Michelle+Misha+Brown

=Injustice and the Responsibilities of the Individual =

John Steinbeck reveals the injustice of societal structure in his book The Grapes of Wrath. The injustice against the Okies, migrants in general, and people involved in this story is so complex, that it is difficult to confront. The complexity of institutions and infrastructure such as the bank or other components of society do not create a cohesive opponent, which can be faced by the individual. The injustice within the novel is contributed to the lack of an efficient social and physical infrastructure that can support the sudden change in migrant population and meet the needs of all demographics. Corruption is also created because of fear. Fear is often discerned as a threat to self or identity. It is fear that often drives unjust actions or gives rationale to actions that exploit or are at the cost of others. Injustice is subjective, controlled by the point of view of the individual. Yet, the individual, who partakes in the injustice, may create reasons and responsibilities that justify their own conduct. That same individual may view the same action done by another as wrong and unjust. Each personage has his or her morals influenced by society and the environment that they have grown up in. The oppressed individual’s role in confronting injustice is to put aside discriminating details, such as ethnicity or family lineage, that inhibit the consolidation of people to work toward a common cause.

In The Grapes of Wrath, injustice is exposed to be multi-faceted. A large contribution to the injustice is found in the insufficiency of infrastructure within society to support the demographic change. The migrant farmers were stranded in unemployment and helplessness because of the lack of support that trapped them into their restricted circumstances. At the end of the description of the Okies journey, the last trial is the flood. There was no shelter for them and no work. “No work till spring. No work. And if no work⎯no money, no food.” (434) At this time there was no social security or any kind of assistance for the farmer. There was a lack of infrastructure because there was no emergency housing or unemployment pension. There was no protection for the migrant. The economic structure of the United States was focused on profit rather than humanity. This caused social conflict between big business and the Okie along with friction between the poor, unskilled workers. The Okies and other unskilled workers are left with so few resources that they are not able to put aside their differences and work together. Competition between the two working groups emphasized the injustice of the circumstances. “If he’ll take twenty five, I’ll do it for twenty. No me, I’m hungry. I’ll work for fifteen. I’ll work for food.” (283) The resources for the lowest social classes were so limited that each family unit only focused upon taking care of themselves. There was no limit on minimum wage so men were out for themselves. The competition among themselves prohibited the Okies from demonstrating and using their power they hold together.

Infrastructure is concentrated within the family unit, which was why so many migrant families put a great amount of effort into staying together. The children looked up to the mother, and the women looked upon the men to lead the way. These women were observant and, “sighed with relief, for they knew it was all right-- the break had not come; and the break would never come as long as fear could turn to wrath.” (435) The break described in the quote would be compared to breaking a wild horse. The break is a taming and taking away the will to resist the system of the big businesses. The infrastructure with in the family unit is such that each member is dependent upon the other in order to uphold their strength and face trials together. Steinbeck uses the analogy of a turtle for these migrant families in chapter three. A turtle shell is made up of many plates, which make the shell strong, and the impact is distributed throughout all of the plates. In many ways, this is how the migrant families faced the injustice of their situation. When caught in corruption, they had each other for support.

Injustice was also committed as a reaction of fear. In Stephanie Ericsson’s essay, The Ways We Lie, she indicates that all lying is done only for oneself. Lying is also based on fear, whether it’s being to reveal how society or the individual identifies himself or herself or hide a flaw. A lie might be told for a promotion or for the increase of profits. As related before, the economy is concentrated upon the making of additional profits. Many people lie simply because they want to succeed, or in other words, to become better than someone or something else. It then comes to a point where lies become the basis of society. “Our acceptance of lies becomes a cultural cancer that eventually shrouds and reorders reality until moral garbage becomes invisible to us as water is to a fish.” (Ericsson) The entire plight of the migrant farmers was set up by a lie. The “han’bills” that were sent out requesting additional workers were all a lie. Big businesses only sent out the pamphlets in order to keep the price of labor low. The fear of losing one’s wealth is evident with this action. The cultural acceptance of lies causes masses of people to scavenge for work and shelter from the injustice. There is also a reaction of fear by the lower working class. “In the West there was panic when the migrants multiplied on the highways. Men of property were terrified for their property. Men who had never been hungry saw the eyes of the hungry. Men who had never wanted anything very much saw the flare of want in the eyes of the migrants.” (283) Those people who still had their possessions, that they used to identify themselves, were fearful of becoming like the Okies. Settled families were preparing to fight those who competed for the same materials and also those that could really help them in facing the injustice of the social and economic system. Chapter twenty-one reveals the confrontation of these two groups of the lower working classes. The small farmers that still posses their farms prepare to fight off the Okies who are desperate for property, food and comfort. These two demographics of people are fighting over the “scraps” of the wealth and social status of the small affluent clique. The unskilled working class was fighting to not be on the lowest rung of the social ladder. There is a fear of being at the bottom that promotes and motivates this type of competition. The fear of the small farmer was becoming similar to the desperate migrant families, and this motivated many other people to be unjust and spiteful. This fear can be used to contaminate the entire country with desperation.

