Between the early 1920s and the late 1940s, people around the world suffered the two darkest periods in human history . One period was, from 1929 to 1932, the longest and deepest economic depression, the Great Depression. The other, soon after, was the largest and deadliest total war, World War II. In those times people were devastated; millions of millions of people died, some died of hunger, some died in war. Some survived, but surrendered; lived like a walking dead. The physical damage wasn't deadly enough for people, but the mental damage was. Those people who did not have a strong sense of love, moral or spiritual faith died mentally. They were, weak-minded and inept, the "sheep". In contrast, there were the real "goats"; they were long-lasting and constructive. They fought against evil and faithfully followed their beliefs to avoid being lost in the darkness. These people knew how valuable love, morality, or faith could be in adversity and, therefore, made maximum efforts to sustain these senses. The ability to withstand adversity depends on how strong one's love, morals, or beliefs are. The Grapes of Wrath, a novel written by John Steinbeck, sets the backdrop to the Great Depression. When Steinbeck was young, he was a ranchman in California. He had witnessed migrant laborers working on farms and noticed the social inequalities between different classes of people. The story he wrote is about, during the Great Depression, a poor migrant family, the Joads, who encounter all kinds of difficulties when they move from Oklahoma to California to look for work and their future. Also, The English Patient is written by famous Canadian author Michael Ondaatj... middle of paper... so you get lost. Thus, the difficulties demonstrate that those who lose their faith lose themselves, those who maintain their faith maintain theirs. Therefore, love, moral or spiritual faith are the three senses that can support people in adversity. The stronger these senses, the stronger the person. The Wrath and The English Patient portray many colorful characters. Each of them undergoes various storylines and encounters all kinds of problems. As fate tests them, some rise up and win, while others run and hide. Right now, who are the 'goats' and who are the 'sheep' has never been so clear. Work cited Ondaatje, Michael. The English Patient. New York: Vintage International, 1993. Print.Steinbeck, John. The grapes of wrath. Network. 25 September 2014.