Matthijs Smits asked this question about The Grapes of Wrath:
The author casually mentions, somewhere in the beginning of the book, how one of the characters' grandpa had to drive away and kill indians to take up the land on which the joads eventually had their farm. This is said almost 'in passing' as if it has no relevance and it is said by one of the characters angrily as an argument that it is in fact THEIR property. Do you feel that John Steinbeck neglects this issue?
Jack I'm not sure I can really answer your question, but I do find it interesting that it was, in the eyes of the character, perfectly fine for Grandpa to …moreI'm not sure I can really answer your question, but I do find it interesting that it was, in the eyes of the character, perfectly fine for Grandpa to take the land away from the Indians, but not for the banks to take away the land from the sharecroppers. In a way this double standard makes it a little harder for me to sympathize with the character. (less)
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