This chapter covers numerous issues. Choose one of the following and discuss it not only from the novel, but also in our current society:
1. Cops misuse their authority
2. "Jesus-lovers" are hard and contemptuous, always watching for sin.
3. Children should never shame their folks.
4. Only through cooperation can man overcome his hardship
5. No matter how desperate one is, one should never turn against his own people.
27 comments:
The cops used their authority to injure people and tear up people's lives just for the fun of it. They took peoples belongings staged fights to gain entry into places and many other dishonest uses of their power. While there is no reason for this abillity to be present they also can be helpful. The number of corrupt police is never known. However people guess and people find out about the wrongdoings of the cops. With the knowledge they scare the public and ruin any trust that had previously existed.
"Jesus-lovers" are always watching for sin. In the novel, when the migrants tried to indulge themselves in some form of pleasure, the Jesus-lovers tried to take away their only forms of distraction from them. I believe that these types of people are hypocrites. They take the Bible too literally, and destroy the real meaning of it by doing so. There are many people like this today. These kinds of people are part of the reason why people are losing faith in the Christian religion. They send out an image that the religion is very strict, with many rules that one must follow instead of what it is really supposed to be like. I was lead to believe it is a religion of forgiveness and kindness.
I agree with Lauren. The "Jesus Lovers" in the novel are trying to look for ways to enforce Christianity on the migrants by finding something they enjoy and taking it away calling it a sin. The same is true today. Many people look for the wrong in what others do and not in the pleasure. In such, it is much like being a hypocrite, like Lauren said.
4) When the entertainment commitee works together they are able to overcome conflict with police. If they would not have been able to come together to stop the fight the whole community would have suffered a terrible loss. If Jule wouldn't have spotted the men, if Tom hadn't found Wilkie, if Wilkie hadn't found Jackson,.. then they could have all been kicked out of the camp during the right. Through their cooperation they persevered.
4)The situation where Huston, Jule, and Willie confronted the men who were trying to start a conflict at the dance is a perfect example. The men were only doing it because the cops said that they would pay them if they started a fight at the dance. The men were in desperate need of money just like the people in the camp. Huston felt sympathy for the men, he even said, "You're our own folks". This shows that he can't believe the men would turn against his own kind.
The misuse of authority by police was evident in the novel, and also today. In this chapter Steinbeck illustrates the prejudices that the Californian society feels towards the migrants. The police, who are supposed to be the fair protectors of all citizens, dislike the migrants and their camps. The camp catches wind of the fact that the cops plan to “bust” the dance that was planned. Their goal was to have some sort of trouble started, and then eventually shut down the camp. However the camp’s leaders control the people and there is no violence. Obviously the police were unjust in coming to the camp, for they had no grounds to be at the dance. They misused their authority, to try and get the individuals in the camp into trouble. Today this can be compared to cops today using their authority to justify their actions. For example if an individual is pulled over for a simple traffic violation, a cop may ask to search their car and imply that its not quite a question but that its inevitable and the officer’s right to search the vehicle. However, this is not the case. Police, unless they have probable cause, cannot search someone’s automobile. They misuse their authority to trick drivers into letting them search their car.
The "Jesus-lovers" try to turn whatever the migrants find enjoyable into some sort of "sin." They lay a guilt-trip on the migrants basically saying that God doesn't want you to do this, and if you do this then you will go to hell. People today do take the bible to literally like lauren said. They focus on trying to be a devote Catholic, or Christian or whatever, and end up fearing their religion instead of celebrating it. Then, because they think it's a righteous thing to do, they force their beliefs on people around them.
In the novel the cops wanted to do anything they could to have reason to close the camp. They come into the camp expecting a fight, but the ones in charge of the camp keep everyone under control. In result, the cops have illegally entered and over used their authority. In today's world I believe almost every single cop over uses their authority. One example is when you are driving down say, Crawford street, going slightly over the speed limit, 43 mph, and a cop whizzes by you, no lights on, and seems to be no reason for their speeding. I believe cops think because they are cops they can do this. Another example is cops will say anything to get you to do what they want. They can manipulate and lie to you in order to search your car, search your house, and whatever else they feel is necessary to search.
