Unity In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

“We are each other's harvest; we are each other's business; we are each other's magnitude and bond” (Gwendolyn Brooks). In one of the most difficult eras in American history, The Great Depression forced families across America to look beyond their individual family unit and embrace unity among others with similar backgrounds. John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath tells the story of a migrant worker family The power of unity played a large role during the Great Depression because it allowed the common man to become part of a larger group with similar backgrounds. In John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck describes the creation of unity when he says “And because they were lonely and perplexed, because they had all come from a

Emma Tenyuca, a Labor Organizer in San Antonio, describes the power of labor unions during the Great Depression such that it was, “Among the first issues at the Workers Alliance here was the right of workers to organize without fear of deportation”. In other words, labor unions, such as the Workers Alliance, allowed migrant farmers to voice their opinions without the fear of persecution or deportation. These labor unions proved to be successful because it people with similar backgrounds to come together and fight for their rights and interests. Another example of how unity was essential during the Great Depression was how it allowed for the protection of rights for migrant farmers. According to Labor Activism by Frank C. McDonald, Cotton grows decided to only pay almost half of what cotton pickers were asking for. Thus, “some ten thousand cotton pickers” began a strike. As a result, the Fact Finding Commission declared that “civil rights of strikers have been violated. We appeal to constituted authorities to see that strikers are protected in rights conferred upon them by laws of State and by Federal and State Constitutions”. To put it differently, by unifying together and striking as one, migrant workers were successful in protecting their rights. Unity was fundamental element in the creation of this strike and without it the strike would have