The Selfishness Of Man in Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath

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The Selfishness of Man

Cultural and economical pressures often lead people to behave corruptly. In John Steinbeck?s novel, The Grapes of Wrath, set in the dustbowl era, people act out of greed rather than out of consideration or kindness. Tom Joad and his family have been run off their land by inconsiderate, money hungry businessmen who do not care about the impact homelessness will have on the evictees. The story revolves around the Joad Family?s trip (joined by former preacher Casey) from Oklahoma to California, along route 66, where they expect to find work. Though Casey and the Joads are goodhearted and honest people, they are the victims of dishonesty and dupery when they realize that the jobs they have come so far to acquire pay them much less than they were originally promised. The book focuses

on the family?s struggle to survive, while exhibiting the evil and manipulative power which the tenant owners and businessmen of the era possessed. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck demonstrates the impacts and consequences of man's selfishness and inhumanity by exemplifying the wicked and egotistical actions of the tenant owners and businessmen.

In the beginning of the novel, before Casey and the Joads set out on their journey, the selfishness and inhumanity of the businessmen and tenant owners becomes apparent. In one of the ?plotless? chapters, the reader is exposed to the hardships which the farmers are forced to face while being evicted from their land. Businessmen, sent from the bank, would come to the farmers land in cars and explain to the farmers that they need to get off their land. They would tell the farmers that unfortunately, with the technological advances being made, a tractor can do the work of twelve families- h...

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... rendering the much needed food useless. The inconsiderate actions displayed by the businessmen and orchard owners show their selfishness and inhumanity, and exemplify their carelessness and indifference towards suffering humans.

Steinbeck portrays the wealthy men of the era as heartless and egotistical people who only care for themselves. His message through the portrayal of these wicked men is one of simplicity, egotism, greed, selfishness, and heartlessness are all traits which a man shouldn?t possess. The themes which run throughout the novel are as valuable today as they were in the mid 1900?s, and Steinbeck urges his reader to recognize that. His depiction of the selfishness of man serves to teach about human nature, and by acknowledging the harmfulness of the greedy and corrupt businessmen, one can learn how to act morally and ethnically responsible.

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