Grapes of wrath essay prompts

The struggle between capitalism and organized labor is a prominent theme in The Grapes of Wrath, and this theme should be expanded upon in the answer to this essay question. Why do the wealthy landowners feel threatened by the government camp, and what do they do about it?

In contrast, Steinbeck looms as an ever-present authorial presence. He lards the narrative with deserts, floods, and dramatic births, setting his characters against a biblical backdrop. He transparently maneuvers his characters so that their actions are symbolic, rather than convincingly human.

While the Joads are by no means flat or allegorical characters, Steinbeck intentionally lets their deep inner psychologies go unexplored, preferring to focus on the ways in which they represent every other Dust Bowl farmer and the ways in which the changes they undergo during their move to California resemble the changes every farmer endures.

If there is an excess number of workers, the owners of the land have leverage and can drive pay rates down because men are desperate for work and need to feed their families. Without the organized labor that could stand up to the capitalist owners, the laborers are at the mercy of their bosses.