Could the problems in a capitalist society be resolved through socialism? The socialist worldview believes in the distribution of wealth, property, and resources according to the desires of the people as a whole. In the novel The Grapes of Wrath, the author John Steinbeck delves into what he believes are the advantages of a socialist society and writes his own thoughts about the problems with capitalism. Steinbeck builds his case for socialism and attacks capitalism through portraying the benefits of the fellowship of man, demonstrating how an even distribution of power surpasses totalitarianism, and through calling America to change. Steinbeck shows the strengths of socialism and what he believes are the weaknesses of capitalism, through
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The Joad family, along with the other immigrants, resemble the main part of the socialist theme through the evolving lifestyle they are forced to adapt to, and the changes that are made within the family structures. As the families travel to California, “each member of the family grew into his proper place” and “each member had his duty and went to it without instruction”(194), illustrating Steinbeck’s vision for what America could become with the help of socialism. Steinbeck believes that if everyone would share responsibilities evenly and fairly, society could function in a way that gives the impression of being like a family unit and cooperating the way the immigrant families did. The small camps that the families make every night, exemplify how the socialist system could work, but only on a small scale level with people that are all trying to do the same thing. Furthermore, Steinbeck uses the two different immigrant camps to contrast what an exaggerated capitalist and socialist society would look like. The Weedpatch camp exists as the epitome of what Steinbeck believes a socialist society could look like with a “Central Committee” that “keeps order an’ makes rules” and there “ain’t no cops…[that] can come in [there] without a warrant”(287). The camp contrasts very strongly with what the conditions and life is like on the government camps where the conditions are terrible and people starve, providing support for Steinbeck’s dream of a socialist system of government. The Weedpatch camp distributes the authority and leadership roles of the camp evenly, as well as resources with people even sharing their own breakfast. In the “capitalist” camps, people are fighting for cotton just to survive on the few cents they will make as a result and live miserably with
The Joad family, along with the other immigrants, resemble the main part of the socialist theme through the evolving lifestyle they are forced to adapt to, and the changes that are made within the family structures. As the families travel to California, “each member of the family grew into his proper place” and “each member had his duty and went to it without instruction”(194), illustrating Steinbeck’s vision for what America could become with the help of socialism. Steinbeck believes that if everyone would share responsibilities evenly and fairly, society could function in a way that gives the impression of being like a family unit and cooperating the way the immigrant families did. The small camps that the families make every night, exemplify how the socialist system could work, but only on a small scale level with people that are all trying to do the same thing. Furthermore, Steinbeck uses the two different immigrant camps to contrast what an exaggerated capitalist and socialist society would look like. The Weedpatch camp exists as the epitome of what Steinbeck believes a socialist society could look like with a “Central Committee” that “keeps order an’ makes rules” and there “ain’t no cops…[that] can come in [there] without a warrant”(287). The camp contrasts very strongly with what the conditions and life is like on the government camps where the conditions are terrible and people starve, providing support for Steinbeck’s dream of a socialist system of government. The Weedpatch camp distributes the authority and leadership roles of the camp evenly, as well as resources with people even sharing their own breakfast. In the “capitalist” camps, people are fighting for cotton just to survive on the few cents they will make as a result and live miserably with