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John Steinbeck's 'In Dubious Battle'

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October 27, 1929 is one of the most memorable days in U.S. history. It was a date that would cause terror, fear, distress, and a literal depression for the next ten years. The Great Depression was the longest national economic decline in history. Consumer spending and investments dropped, companies were shut down, citizens were sent into extreme debt, and workers became unemployed. The unemployment rate rose by 22% in 1933, causing a large number of citizens to become hungry and homeless. Newly elected president, Franklin D. Roosevelt was brought into office with a severe nation-wide crisis on his hands. Thinking quickly, President Roosevelt and the federal government began to plan a proposal to repair the Great Depression, which resulted …show more content…

Throughout the 1920s, farmers strained to pay off their credit because of their low income. When the Great Depression hit, things only got worse for them. Many farmers were unhappy with the results of the New Deal and what Roosevelt had promised for them. John Steinbeck’s, “In Dubious Battle”, clearly portrays how unhappy the orchard workers were in the late 1930s and how willing they were to change the way they were being treated. To do so, the workers and the story’s main character, Jim, along with his friends from the Party, designed strikes against the owner of the orchard. “In Dubious Battle” demonstrates the hunger, hardships, and unsafe working conditions workers had to endure during the Great Depression. Based in 1938, towards the end of the Great Depression, this story provides solid lessons on how the workers were still being treated unfairly, working in unsafe conditions, and still not making enough money. As a result, Roosevelt’s twelfth fireside chat, which stated that the farmers were no longer in distress, was proven incorrect. The point of view of “In Dubious Battle” was primary seen from the eyes of the workers and having to deal with socialism and communism. The poor, lower class citizens, workers, and farmers of the United States were most likely enticed by this novel because of their ability to relate to it and its persuasiveness. The farmers in the United States during the Great Depression not only faced debt and improper employment, but also faced an infamous drought. Nine states were suffering from a drought in the 1930s, which decreased the production of their crops considerably. The farms located in the Great Plains were hit the hardest, causing families to lose their livestock and crops. In Roosevelt’s 8th fireside chat, in 1936, he addressed how he was aware that the fall and winter seasons were approaching and his plan for a water conservation system,

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