3. Children are supposed to be seen and not heard, however sometimes it is the adults that should not be heard. Kids are supposed to never embarrass their parents, however many adults act like outrageous bratty children and embarrass their kids. Plus the fact that to many the idea of shame is different. For example, the man with the child who went to school and got in fights would have been shamed had his son not fought. His wife was shamed when he got into fights. Either way, the boy would have been shaming his parents.
2. "Jesus-lovers" are hard and contemptuous, always watching for sin.
Lauren summed up most of what my opinion was. To add to it though, I would like to compare the "Jesus-lovers" to the pharisees of Jesus' time according to the bible. The pharisees would follow strict rules and regulations, I believe there were seventeen rules concerning the washing of hands alone. To be holy one had to be divine and follow all such rules. The pharisees would boast about their holiness, which to them was their strict following of the laws. They, like the "Jesus-Lovers" missed the point; the rules were made in order to better life for the individual, to follow the rules would mean that you are bettering life for yourself and those around you. Condemning others for acts which for one do not effect you, and two, more than likely do no harm at all is the real sin.
Chapter 24 involves the deputies purposely attempting to cause a ruckus in order for them to be able to have reason to intervene within Weedpatch Camp in hopes of arresting migrants. Due to the fact that the migrants in the camp were not originally causing chaos and disorder, the deputies actions and authority are clearly in misuse. The Committee was not pleased with the police officers when they learned about their attempt to arrest innocent people. Therefore, as the chapter read, migrants in Weedpatch did everything they could to keep the deputies from invading the camp without causing harm to anyone.
In modern society, many people claim that the police force across the nation still misuses their power. Racial profiling is often regarded as one of the most serious issues. People claim to be ticketed for absurd reasons, commonly blaming police officers for judging them differently due to their race or ethnicity. Also, it is commonly joked about in movies that police officers have a "quota" of tickets and arrests they must obtain each week per se. Although this many not be true, this is still regarded as a reason for being ticketed for no apparent reason, in the eyes of the ticketed at least. However, on the flip side, in order to move up in ranks, it has been said that an officer must perform a certain number of arrests for this and that as well as a certain number of tickets, etc. Therefore, this theory may not be all myth either.
Similar to the cops in the novel, wanting nothing but to shut down the camps, cops today do things without good reasoning. Being a young adult in todays society, adults are watching for a mess-up. Especially cops. They feel they're intimidating, and have this large amount of authority. Sometimes it is obivous who is doing it to protect their county, and who is doing it to feel greater. Cops tend to use their so called authoriy directly towards teens, creating a stong wall of hate and lack of trust. Cops forget this, and it sometimes leads to the loss of their job, and respect of people in their surrounding.
The idea of 'Jesus lovers' looking for sin is an interesting one in the novel and also in today's world. The search for sin is really a symptom of a greater desire that all human's have, which is ironic given many radical religious peoples' desire to fight human impulse. The greater desire that causes this search for sin is the desire to have authority in some manner. This human instinct is recognizable in all of Steinbeck's characters. For example, Ruthie and Winfield constantly battle for authority as they tell each other that they had known something was going to happen. Also, in the beginning of hte novel, Al struggles to have authority in the area of cars. The woman who talks to Rosasharn about sin in the novel is a perfect example of this. Particularly when people are down and feel like they have no personal posessions, having some authority or control over something is desirable. The 'Jesus lovers' in the world that put down others just want to feel like they have some sort of knowledge that others don't have access to.
2) Religion is an issue, we are told, that is to be taken on "faith." To question the word of the church would be on the brink of blaspheme. We are expected to accept the teachings we are given as undeniable truth. But this is not only completely idiotically but perfectly irrationally. Who is the church to distinguish on such a fine a issue as what constitutes a sin. Earlier in the book we saw evidence of a similar theme with Casey's religious paradox: if something brings pleasure to people how can it be evil. Since the times of early Catholicism to the Puritan movement to present day Evangelicalism bible-beaters have made it their mission to strip the world of earthly pleasures. Alcohol, cigarettes, sexuality (both hetero and homo), gambling, free speech, money have all been damned on unfounded pretenses.
