How is Tom Joad disillusioned by his dream?

When Tom arrives home, he comes to realize the world he left has greatly changed. The house, the fields, and the family are hanging in the balance.... the poverty is endless. There is no place to come home to, and the journey ahead will be just as disillusioning. Over the course of the novel, Tom will come to understand that rather than realize his dream, he will need to take an active role in paving the way for dreams to come true.