Social Realism - Grapes of Wrath

Question

What are several examples of Social Realism pieces that I can incorporate into a Grapes of Wrath assihnment?

Answer 1

"The Multiplying Effects of Selfishness and Altruism

According to Steinbeck, many of the evils that plague the Joad family and the migrants stem from selfishness. Simple self-interest motivates the landowners and businessmen to sustain a system that sinks thousands of families into poverty. In contrast to and in conflict with this policy of selfishness stands the migrants’ behavior toward one another. Aware that their livelihood and survival depend upon their devotion to the collective good, the migrants unite—sharing their dreams as well as their burdens—in order to survive. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck constantly emphasizes self-interest and altruism as equal and opposite powers, evenly matched in their conflict with each other. In Chapters Thirteen and Fifteen, for example, Steinbeck presents both greed and generosity as self-perpetuating, following cyclical dynamics. In Chapter Thirteen, we learn that corporate gas companies have preyed upon the gas station attendant that the Joads meet. The attendant, in turn, insults the Joads and hesitates to help them. Then, after a brief expository chapter, the Joads immediately happen upon an instance of kindness as similarly self-propagating: Mae, a waitress, sells bread and sweets to a man and his sons for drastically reduced prices. Some truckers at the coffee shop see this interchange and leave Mae an extra-large tip."

The website I'm providing also has some other themes/motifs for you to look at.

Answer 2

The Grapes of Wrath was published in 1939.  but a pic. by George Bellows Cliff Dwellers 1913 could be good: it shows the lives of immigrants who lived in the tenements of New York's lower East Side

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/B/bello...

From 1936 - Thomas Hart Benton pic. Politics, Farming and Law in Missouri shows contrast between rich and poor.  See East Wall - right side (this is part of a mural) http://www.geocities.com/soho/exhibit/54...

Actually the best illustrations for your project would be the social realist paintings produced in USA during the 1930s and 40s;  such as by Moses Soyer (unfortunately not many of his images of groups of people are are available). But look at : Unemployed at http://www.geocities.com/soho/exhibit/54...

And at the Seamstress http://americanart.si.edu/search/search_...

And look at all the pictures painted in  the 30s, and 40s at the site below, like Full Employment under our Democratic System of Self Enterprise http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/goldstein/go...

Answer 3

Read the book - it's a classic and it is a very important piece of American literature.

You need to understand what this book says - ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S WORLD - don't ask others to do your homework for you.