33 pages • 1 hour read
John SteinbeckThe Harvest Gypsies: On the Road to the Grapes of Wrath
Nonfiction | Essay Collection | Adult | Published in 1936A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Steinbeck detailed the various ways that large-scale, speculative farmers exploited workers and suppressed potential revolts. Discuss these methods and their effects on the workers. Use three or four quotes/examples to support your argument.
Dorothea Lange photographed migrant workers; some of her most powerful photos appear in this book. Select two or three photos and describe not only the content of the photos, but also how the photos shed light on specific issues facing migrant workers. Use quotes and examples from Steinbeck’s articles to support your argument.
Steinbeck wished for migrants to support themselves through “self-help.” What is “self-help?” Name two or three policy recommendations that Steinbeck suggested would be necessary for migrant workers to achieve self-governance.
Migrants faced severe challenges in the realms of health/nutrition, hygiene, housing, and education. Pick three of these topics and discuss the challenges the migrants faced as well as Steinbeck’s proposed solutions to each issue. Use specific quotes or examples from the book to support your argument.
Steinbeck expressed a desire for migrant workers to be able to live with dignity. What does “dignity” mean for Steinbeck? Discuss two or three specific policy recommendations that Steinbeck suggested that would allow migrant workers to work with dignity in California.
How did John Steinbeck blend his roles as an activist and a journalist in The Harvest Gypsies? Use three or four specific quotes, data, or anecdotes from the book to support your argument.
How were the foreign-born workers (Mexicans, Japanese, Chinese, and Filipinos) treated compared to the largely white migrant workers or “Okies”? Highlight their treatment by at least two of the following groups or people: large-scale growers, small farmers/native Californians, and Steinbeck himself.
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By John Steinbeck
