Steinbeck and the Era of the Dust Bowl

Paper Summary:

The paper shows how the era of the Dust Bowl was an era of mass migration as thousands moved from the region where drought and other factors had ruined the farmland to California, believed to be the land of milk and honey and opportunity. The paper explores how the Dust Bowl and the mass migration it fostered are well illustrated in the novel "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck, and both the novel and the era it depicts are further illuminated by the article "Steinbeck, Guthrie and Popular Culture" by Elaine S. Apthorp. The paper further shows how the novel and the article complement one another and contribute to our understanding of the era and of the way Steinbeck shaped that era into an artistic statement in his novel.

From the Paper:

"The didactic chapters referred to by Apthorp are the interchapters where Steinbeck performs the analytical task of reporting on the state of America during the Depression, the plight of the people, and other information included with a journalistic eye for what is most telling. In these interchapters, Steinbeck seems to step back from the story to examine the larger picture, but in truth, the author never forgets the reality faced by his characters. For instance, the different members of the family have characteristics which add to their problems and which also reflect larger forces at the same time. Grandpa Joad, for instance, is senile, and this symbolizes the vulnerability of the entire family."

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