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The Grapes Of Wrath Chapter 12 Analysis

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Chapter 12 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck provides an intriguing choice to analyze the choices made by the writer. This chapter stands out as a pivotal point in the novel, shedding light on the consequences of the Dust Bowl and economic hardship faced by the Joad family and their fellow migrants. By examining the speaker, motivations, audience, purpose, and tone of this chapter, we can understand how Steinbeck's choices affect both the writing itself and the reader's experience. The speaker in Chapter 12 is an omniscient narrator, providing a broader perspective on the events and characters. This narrative voice allows Steinbeck to present an objective view of the unfolding story and delve into the collective experiences of the migrants. …show more content…

It serves as a means to expose the oppressive conditions, exploitative practices, and societal indifference they encounter. Additionally, this chapter enables Steinbeck to highlight the resilience and strength of the migrant community in the face of such adversity. The intended audience for the speaker in Chapter 12 comprises both contemporary readers and society at large. By presenting the hardships endured by the Joads and their fellow migrants, Steinbeck aims to elicit compassion and challenge prevailing societal attitudes. This audience includes those who may be unaware of the extent of suffering experienced by marginalized communities and seek to promote social justice and empathy. The primary purpose of Chapter 12 is to educate and advocate for social change. Through vivid descriptions and evocative storytelling, Steinbeck portrays the migrants' struggles, depicting the toll of poverty, exploitation, and the dehumanizing effects of economic downturns. By exposing the injustices and inequality present in society, the chapter serves as a call to action, imploring readers to recognize the shared humanity of those facing

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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.

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Steinbeck’s uses the intercalary chapters to describe the migrant’s meaningful struggle. “Fear the time when Manself will not suffer and die for a concept, for this one quality is the foundation of Manself, and this one quality is man, distinctive in the universe”(p.205). Steinbeck uses this chapter to describe how the farmers may be dying of starvation, but they are dying for a cause that defines them, and will dye to save those they care for, in order to get what they deserve in the future. Humanity would not improve or grow stronger against evil if they gave up on fighting for their cause. Steinbeck uses this chapter to show the struggle and fight of all the people, and shows how the Joads too, are fighting toward a goal that mankind dying

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Community, so close to Steinbeck’s heart, is exaggerated in every possible way in this novel. In an eloquent way, he molds the reader’s hearts to believe that a communal soul (or oversoul) is best for the people as well. Truly, the language and rhetoric applied in order to encourage this philosophy is unlike any other writing by Steinbeck, or any other socialist writer for that

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From our textbook we are able to learn the base information of the depression and migrant workers. The document provides a deeper insight with first hand views on the mistreatment of workers by wealthy landowners. First hand photographs allow a real view of how the impoverished migrant camps actually looked. The photos, along with Steinbeck's firsthand observations and genuine concern for the human suffering that was taking place allows for students to be further engaged into the topic. Our Texbook, Give Me Liberty, describes how the depression transformed American life.

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Both Enrique's Journey and Of Mice and Men build their stories around the common theme of the difficulties of migrants away from home. In Enrique's Journey, Sonia Nazario follows the journey of a young boy named Enrique as he attempts to reunite with his mother. Through Enrique's journey, Nazario portrays the harsh realities and dangers that migrants face, including human trafficking, gangs, and corrupt officials. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck tells the story of two migrant workers, Lennie and George, as they travel from place to place seeking work during the Great Depression. The novel also depicts the harsh conditions and struggles that migrants faced during this time, including poverty, discrimination, and loneliness.

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This chapter takes place in a dry, desolate land in the midst of drought, Steinbeck describes the terrain as "gray mountains and brown mountains, dry and rocky, rising toward each other until they caught the yellow daylight" (Steinbeck, 2006, p. 325). Using diction Steinbeck creates a tone of despair by describing the uninhabitable terrain and conditions that the migrant workers must endure in order to survive. Steinbeck builds onto

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Steinbeck suggests that isolation unfamiliar to migrant workers by choosing to make relationships more unnatural and prominent. By doing so, Steinbeck is able to show that workers

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Steinbeck explains how the worlds of migrant men need leaders and elders. A “man who was wise found that his wisdom was needed in every camp” (Steinbeck 266) and his leadership would help with the governing aspect of the migrant’s society. Being able to have a leader can help settle disputes as well as bringing people together. Conversely, Thoreau believes otherwise. Besides his opposition against unity, he finds that leaders do not give a voice to all people.

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John Steinbeck, in the novel, Grapes of Wrath, identifies the hardships and struggle to portray the positive aspects of the human spirit amongst the struggle of the migrant farmers and the devastation of the Dust Bowl. Steinbeck supports his defense by providing the reader with imagery, symbolism and intense biblical allusions. The author’s purpose is to illustrate the migrant farmers in order to fully exploit their positive aspects in the midst of hardships. Steinbeck writes in a passionate tone for an audience that requires further understanding of the situation.

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Intercalary Chapter Literary Analysis During the Great Depression, the nation as a whole was stripped of financial security and forced into a survivalist way of living. This changed the ways that people interacted with one another and the overall mentality of society. In the Grapes of Wrath, the Joad family is torn from their land and find themselves with nothing, a common story for migrant farmers of that time, derogatorily called “Okies” by Californians. But this is not the only group that is struggling, the entire county was in a state of panic and bruteness, no matter how “well off” they seemed to be.

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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.

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John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice And Men, follows the lives of two migrant workers, George and Lennie, who experience hardships and difficulties due to their status. With the alternate text “The Harvest Gypsies” by John Steinbeck, parallels between the lives of George and Lennie, their peers, and migrant workers are revealed. In Of Mice and Men the two protagonists face challenges while trying to survive, revealing the similarities between real-life migrant workers. After facing many hardships, parallels are highlighted between real-life migrant workers and migrant workers in Of Mice and Men. The difficulties of isolation and the image they are perceived as ultimately reveal how one’s opinion truly affects others, resulting in the unfulfillment

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He includes in his article that “They are resourceful and intelligent people'' and are “gypsies by force of circumstances” who are “never allowed to feel at home in the communities that demand their services” (“Harvest Gypsies”). Although this article is about migrant workers in California, it can be argued that by using the term “gypsies,” Steinbeck is fighting for all the powerless in the world. He refers to them as resourceful and intelligent to urge the reader to see humanity in the situation they are in and the treatment they are receiving. Through this article, he is acting as a voice for the voiceless helping to end the cycle of powerful vs. powerless. It is vital to the growth of our society that we start to see the humanity in all people and look past circumstances they are in, as Steinbeck is urging us to

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In The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, the chapters alternate between two perspectives of a story. One chapter focuses on the tenants as a whole, while the other chapter focuses specifically of a family of tenants, the Joads, and their journey to California. Chapter 5 is the former and Steinbeck does an excellent job of omniscient third person point of view to describe the situation. Chapter 5’s main idea is to set the conflict and let the readers make connections between Steinbeck’s alternating chapters with foreshadowing. Steinbeck is effectual in letting readers make connections both to the world and the text itself with the use of exposition, and symbolism.

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From history of hundreds of decades, we have witnessed the great progress made by human, in technology and in society. But injustice always exists everywhere in this world. Injustice and unfair treatment could not be erased from the world easily. Just like the situation described by John Steinbeck, the immigrants faced injustice. But there are too many injustices that even worse in the world.

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