Part B

"The Grapes of Wrath"

Assignment B

By Samantha Trout

Families Living in Poverty 
"The rag town lay close to the water; and the houses were tents, and weed-thatched enclosures, paper houses, a great junk pile. The man drove his family in and became a citizen of Hooverville--always they were called Hooverville. The man put up his tent near to water as he could get; or if he had no tent, he went to the city dump and brought back cartons and built a house of corrugated paper."
- John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, pg. 234

Poverty is addressed many times throughout The Grapes of Wrath. The Joads, as well as the many people they meet along the way, experience the pains of poverty first hand. The problem stems from the lack of jobs and prejudice towards Okies. Many farmers in the dust bowl could no longer support themselves or their families. In an effort to find work, they migrated to California. However, so many of them migrated that there was no where near enough jobs to go around. Furthermore, many people felt threatened by Okies, and therefore tried every way possible to cheat them out of work and money. A possible solution, or rather a way for the people to escape poverty, is to move North Easter. If the people move into the country's major manufacturing cities, and spread out, they might have a better chance of finding work and providing for themselves. That way, they are not concentrated in one location and fighting each other for work. Also, if people abandon their prejudices and lend a helping hand to Okies, I believe this could also lessen the severity of the poverty. No matter what, it is important to keep going and keep looking, for hope is a powerful thing.

Hunger

"How can you frighten a man whose hunger is not only in his own cramped stomach but in the wretched bellies of his children? You can't scare him--he has known a fear beyond every other."
- John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, pg. 236-237

Due to no work, many Okies and their children went hungry often. When they did get food, it was hardly ever filling. The problem was that there was not enough work to go around and when a lucky few did get work, it only lasted for a couple months. There are two possible solutions that I can come up with. The first is to hunt animals. If a family is able to hunt for deer or other small animals, this could end their starvation. My second solution is to move. If they move near a lake, they could fish. If they decide to move North East, they might be able to acquire a job in a factory and thus be able to afford to buy food for their family. There is no clear cut way to solve hunger as it is a difficult issue to address, but if a family is able to hunt or obtain a job, these would most likely be sure ways to end their hunger.

The Plight of Farmers   "The tenant system won't work any more. One man on a tractor can take the place of 12 or fourteen families. Pay him a wage and take all the crop. . . The tenant men looked alarmed. But what'll happen to us? How'll we we eat?
"You'll have to get off the land. The plows'll go through the dooryard."
- John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, pg. 33

 Due to the dust and harsh conditions, farmers had a hard time growing crops in states such as Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico.What they did grow, was not enough to profit off of. This led to the migration of many farmers to the West. The problem is the way the farmers farmed; it stripped the ground of its nutrients and thus created dust. A possible solution for this, would be to use better farming methods, ones that won't strip the land of its nutrients. By doing this, the dust amount would slowly diminish as the ground would slowly be brought back to a healthy state. The farmers would be able to reclaim their land.

                

Intolerance of Those Who are Different

"Okies--the owners hated them because the owners knew they were soft and the Okies were strong, that they were fed and the Okies hungry; and perhaps the owners had heard from their grandfathers how easy it is to steal land from a soft man if you are fierce and hungry and armed. The owners hated them. And in the towns, the storekeepers hated them because they had no money to spend.  There is no shorter path to a storekeeper's contempt, and all his admirations are exactly opposite. The town men, little bankers, hated Okies because there was nothing to gain from them. They had nothing. And the laboring people hated Okies because a hungry man must work, and if he must work, the wage payer automatically gives him less for his work; and then no one can get more."
- John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, pg. 233

People in the West often felt threatened by the Okies because they were different. They were desperate for work; they needed it in order to provide for their families. Because of their desperation, many viewed Okies as dangerous. They didn't know what desperate people were capable of and didn't want to find out. Okies, to many in the West, symbolized everything they didn't want. Often times, they judged the Okies on their differences and failed to understand the reality of Okies' situations. The problem is that the people in the West felt too threatened to overlook the differences between themselves and the Okies. Instead, they simply took an intolerant attitude, and often worsened the problems of Okies. A possible solution would be to open the eyes of the people of the West and help them grasp the reality of the lives of Okies. If they understood the reasons why the Okies moved to the West and tried to lend a helping hand, instead of feeling threatened, the Okies would be helped greatly. When people come together and work to find a solution instead of fighting, great things can be achieved.

Prejudice
"Got any money?"
"Sure. Think we're beggin'?"
"The truculence left the fat man's face. 'Well, that's all right, folks. He'p yourself to water.' And he hastened to explain. 'Road is full a people, come in, use water, dirty up the toilet, an' then, by God, they'll steal stuff an' don't buy nothin'. Got no money to buy with. Come beggin' a gallon a gas to move on.' "
"Tom dropped angrily to the ground and moved toward the fat man. "We're payin' our way,' he said fiercely. 'You got no call to give us a goin'-over. We ain't asked for nothin'.' "
- John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, pg. 126

Many people formed opinions on Okies due to previous experiences. They assumed things about people before knowing them based on the actions of others. The problem is that it is hard not to become prejudice when you witness so many people doing the same thing. It is inevitable that we make assumptions. A potential solution to prejudice is to remain opened minded and realize that everyone is not the same. While this might sound easier said then done, if one keeps an open mind, prejudice can be avoided.

Works Cited

Steinbeck, John, and Robert J. DeMott. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2006. Print.

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