ipl-logo

Communism In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

1791 Words8 Pages

John Steinbeck was a brilliant yet controversial writer whom was genuinely curious in the hope of an improved form of government and society. He was believed to be a communist at a time when many American citizens were still fearful of a communist takeover. His novel Grapes of Wrath is a superb example of literature written through the eyes of a Marxist characterized by a focus on disproportionate economic power, materialism versus spirituality, and the class conflict experienced by those suffering throughout the Dust Bowl and Great Depression. The entirety of Grapes of Wrath is acutely concentrated on the aspect of economic disparity and its resulting effects. Everyone in the story is substantially affected by this difference and it is shown …show more content…

There is a combination of these two forces, where there is an understanding and care for one another, but a fear of what others will do for themselves and a resulting goal of wealth. As is the case with Al and Mae. Al yells at Mae for giving a traveler a hard time and says “Goddamn it, Mae. Give ‘em the loaf.” (205) thus giving off the appearance of generosity before revealing that he gets his money back by ensuring he always wins the jackpot off the slot machine. This is not necessarily not caring but he understands that only the wealthy will play machine and therefore is not stealing any possible wealth from the poor. Contrarily Mae is visibly distrustful of the travelers but instinctively wants to care for them. She hounds the guy but when she sees his boys it’s different. “They went immediately to the candy case and stared in-not with craving or with hope or even with desire, but just with a kind of wonder that such things could be.” (205) She sees what these boys are missing out on and goes out of her way to charge almost nothing for the candy. Generosity is a tricky ideal to carry out when the world is full of selfish crooks. It is invaluably important for people to have the desire to help everyone around them. But to go along with that desire everyone needs to have an understanding of how and when they are truly helping or just allowing

Show More
Related
294 Words | 2 Pages

The tone of chapter 11 in John Steinbeck's, “The Grapes of Wrath,” is sympathetic, sad and hopeless. His word choice and syntax show how the sad houses were left to decay in the weather. His use of descriptive words paints a picture in the reader's mind. As each paragraph unfolds, new details come to life and adds to the imagery. While it may seem unimportant, this intercalary chapter shows how the effects of the great depression affected common households.

Read More
245 Words | 1 Pages

Albert fish was first known as Frank Howard, a guy who seemed no where out of the ordinary, he appeared kind and trusting to others. Fish later on was also known for being a kidnapper, child rapist, serial killer and eating his victims in the United States. Albert fish was born on May 19, 1870 in Washington D.C., to Randal and Ellen Fish. (Montaldo, 2017) . There family has had a long history of mental ilnesses.

Read More
1177 Words | 5 Pages

John Steinbeck has a style of writing unparalleled in history and in the modern world. In the same way, his philosophies are also unparalleled, with his focus in socialism not extending to communism or abnegation of spiritualism. His ideal world is utopian, holding the dust bowl migrant at the same level as the yeoman farmer was held in Jeffersonian times. In The Grapes of Wrath Steinbeck Steinbeck, who posses impregnable technique, conveys his message of a group working tirelessly for the betterment of the community.

Read More
729 Words | 3 Pages

It is also shown when Francie is able to “throw [the coffee] away rather than to drink it”(14). The mirage of wealth in both of these cases helps the Nolan family to remain steadfast in their daily life and in pursuit of a better one even if their situation is the complete opposite than what they

Read More
564 Words | 3 Pages

The short story, “The Rich Brother” accounts the journey of two brothers with great different personalities. After Donald, the younger naive religious brother, is kicked out of a communal farm, Pete, the older wealthier brother, goes to pick him up. Pete feels that Donald is too carefree, and that he always has to help him out of his mistakes. The tensions between these siblings are evident--they both feel that they need to prove themselves to each other; they need to provide evidence of their “prosperity” (Wolff 324). Pete more than Donald tends to always try to impress others, such as buying expressive items.

