Sympathy In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

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In The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck explains how poor people will give to others in need, even if they have next to nothing themselves; on the other hand, he also says that people who actually have what is necessary for survival (and often times plenty of it) are more reluctant to provide support to families in the struggle. Through the actions and portrayal of the Joad family, more specifically Rose of Sharon, Steinbeck alludes to the theme of empathy for others in your position. Throughout the entirety of the novel there are countless instances of migrants assisting other migrants in their times of needs, no matter what the circumstances are. Living in poverty during the dust bowl gave people a different perspective. No one was a stranger …show more content…
The woman will use six paper napkins and drop them on the floor. The man will choke and try to put the blame on Mae. The woman will sniff as though she smelled rotting meat and they will go out again and tell forever afterward that the people in the West are sullen.” (Steinbeck 156) This quote was taken from the chapter describing a typical burger joint along highway 66 and the different types of people that stop by at the same place. People with wealth have so much to give, so much to provide for the less fortunate. Yet, we see them complaining about their own luxuries (A.K.A. first-world problems) while those in poverty were begging for food to survive. Again, the resemblance of our society today is almost eery. Personally, I could give many anecdotal cases in which I exhibited the same type of behavior. As a middle-class citizen in the United States, I am guilty of ignoring simple opportunities to donate and give back to those in need. I could contribute a measly five dollars to help save a life in Africa, but I decline the offer. Then I turn around and decide to spend 100 dollars on a new gold necklace for no particular reason. This selfish trend goes for the majority of the population in modernized countries today, which is actually pretty sad. People everywhere are too caught up in
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