his responsibility, that truck, driving it and maintaining it... And all the world respected him and his responsibility" (Steinbeck, pages 131 and 132). Al not only helps the family succeed in getting to California by taking on this responsibility, but he also compensates for other areas of his character in which he feels he is failing or lacking. One such aspect of his character could be his apathy about letting his family know his whereabouts when he disappears for several days at a time in Oklahoma. Al's cautious nature is another clear sign that he doesn't want to fail. He believes that precaution is the only way to prevent something from going wrong and ultimately failing. This is visible in the meticulous care he gave to the truck: "Al had become tense from the steering wheel. A small whine had developed in the engine. He accelerated and the whine intensified... Al honked the horn and pulled the car to the side of the road” (page 225) Al’s care, although only evident in that of the truck, clearly suggests that if he failed to maintain it properly. the truck, he would fail himself and his family as well. To compensate for such an event, Al constantly monitors and warns of any possible problems with the truck. Al's sullen and defensive behavior is also a good example of his determination not to. to fail Although his attitude can be attributed to adolescent arrogance, one who examines Al's character can see that he is under more pressure than most other members of the family...