Franklin D. Roosevelt once said “remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.” From the 1930s to modern times, many people had no choice but to adapt to their new lives and face many obstacles, such as social prejudice and poverty. Both immigrants today and in the past have to face discrimination and inequality no matter what race or gender. Manifested in the past, in literature, and in the present, immigration was and still is prevalent in society today. The Dust Bowl, prejudice against migrants in John Steinbeck’s American classic novel, The Grapes of Wrath, and efforts to deport immigrants made by Donald Trump truly capture some of the difficulties that immigrants
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Most became migrant workers, who eventually lived in severe poverty, becoming unwanted by local residents. Californians called the migrants “Okies,” a derogatory term for migrants (Hanes 69). Chapter nineteen of the novel deals with the history of California and how it was settled by feverish Americans. Through these descriptions, the readers can start to understand the Californians prejudice against migrant workers. The initial owners of the land, the Mexicans were weak and in no position to stop the Americans from taking their land. Subsequently, the Americans gradually took over all the land in the California region, which was maintained by the same families for generations and had much success, creating an everlasting protection for this land. The Californians view of the migrant workers is very much the same as the Mexican 's must have thought of the Americans when their land was taken over. In addition, in chapter eighteen, a police officer gives the Joads a first hand experience of the prejudice that Californians has against the migrant workers when a policeman treats the migrants with no respect. This officer who undoubtedly had taken an oath to uphold the law and promote the public good, would have been more happy to see the Joads drop off the face of the earth than see them in California. Without any provocation, a policeman insults Ma Joad, calling her an "Okie" and threatens to run her out if her family has not left their campsite by the morning (Steinbeck 213-214) The Californians tried to discourage the growth in population of migrant workers by any means possible, legal or
Most became migrant workers, who eventually lived in severe poverty, becoming unwanted by local residents. Californians called the migrants “Okies,” a derogatory term for migrants (Hanes 69). Chapter nineteen of the novel deals with the history of California and how it was settled by feverish Americans. Through these descriptions, the readers can start to understand the Californians prejudice against migrant workers. The initial owners of the land, the Mexicans were weak and in no position to stop the Americans from taking their land. Subsequently, the Americans gradually took over all the land in the California region, which was maintained by the same families for generations and had much success, creating an everlasting protection for this land. The Californians view of the migrant workers is very much the same as the Mexican 's must have thought of the Americans when their land was taken over. In addition, in chapter eighteen, a police officer gives the Joads a first hand experience of the prejudice that Californians has against the migrant workers when a policeman treats the migrants with no respect. This officer who undoubtedly had taken an oath to uphold the law and promote the public good, would have been more happy to see the Joads drop off the face of the earth than see them in California. Without any provocation, a policeman insults Ma Joad, calling her an "Okie" and threatens to run her out if her family has not left their campsite by the morning (Steinbeck 213-214) The Californians tried to discourage the growth in population of migrant workers by any means possible, legal or