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Analysis Of The Book ' The Grapes Of Wrath '

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Introduction In chapter one of the Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck paints a picture of the severe weather occurring throughout Oklahoma and its harsh affects on the farms and farmers. In the third chapter the he gives a symbolic story of a turtle who is trying to cross a road but then is purposely hit by a driver. The turtle lands on its back and then has to greatly struggle to cross the road. The harsh weather and the mean driver both represent the hardships in life that come as a result of outside forces that cannot be controlled by an individual (Steinbeck, 1939). This idea is discussed in chapter one of Poverty and Power by Edward Royce. Royce talks about how the hardship of poverty is not due to an individual 's lack of ability or effort but rather economic, political, cultural, and social forces and structures beyond one 's control (Royce, 2015). The various forces and structural forms of poverty and inequality that are discussed in the text Poverty and Power, can be seen in The Grapes of Wrath as the Joad family 's poverty, inequality, and overall hardships are a result of various systems.
The Economic System and Poverty In chapter five of Poverty and Power, it discusses the economic system and its impact on poverty. The lack of employment opportunities greatly contributes to the poverty problem and the text states that the lack of jobs/good jobs has to do with various economic forces including deindustrialization, globalization, corporate restructuring, and the

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