In this excerpt, Steinbeck discusses the role of migrant workers in California's agriculture industry. As you read, take notes on the common life and work experiences of migrant farm workers.
What is Steinbeck's tone toward the migrant workers?
Anger: One thing is clear from Steinbeck's writing - he's angry. Angry at the circumstances, angry at the treatment of the workers, angry at the conditions of the migrant camps and angry with the institutions (like the banks) he felt further oppressed people during the time period illustrated.
How do paragraphs 21/25 contribute to the development of ideas in the article The Harvest Gypsies?
How do paragraphs 21-25 contribute to the development of ideas in the article? They make the point that migrant workers' low status and exclusion from community life are problematic in a democracy. They suggest that migrant workers will likely improve the democratic systems in the communities where they work.
What is the main idea of Harvest Gypsies?
Steinbeck reminds readers that the migrants are American citizens, having come from a proud agrarian history of civic and church duty. Abject poverty and the constant threat of starvation have destroyed the migrants' spirit as they are overcome by first shame, then hopelessness, and ultimately indifference.
Who were the migrant workers affected by the Great Depression?
The Great Depression of the 1930s hit Mexican immigrants especially hard. Along with the job crisis and food shortages that affected all U.S. workers, Mexicans and Mexican Americans had to face an additional threat: deportation.
How does the author depict the new immigrants?
How does the author depict the new migrants? strong people who have suffered great losses. How are the new migrants separated from the lives they used to live? They are disconnected from the land and denied a voice in the community.
What distinction does the author draw between migrant farm workers who come from foreign countries and those who come from within the United States quizlet?
What distinction does Steinbeck draw between migrant farm workers who come from foreign countries and those who come from within the United States? While foreign migrant workers are discouraged from working in the United States, those who come from within the Unites States are welcomed.