The Grapes Of Wrath Analysis

The novel The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is a literary masterpiece that has withstood the test of time, dealing with issues that are still prevalent in today's society. The Great Depression wrought havoc across our nation pushing families from their homes into the streets with nowhere to turn. Throughout the midwest, another layer of adversity rose when a series of severe dust storms devastated the parries, terminating the potential for agricultural revival. Josh Harkinson vividly puts a face to a struggle that eerily mirrors The Dust Bowl in his article rightfully named “The New Dust Bowl” from Mother Jones. Harkinson spent time in Central Valley, California witnessing firsthand the devastating effects of severe drought in an area that relied heavily on agriculture. He illustrated the rise of bankruptcy, foreclosure, and unemployment in Central Valley, through the point of view of many of the people who were experiencing such turmoil in their everyday lives. Many of these people had families to support, bills to pay, and were just looking for a way to
Whether it’s in the early 1900’s or the 2000’s, there is no way to soften the blow of poverty. But it is possible to survive and push through the struggles that are experienced by few, and read about by many. Though empathy goes some distance there is always the unknown, the gap between what you believe that level of poverty would be like and what it’s actually like. And what lies in the grey area between the two, is what makes a person who has gone through so much come out of it still fighting, still swinging, and still reaching for hope. The Grapes of Wrath and “The New Dust Bowl” are both works that intend to clarify that grey area by bringing to light things that tie that portion of history to the present; charitable aid, widespread poverty, and family.Not to mention hope, a lot of