Working Class Individuals example essay topic

John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath, portrays the loss of human dignity as a result of oppression. The author illustrates the hardship suffered by the laborers during the Great Depression, which is conveyed through the Joad family. Steinbeck further elaborates on his views on the recklessness of the free enterprise system. The "dark underside of capitalism" and its "inhuman greed" (source) is shown through the Joad family's preparations to travel to California, in search of a better life.

Steinbeck begins the novel with a dust storm, which marks the beginning of the hardship for the Oklahoma farmers. The dust destroys everything that the farmers have, unfortunately, nothing is left. This vicious dust storm brings grief and sorrow to many working class individuals and their families. There seems to be no solution for the farmers, "who are resigned to their fate and find themselves baffled at what they may have to face". (Classic) Furthermore, the bank representatives order the farmers to evict their homes. Many individuals find it difficult to leave because their personal bond to the land.

However, the bank leaves the farmers no options, and they must do as they are told. Despite the orders given by the bank, Muley Graves chooses to stay. His memories and love for the land unable him to leave. Consequently, he wanders around the land like "an ol [d] graveyard ghost [t]", (65) whose sole will forever remain on the land he cherishes. Steinbeck views the capitalistic system as ineffective and useless. The author portrays various situations in which the working class is exploited by the rich and upper-hand individuals.

In fact, the car dealership owners are shown as profit-hungry individuals. Their "small intent eyes watch for weaknesses" to trap an individuals to buy cars, like a spider traps an insect in its web. In addition, the car dealership owners only profit from cars that are of no value. Therefore, they hide the problems in the car and sell the pieces of junk at high prices.

They give the car an "appearance of reliability" selling it to the "desperate farmers wishing to get to California". (Classic) In the same manner, the junk dealers buy goods from the tenant farmers, at a very low price. For instance, the Joad family sells their possessions to the junk dealers, and only receives eighteen dollars; since the junk dealer is aware that they can not wait. (127) The junk dealer takes advantage of the fact that the farmers can not take their supplies with them on their journey. They further plan to sell the same goods at high prices, in the future, in order to make a large profit. Steinbeck once again elaborated on the idea of the wealthy exploiting the working class individuals.