Read More
953 Words | 4 Pages

Since the book came out in 1939, everyone has had a opinion on the ending to John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath. It has a very controversial ending, that Steinbeck thought would name the last nail into the coffin, so to speak, on how bad the dust bowl and moving west really was. The ending starts when the Joad family is threatened with a flood, so they make their way to a old barn where they find a boy and his old father. The boy says his father is starving, and that he can’t keep anything solid down. He needs something like soup or milk.

Read More
1880 Words | 8 Pages

In Chapter 15 the description of the rich diner guests includes that “ In their lapels the insignia of lodges and service clubs, places where they can go and, by a weight of numbers of little worried men, reassure themselves that business is noble and not the curious ritualized thievery they know it is;that they are kind and charitable in spite of the principles of sound business; that their lives are rich instead of the thin tiresome routines they know; and that a time is coming when they will not be afraid any more.” (155)This quote shows how those wealthy people choose to believe that they are not doing harm to those less fortunate in an attempt to soothe their rampant anxiousness. The rich people in this novel are repeatedly using their power in order to ensure their own financial/social security and through this they are beating down the migrant people. This is shown near the beginning of the novel as the migrant families are forced off their land.

Read More
451 Words | 2 Pages

Grapes of Wrath clearly illustrate the class struggle between workers and the upper class. Steinbeck displays the discrimination between the migrant people and landowners. Migrant workers are handled worse than animals, family’s or “Okies” are starving as food is wasted by the wealthy and the landowners maintain control through violence. “What do you want us to do? We can't take less share of the crop – we're half starved now.

Read More
168 Words | 1 Pages

In The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck follows the Joad family as they suffer the hardships caused by the Dust Bowl in the 1930’s. The most important lesson people can learn from the novel is the value of a human life. Although the 1930’s was a low point in American society, the ill-treatment of human beings is still relevant today. Just like Jim Casy’s philosophy, it is important to fight for the rights of the people and their dignity. There are several examples of oppression in The Grapes of wrath.

Read More
290 Words | 2 Pages

In Shel Silverstein short story “The Given Tree”, Silverstein is portraying to not give to those who will take advantage of what people are willing to give for the benefit of others. In the story, a conversation between the tree and the Boy, led to the tree giving what she possessed to the Boy because she cared and loved him and only wanted to make him happy, “I want to buy things and have fun. I want some money?”, “Take my apples, and sell them... then you will have money and you will be happy” (Silverstein 15). Silverstein describes the idea that people who give all that they have, for the benefit of making others happy, will be left with nothing in the end.

Read More
820 Words | 4 Pages

In one circumstance, we may feel the need to give to those who are poor to keep them from getting in our personal space; and in other circumstances we feel that we give to others out of the kindness of our heart. I completely agree with Ascher and her views on compassion, because I have been in similar situation where I have questioned why people give money, and whether they give with a whole heart or out of necessity. Furthermore, this essay can teach us plenty of lessons that can be utilized throughout our lives so we can teach others and make them aware of the need to be more

Read More
1276 Words | 6 Pages

When writing, Steinbeck truly embodies the language. Staying true to the roots of the working class and made sure we see the true form through the powerless rather than the powerful. “The attacks against him worsened after The Grapes of Wrath. In Salinas and Oklahoma—home to the working people he championed in that great novel—upstanding citizens bought the book in great numbers, piled them up and built bonfires. Priests called John Steinbeck a pornographer and politicians called him a Communist” (Johnson, America 's).

Read More
487 Words | 2 Pages

However, the manager sometimes gives him food because she feels sorry for the man. I believe is the sympathetic consciousness in ourselves that makes us do good deeds in our

Read More
1897 Words | 8 Pages

He believes beggars shouldn’t be looked down on because they don’t have jobs. Abani, Hughes, and Orwell all claim that society pressures people into believing certain things and acting in certain ways by, making people learn from others mistakes, pressuring humans into doing what others do, and

Read More
192 Words | 1 Pages

He explains generous can be harmful to an individual. He supports his idea by stating that, ‘ when a prince become too generous, they will gain a love of their subject

Read More

More about Communism In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

Related Topics

Open Document