The symbolism of the grapevine, in chapter twenty-five, captures the essence of the entirety of the desperation throughout the nation during the Great Depression. The infection of fear as a rotten grape, infects the rest of the bundle until the whole vine is covered in rotten fruit. A bundle of grapes is easily taken apart and separated, like the Okie fear of loosing their family unit. And yet, that same bundle of grapes could represent all migrant families setting up fragile little societies that help them survive. “In the evening a strange thing happened: the twenty families became one family, the children were the children of all. The loss of home became one loss, and the golden time in the West was one dream.” (193) The vine, however, represents all of America. The strife of the Okie farmers is not only their story but also the narrative of millions of families. Their destitution is shared among many and the rotten infrastructure has infected the entire vine of America. This combination of fear and insufficiency in the infrastructure stresses the injustice of the situation, not only for the migrant farmers or Okies, but also for all working Americans.

The individual deciphers right from wrong by society’s influence over the development of morals and how the individual chooses to justify his or her action. In chapter seven of The Grapes of Wrath, the car salesman chooses not to view the actions of selling overpriced broken down cars as an injustice, but rather, an opportunity to make more money that will help support his lifestyle and family. The salesman does not let himself pity or show compassion for the farmer because he knows that if he does, he will have to meet the discomfort and difficulties that lie ahead for the Okies. Therefore, he repeatedly says, “Make 'em put out, and then sock them into it.” (62) The dealer’s tone throughout the chapter indicates that the focus is more about the profit than the feelings of the oppressed and cheated Okies. The salesman knows that without a profit, he cannot last very long in that area because the community that used to be there had moved on. He also knows and accepts the fact that “this ain’t gonna last.” (62) Steinbeck does not condemn the salesman for his actions because all of the individuals are locked in the vicious cycle of corruption. Sooner or later, the salesman might also have to enter into the plight of the farmers and move away. The salesman is able to justify his deeds because he feels responsible for the welfare of those close to him and therefore he creates barriers that prevent him from seeing the oppression and the unjust acts against the Okies. Society influences this response because it pushes the individual to pursue a higher, more comfortable, and influential groups in society. Most of the time, influence is judged by the amount of money one posses. Another way that society influences the individual is through religion. Sister Joan said, “ There is a disconnect between our private morality and our private morality.” This seems to argue, that though we may be taught that religion or our piety is the right course and creates morality, the individual distorts that morality to justify their actions. Morality is easily distorted because it is not concrete and fluctuates with the circumstances.

The individual, and almost any institution, is more effective consolidated and have supplementary infrastructure. There is more power with consolidation of people and resources. The handbills are effective for large businesses because it creates ample amounts of labor and increases competition for work. Society usually states that competition is good for economy and promotes individualism. Yet, it is also a source of potential injustice. This competition allows for the migrant farmers to become stuck in the struggle for survival. It is evident in modern society that power is gained by consolidation of businesses. Banks today such as Washington Mutual, and Bank of America are merging in order to become more successful and make more profits. The same principle can potentially be used by the Okies and other individuals potentially having an increasing amount of influence and power compared to the big agricultural businesses. “On the highways the people moved like ants and searched for work, for food. And the anger began to ferment.” (284) Ants work for the benefit of the colony by serving and doing one job such as bringing back nutrients. If the Okies were able to put aside the differences of their origin, they could be a power great enough to check the power of the big business. Thoreau argues that it is the role of the individual to confront injustice, in this case from government, is not only to reject the fear of acting upon injustice, but to do it continuously. He argues that Congress can run astray from the wishes of the people if not constantly reminded that they are representing the masses. “There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly.” (Thoreau) Therefore, it is the responsibility of the individual to use the power to vote and the freedom of speech to get messages across for government representatives to hear and cannot ignore. The author of this work wants to contend that not only is it the role of the individual to confront injustice with the powers supplied to them, but it is also their responsibility.

Injustice is identified by the point of view of the individual and the reasons the individual gives to rationalize his or her actions. It is the role and responsibility of the individual to put aside petty differences to work for a common cause and to use the power given to the individual, whether granted by government or society, in order to oppose and throw off that injustice. Steinbeck’s work, The Grapes of Wrath, the author is able to reveal the injustice and weaknesses within the social infrastructure and also the fear that motivated a multitude of unjust actions.

Works Cited
"Bill Moyers Journal with Sister Joan Chittister20." PBS. 2004. 30 Mar. 2009 .

Ericsson, Stephanie. "The Ways We Lie." Mr. Pogreba's Classroom. 28 Mar. 2009 .

Steinbeck, John. Grapes of Wrath. New York: Pinguin Books, 1939.

Thoreau, Henry. "Civil Disobedience." The Thoreau Reader. 28 Mar. 2009 .

M. Brown