The Role Of Slavery In The Grapes Of Wrath By John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck was an author whose stories often showed the suffering and oppression that certain groups such as migrant workers were forced to endure. It was during the Modernist Period of English literature, that he wrote The Grapes of Wrath, one of his most famous novels. It was published in 1939, and became one of his most popular works despite all the criticism it generated and is regarded as one the most important books about the Great Depression (Routledge).

John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California (Winters). After he graduated from high school, he enrolled at Stanford University, but was never able to complete his degree so in 1925, he moved to New York City looking for work (Winters). He eventually grew

In Grapes of Wrath, it is the farmers who work the land that own the land, and yet the farmers’ lands are being robbed by institutions such as banks and big businesses that have no personal ties to the land themselves (Mcarthy). It’s only the farmer who has labored and slaved away at the land, hoping to grow a bountiful harvest, that has grown with the land as well. Without the personal connection to the land, landowners, banks, and big business will never be able to fully appreciate the land for what it is

Lyle Boren of Oklahoma stated before the House of Representatives, "I cannot find it possible to let this dirty, lying, filthy manuscript go heralded before the public without a word of challenge or protest," (Zirahkzadeh) It was also lobbied against by big businesses and banks in California as well (Zirakzadeh). Despite all of the controversy, literary critics commonly listed The Grapes of Wrath as one of the most important novels of its century, and it was often sitting at the top of the best seller lists (Zirakzadeh).

Being from Oklahoma, I thought The Grapes of Wrath offered interesting insight to the history of my state. It showed what I think is a unique perspective of migrant workers and the struggles they endured in an attempt to make a better life for themselves during major historical events such as the Great Depression and the Oklahoma Dust Bowl. Reading the book, it is easy to understand why it strikes such a chord with