The Government In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

In The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck, expresses how following all the regulations and laws of the government is an effective and easy way of living life. While in his essay, Civil Disobedience, Henry David Thoreau expresses his doubts about the effectiveness of reform within the government. Throughout his essay, he argues that the government does not prove itself useful and necessary, and only acquires power since it is the strongest group in the nation. Thoreau believes that the government is unjust, and that it should be based off individuality and conscience.
Thoreau argues that the United States is an unjust government, and professes that people should always fight for what they know is just. He also believes in never obeying anything they do not believe in. Thoreau compares the government to a “wooden gun to the people themselves”

He implies that “a man who was wise found that his wisdom was needed in every camp” (266 Steinbeck). Steinbeck argues that no one else, but a wise man is able to unite the whole nation. He implies that a wise man always knows what’s right, and is never wrong about his decisions. Consequently, his views are the same toward a government official. He believes that they never do wrong, and their decisions are only what’s best for everyone. However, Thoreau argues that “a wise man will only be useful as a man” (Thoreau). Thoreau contrasts Steinbeck's idea about a wise man by implying that all men are the same, and no one is more powerful or greater than one another. He suggests that no wise man is able to fix every problem that the country faces. Moreover, he conveys that the government is ineffective this way, because one man cannot drastically change the world, to make it better. Rather, he says that all men are equal, and therefore are able to make better decisions for themselves, rather than having only one man who controls