The Action Within Words by Brooke

The Action Within Words by Brooke - May 2017 Scholarship Essay

Literature has the power to transform perspectives and instill timeless morals that persist for generations. Society looks towards influential stories for guidance and support in an evolving reality that can too often leave others behind. My experience with inspiring literature has allowed to to witness the ability of words to create reform and spark movements. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck greatly influenced my understanding of societal action because it symbolizes an accurate depiction of American history devoid of censoring an ugly truth. Steinbeck does not hold back as he criticizes the government for refusing to protect migrants, the banks for foreclosing on farmer’s properties, and the native people for discriminating and exploiting migrant workers. I was transported into the Great Depression and looked through the eyes of a poor family of tenant farmers called the Joads. Driven from their land by drought, economic hardship, and emerging agricultural technologies the Joads are forced leave their lives behind in search of a new future in California. Their situation is made more and more hopeless by the negativity they face being called “Okies” and their harsh treatment as immigrants. I understood prejudice through the extensive history taught in class, but this novel illustrated a new hardship that resonated with my past experiences. The malnutrition and lack of resources they endured for the false promise of fair, honest work is extraordinary and I realized that life can be completely unfair to those who are undeserving of its hardships.
The Grapes of Wrath exposes a deeper layer underneath American history that is not widely recognized. The darker side of American culture is put on display as Steinbeck describes the still birth of an unhealthy baby, the death of an elderly woman, and numerous accounts of violence along the journey. While writing the book Steinbeck went to many migrant camps and received first-hand accounts of the injustices committed against the migrants which emphasizes the ability of writers to uncover hidden truths and fight for justice. As an individual, I was inspired to look beyond the surface and question a system that ignored suffering people and focused on monetary ambition.
Perfection is a relative term; an ideal seldom achieved yet always aspired for. In history the result of the pursuit of perfection is oftentimes violence and suppression of a people. When authority goes against the people to implement a set of unfair regulations, those oppressed must utilize a voice to communicate their situation to others. This forces a society to mold to needs of the people instead of the needs of those who hold all the power. One vehicle of social change throughout history is literature; authors use their writing to satirize a government which works against its citizens. Steinbeck achieved a great call to action in his novel that prompted people to take action. The use of humor with a critical attitude exposes the frailties and faults of civilization’s activities and institutions and this undermines authority, yet protects democracy.
Everyone wants to open a book full of adventure and comedy, but no one yearns to read about the problems with society as a whole. It is easy to close one’s eyes to the harsh realities in the world, but John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath forces Americans to abandon their ignorance and become aware of the unjust treatment of migrant workers during the Great Depression. Steinbeck viciously attacks the government institutions for migrant workers by describing camps full of disease, poverty, and death. He takes a step in the direction of justice and left a lasting impact on students like me who aspire to represent his values.