The Grapes Of Wrath Chapter 19 Analysis

Homeless, hungry, and virtually hopeless. This was all that the migrants coming from the Dust Bowl into what they thought as the land of hope, California, knew. Desperate as a result of the capitalist society they lived in, the migrants struggled to survive and struggled to achieve what was morally correct. In Chapter 19 of his novel The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck, through emphasizing the idea of repetition of history and giving the audience an inside perspective of the thoughts and conversations of both the migrants and the Californians, reveals the adverse effects of capitalism, a system which was in the process of being widely expanded at the time. This chapter reveals the repetition of history that is a consequence of capitalism and how capitalism results in the lack of resources from the lower class, and ultimately their exploitation. In the beginning of this chapter, the Americans - “frantic hungry men” - take the land from the original inhabitants, the Mexicans, who realize nothing could match the strength of people motivated by hunger (297). The ironic repetition of history is emphasized here when it is explained that once the Americans became powerful and controlled
In Steinbeck’s era, capitalism allowed for the exploitation and repression of the migrants in California, who were homeless and starving. In this chapter, he presents the idea that revolt is inevitable in a situation like this. Steinbeck is not attempting to stir up the people of America through his book, but rather is revealing to the public the evils of capitalism, possibly to find a solution. This chapter and its ideas do not only apply to the migrants situation, but to organizations and even countries across the world. Without workers, one cannot be successful in a capitalistic society, but exploiting workers for their benefit will eventually lead to their