Understanding the Struggle of the Past by Sarah

Understanding the Struggle of the Past by Sarah - February 2015 Scholarship Essay

High school students today learn about history all the time. It did happen, but it is so distant from the generations today that it just seems so unreal to us. Teachers tell of nations being born from uprising, indigenous tribes being wiped out by the millions, and advanced civilizations doing amazing things. This all sounds like storybook stuff because of the way it is said in history books, but personal accounts make it all more relatable and realistic. That's why "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck should be read by all high school students. This is a fictional account of how a family got by during the Dust Bowl Era. 110

The Dust Bowl in the mid-west region of the United States took a very hard toll on the American economy. It gave no fertile land for the crops, so there was nothing for the farmers to do. Also, the American people didn't have any food. Without food or jobs, the country really struggled and Americans living in the Mid-West had to move in order to provide for their families. "The Grapes of Wrath" follows the Joad family as they go West to look for something new. Teens today don't really understand real-life struggles since wee are an industrialized, on-the-top, and privileged country. The Joad family (of about 12 people) all hopped into a fixer-upper truck and headed West with nothing much but their family and basic necessities. Day-by Day accounts of their family struggles are given by Steinbeck to really emphasize how hard it was on each individual at this time.