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Role Of Suffering In John Steinbeck's Grapes Of Wrath

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In Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath, human suffering is portrayed throughout the whole novel. The novel takes place during the devastation of the Dust Bowl which occurred in the 1930's. People from various Dust Bowl states all migrated towards California; the land of hope. Steinbeck utilizes the Joads' journey to demonstrate and highlight the life of an average migrant. During this harsh time, people managed their lives under the notion: every man for themselves. The only exception to this idea was family and close friends. Depicted in this book is capitalism at its worst; landowners, salesman, corporations, and government officials exploit the poor and abuse the oppressed. The human population would have to struggle for survival. This ultimately …show more content…

Even though Steinbeck demonstrates few instances where humans are genuinely enjoying life, he skillfully presents to the reader mankind’s deceptiveness and ignorance which attribute to getting Steinbeck's word across; human suffering during this time was inevitable. Steinbeck is accurate when he introduces the intelligent, yet cunning aspect of man. People would deceive and lie to one another for either the purpose of profit or self-benefit. Throughout the whole novel, the Joad family is deceived; on some occasions, it was for the better of the struggling family. For example, Pa Joad enters a diner for the purpose of buying a loaf of bread but ends up asking about the price of some candy. The waitress explains to Pa, "Oh—[the candy]. Well, no—them's two for a penny“ (Steinbeck 107). In reality, the candy was actually a nickel a piece but the waitress wanted to help this family in any way she could. The waitress deceives Pa but can be deemed an exception to the rest of the swindlers

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