modification of social order in The Grapes of Wrath

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The current Bush Administration allows tax breaks to the wealthy, while continuing to raise taxes for the poor. This allows the wealthy to become wealthier and the poor to become poorer. Similarly in The Grapes of Wrath, the natives of California continue to earn money in higher paying jobs, while deeming the peach and cotton picking jobs too low for them. As they give these jobs to the Hooverville tenants they lower the wages extracting any chance for the growth of the poor. For modification of social order to occur, the upper class has to letup on restraining advancements and give the lower class a decent opportunity for succession. The upper class must grow from stunting the advancement of the lower class to allow any modifications of social order. Before police raid the camp, Tom is told the protocol about making a living in Hooverville. “‘So we take what we can get, huh, or we starve; an’ if we yelp we starve’” (Steinback 247). It is common knowledge amongst the reds, or lower class, that they must take the job at the price offered by the upper class. If they don’t another man will be along to take the job shortly. This gives the upper class the ability to control the wages which the lower class earns, taking away the chance of the lower class being able to afford housing, education, steady income, etc. When Tom finally finds work his boss informs him of the Farmers Association’s outlook on his people. “‘Those folks in the camp are getting used to being treated like humans…’” (296). Since Tom’s boss has to specify that the association views the people in government camps as humans, one can assume that they don’t think of the reds as humans. When the upper class squashes the lower class and denotes them as not humans, you can be sure that the classes will have tufts. For social order to change everyone has to be viewed as equals and fair. For change in the

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