It is a sad point abvout human nature that the author of Grapes of Wrath makes in chapter nine. Long ago when the earth was much younger we have reason to believe that people considered helping others out ad lending ahand to be the social norm and the only acceptable way to treat people. When they were down it went without saying that you were to pick them up, not knock them down further. Unfortunately during the great depression, which happens to be the time setting for the Grapes of Wrath, this practice seemed to be only practiced by those who were nto in a position to help anyone and rather needed the help for themselves. These people were the tenant farmers such as the Joads. However, this practice was not practiced by the men who were in a position ofpower who were shamelessly buying the property being sold by the tenant farmers for minute fractions of what the items were worth while the poor tenant farmers helplessly conceded that it was out of their hands.
As these men bled the tenant farmers dry and took all that they had for just a few dollars, they proved the point that men are inherently selfish. If given any sort of opportunity, they will capitalize on it in order to make for themselves what they can, even if it means practically stealing from those who are down and out and just need a litle bit of help form someone who is in a p osition to do so. As sad as it seems, the way these people are treated in the novel makes it seems as though people are naturally prone to being evil rather than good. Though this seems to be a rather pessimistic view of human anture, even optimists have to agree that the happenings in this novel are outrageous and leave one wondering just exactly how much good is going to be left in the world if all the honest people are so hastily stamped out adn all we are left with are those who will cheat others to get what they want.
No comments:
Post a Comment