Analysis Of John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

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The media makes a significant contribution to the depiction of today 's society. Unfortunately, the news coverage focuses only on the misdeeds and crimes that people commit. Although it has been 76 years since John Steinbeck published The Grapes of Wrath, his argument exploring the reason behind humanity 's tendency to be evil during the Dust Bowl migrant flight to California is applicable to the motivation behind crimes committed today. Throughout Chapter 25 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, he uses the progression of Utopia being destroyed by men through the allusion to the Garden of Eden and the event of Eve biting the apple. The tone shift from harmony to chaos through the aid of the connotations implied by imagery, in addition …show more content…

This illustrates the progression of change that is enacted by the men to produce a profit by distorting the balance of nature. Steinbeck claims that these "great men" (347) are "men of knowledge" (347) who "work carefully and endlessly to perfect the seed, the roots" (346). When referring to men, Steinbeck utilizes sarcasm through implying that men are created for the sole purpose of fixing nature and this creates a satirical effect which emphasizes the concept that nature is not perfect as it is, and that it is the duty of man to maximize the produce. Biblically, Mother Nature is flawless and represents the divinity of God. When men attempt to change God 's creation, it only results in the retribution for their pride and arrogance through the loss of profit that later resulted. The chaos that follows the coming of man alludes to the act of Eve biting the apple and ruining Utopia. Nature produces the amount of food that is needed without an excess to establish balance. While nature 's purpose is to supply the living with nourishment, men look at nature as the opportunity to gain profit. This leads to men tampering with the equilibrium present in nature and the unbalance that overproduction caused. The motivation that lies behind men is greed for wealth, for money. Despite having an overabundance in produce, the men "can find no way to let the hungry people eat their produce" (348). There is both a high supply and demand, however if their produce, concocted by scientific research, is not bought at the asking price, it is better for the food to rot or be sent to the cannery for unnatural preservation and maximized profits. Chaos takes form in starvation and desperation where the people are kept at arm 's length away from the crop through any violent means

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