A Comparative Study of the Socioliterary Sketches in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath and the American Great Depression in the 1930s

• Main Author: 黃春喜
• Other Authors: Liao Pen-shui
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2002
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/02098277991103391268

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 英語學系 === 90 === Abstract Literature is said to be a reflection of reality. Such a reflection is Steinbeck’s major concern in The Grapes of Wrath. The reflection in this novel is the Okies’ mass migration to California during the 1930s, which is one of the disheartening events of the Great Depression. Since this is a novel reflecting the social event of the Okies’ migration, the readers may wonder whether or not Steinbeck’s narration corresponds to reality. Therefore, the main argument in this thesis is the comparative study of the fictional narration and the historical event based on the Okies’ migration. We will discuss the comparison between factual and fictional socioliterary sketches in various causes of migration. The three major causes of the migration are drought, mechanization, and Agricultural Adjustment Act. After the discussion, we find that the AAA policy is not mentioned by Steinbeck. The second major argument lies on the comparison between factual and fictional plight in California. There are four kinds of plight confronted by the migrants: housing, Californians’ hatred towards the migrants, the hardship of finding odd jobs, and strikes. There are four factors of Californians’ hatred towards the migrants: job competition, taxes, relief and threat of epidemics. Apparently, Steinbeck does not mention the factors of job competition and taxes in his fictional narration. The final concern in this thesis is the reception of Steinbeck’s socioliterary sketches of the Okies'migration. The reasons of acceptance lies in its contribution as a historical milestone as well as a social document. The various oppositions are the proletarian propaganda, ambiguous ending, intercalary chapters, distortion of facts, biased narration of California farmers or land owners, its obscenity in vulgar language and casual sexual indulgence. This thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter One is introduction. Chapter Two focuses on the comparison between the factual and fictional causes of Okies’ migration. Chapter Three explores the comparison between factual and fictional plight in California. Chapter Four examines pros and cons of this novel. Chapter Five is conclusion.