P3+KKhan

//**Grapes of Wrath Unit Synthesis Essay**//
Whether seeing it on the news, experiencing it at school or even encountering it at a grocery store, we have all witnessed the effects of injustice and have accordingly had to choose between right and wrong. In the //Grapes of Wrath// written by John Steinbeck, Steinbeck explores the themes of injustice and the effects of right and wrong. We also see this premise in Thoreau’s //Civil Disobedience//, along with //The Ways We Lie// by Stephanie Ericsson and //On Compassion// by Barbara Lazear Ascher.

Many acts of injustice were portrayed in Steinbeck’s novel. In chapter 9 we see that the families that were ready to settle towards the west by getting a car to travel there were being taken advantage of as well as the fact that many of the people were ignorant. “Maybe we better look around. Look around! You come in when we're busy, an' take up our time and then walk out!” (Pg. 64) Steinbeck uses emotional appeal to get the readers attention by feeling pity for the ignorant buyers. Steinbeck tries include a great influence on many of the ignorant acts of that time to express the difficult living conditions of that time.

In chapter 11 Steinbeck uses emotional appeal once again to give a more rational understanding of the tough times the people had to endure at that exact time that led them to making decisions that left them homeless and feeling worthless. The reasoning behind that was because of that fact that many of the migrants coming from the Midwest were forced off their lands by the government and were only hoping for a better life in the west. The injustice here is seen because of the fact that the government took these poor farmers off their lands for no reason. "When the corrugated iron doors are shut, he goes home, and his home is not the land." (Pg. 116)

Many migrants from the Midwest had to make the decision of whether staying in their hometown with many un-resourceful things or taking a risk of moving the entire family to this magical land of opportunities beyond their expectations. In chapter 12 many of this is seen throughout the chapter, many of the farmers have to make this decision jeopardizing their current life. Steinbeck gives a feel of what the characters had endured, “Ever hear of the border patrol on the California line? Police form Los Angeles-stopped you bastards, turned you back.” (Pg. 120) This showed the treatment of the migrants, of how they were treated with such little respect.

As many of these farmers reach their destination in such harsh and unkind travels, they end up reaching to an even bigger problem then their past. The hopes and dreams that they had in their minds of this wonderful place with many jobs to spare, was seen to be a figment of their imagination. In chapter 14 Steinbeck includes the ideas of the unionized laborers and the social shifts. “The Western States; nervous as horses before a thunder storm.” (Pg. 150)

In chapter 17 many of the farmer’s adjustments in the new state, many were unstable and felt ruthless, so in order to get those feelings out of their way they ended up creating laws and restrictions for themselves as an attempt at normalcy. Many felt for the need of stability. "And as the worlds moved westward, rules became laws..." (Page 194)

Thoreau’s //Civil Disobedience;// Thoreau explores the ineffective and injustice ways of the government. He states, “That government is best which governs least”. In this he wants to express the fact that government is too into themselves rather than the people. He wants the reader to know that the government is nothing more than a bug flying in some ones house. The unfairness that the government creates is to try to manipulate the people into what they believe is right in their eyes.

//The Ways We Lie// by Stephanie Ericsson we see that many people don’t know whether to choose from right or wrong, which then leads the person to lie. "The new diocese was aware of Father Porter's obsession with children, but they needed priests and recklessly believed treatment had cured him. More children were abused until he was relieved of his duties a year later. By his own admission, Porter may have abused as many as a hundred children." In this we see that ones who start doing gross things and not telling anyone can lead to even more disturbing actions.

Barbara L. Ascher’s //On Compassion// explores the themes of whether is it right to judge someone you love because of their orientation and whether it is considered to be prejudice. “Was it fear or compassion that motivated the gift? Or does she simply want to rid her shop of his troublesome presence?” The decisions of whether something is right in that case was seen to be a very difficult one.

All in all we see that many of these authors have the same idea of how to express what is right from wrong and what is seen to be bias. Even in society as we endure these situations day by day we can help make it stop by doing the right thing and keeping away from such obscenities.