Sociological Analysis of The Grapes of Wrath

Sociological Analysis of `The Grapes of Wrath

In the midst of the Great Depression which crippled the economy of the United States , John Steinbeck penned `The Grapes of Wrath , a novel which brought attention to the plight of migrant farm workers in the America of that time and brought acclaim to Steinbeck as a social commentator as well as a skilled novelist . One of the most interesting facets of Steinbeck 's work is the underlying sub-plot of how individuals relate to the larger capitalist society in times of economic disaster Ultimately , what

is presented here is a critical , theoretically informed and thesis-driven sociological discussion of this classic novel

To begin , the very title of `Grapes ' carries sociological implications it is said that Steinbeck took the title from a line in the Civil War song `Battle Hymn of the Republic , which tells of the coming of the power of God to set right all of the wrongs that exist in society , and the defeat of evil . Steinbeck 's work focuses on the same type of situation- in the Depression-era United States , people sought any remedy , from God or man , to rescue them from the very real possibility of extinction of the human race . This desperation likewise reveals a deep sociological facet of human beings- when situations are literally those of life and death , even those who are not of the religious type will find themselves literally praying for redemption from their tragic circumstances . The phenomenon is similar to the old adage...