"The Grapes of Wrath" and Ideology

Paper Summary:

This paper examines "The Grapes of Wrath," John Steinbeck's famous work of historical fiction which chronicles the plight of those affected by the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. The paper first discusses American ideology and how it is viewed within the book. The paper then discusses myth within the book and whether it is Steinbeck or the American public who created the myths.

From the Paper:

"Evidence of this cyclical nature of American frontier myth and individualist ideology over communalism comes even earlier than Tom's final actions. The Hooverville that the Joads visit during their stay in California is a symbol of the nightmare that occurs when humanity is backed into a corner. Unlike the Weedpatch camp, where all the migrants work together and stick together to make strength where there would be only exploitation and misery, the tenants of the Hooverville act in an individualist manner, competing for lower and lower wages even though they know they are starving both themselves and helping to starve all those around them. Of course, much of their actions are governed by fear of the deputy and those in authority, but there are migrants outside of the Weedpatch camp who rise above the fear and stand together for the common good."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Dunbar-Ortiz. "One or Two Things I Know About Us: Rethinking the Image and Role of the 'Okies.'" Radical History Review 59.1 (1994): 4-34.
• Hinton, Rebecca. "Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath." Explicator. 56 (1998):101-103.
• Keough, Trent. "The Dystopia Factor: Industrial Capitalism in Sybil and the Grapes of Wrath." Utopian Studies 4.1 (1993): 38.
• Railton, Stephen. "Pilgrims' Politics: Steinbeck's Art of Conversion." New Essays on The Grapes of Wrath. Ed. David Wyatt. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1990. 27- 46.
• Shockley, Martin Staples. "The Reception of the Grapes of Wrath in Oklahoma." American Literature 15.4 (1944): 351.

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• Analytical Essay # 122097 : "The Grapes of Wrath" and Market Structures"
• Analytical Essay # 122529 : "The Grapes of Wrath" and John Steinbeck"
• Film Review # 26251 : "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Shampoo"

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