Along with a few other books us Honor's English students have had to read, there is historical significance in it having to do with the time it was written. This book reflected the events in the time period very well. During this time period when the novel was written was the same time as the Great Depression. The Great Depression is a time period of an extremely bad economy. Jobs were scarce and money was not very good. In the novel is shows very well that the economy is completely awful. The farms are all shutting down and everyone has to move west. This causes the problems of if everyone is in the same spot, how is everyone supposed to have jobs? There was too many people in one place at one time to make everyone happy and successful.
As far as the responsibilities go for certain social classes, sexes, races, etc. I believe that the author, Steinbeck, believes everyone has the same responsibilites no matter how much money you have, whether you are a boy or a girl, or if you are black, white, hispanic, or any other race. At that time everyone should have equal responsibilities. Steinbeck writes about how rude upper classes are to the Joad's and he makes it seem like that is not how it is supposed to be by the Joad's reactions(Steinbeck 154). I agree with how he feels about the responsibilities of the social classes, races, and sexes. Especially with the sexes. I believe women should have just as many responsibilities as men, that way we woman have as many rights too. The social classes are the same way. Someone who is a millionaire is just as capable of doing the things lower economic state families have to do. It is something like today when people have maids but they sit at home all day. What is the point? They do not need that. However, it is creating jobs. I agree strongly with Steinbeck.
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.
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