3. I do not feel that religion is a bad thing. Although some rules of religion seem hypocritical to some people, I feel that they provide a basis for morals to live by. But when certain people take their religion too far and try to shove their morals off on everyone else, the negatives to religion begin to emerge. Happiness and having fun is not a sin. But behaving carelessly for one's own benefit, when it can harm others, can be wrong. I personally believe that if some people are truly the religious people they say they are, they will live their own life according to what they believe and respect the beliefs of others. Christianity teaches love of others, and by judging others and calling them sinful, these so-called "Jesus-lovers" are not living up to their title.
2. Jesus-lovers, as they're called, are people that think they are better than everybody else around them. Mrs. Sandry is a perfect example. She said that the "sinners" were going to hell because they danced differently. Yet she says nothing about her own sin. She probably doesn't even believe she has sin, when it is a common Christian belief that everyone sins. These people remind me of the communities of the American colonies, when morals were too strict. The sin these types of people look for are not really sins but differences. Even today we have these kinds of people. One example would be a lady from Derby last year. She wanted a modified senior yearbook for her daughter because she didn't want it to show the different things that people did, that are stereotypically "bad."
Police misuse their power even today. This was never more evident than during the police violence that followed Hurricane Katrina. When the police are in situations where they either feel threatened or feel the need to express their power this can result in a serious misuse of that power. Law reinforcement are often very difficult to punish because of the lack of evidence and enforcement against them.
In chapter 24, bribery brings members of the Farmers Association to abandon their own cause and turn treasonous. The men, just like the man in earlier chapters who tore down his neighbor's houses with a tractor, had a conflict between protecting his own cause and wellbeing and temporarily sacrificing that for a larger, more significant and noble cause. In the migrant camps, it must have taken tremendous motivation to revolt against the system and try to enact social change. However, those who simply conformed not only failed to challenge the system, but bolstered it with their apathy. It is important particularly in Grapes for the migrants to stick together, because a more unified movement will inevitably be more successful. There are other examples of this throughout history, During the Revolutionary War, Benedict Arnold had a lead role in establishing independence for the colonies, however he was bribed by England simply because it would improve his immeadiate situation. This is a timeless conflict.
My mom always tells me that sin can be fun, but that is why you have to be able to to know the difference between having fun and sinning. The so called "Jesus-Lovers" in the novel were always searching to point out the other migrants sins. I do agree with the other as they said that these Jesus-lovers were being hypocrites when trying to take away the migrants pleasures, but wouldn't you agree a lot of these pleasures were sins? Things such as committing adultry is a sin, but the migrants were to busy trying to hide from reality to see the mistakes they were making. Even today this still occurs. The bible is often taken to literally, and forced upon others, but that is why i believe that there is a certain way to show others the difference between what is right and what is a sin. By setting a good example, and showing that you know what is fun and what is a sin others should follow along because you have set a trend. Force does not need to be used. If God doesn't approve of our pleasures he will find away to show us, not the Jesus-lovers.
4. Cooperation is a major part of any person's life, whether at home, school, work, sports, friends, family - the list goes on into infinity.
In the book, cooperation made life easier for those who lived in the camp. Living in harmony allowed the men and women of that camp to overcome their hardships and plant the seeds of hope. The continuation of cooperative understanding sowed strong relationships and a feeling of prosperity.
Today, teamwork and cooperation are prized qualities in a person. Although it is a bit far-fetched to rely solely on cooperation to overcome a hardship (some alone time to think things through on one's own is definetly an important factor).
5. The most obvious example I can find in the book has been mentioned already by Sarah. The people who tractor their land so that their family can eat, even at the expense of their poor neighbors. Today, it seems like the only way to succeed is through selling out. For instance, if you want to climb the corporate world, you might have to lie and cheat your way to a promotion. I think everyone has done it, at job interviews, where you maybe fudge a little bit on your resume. Or when you are an intern, and you suck up to your supervisor, until a higher up comes into the room, where you begin to worship the ground they walk on. Sometimes, you have to not just think about what might be best for yourself, take a step back, and realize how your actions might affect other people.
Similar to the corrupt cops in the novel that tried to cause problems in the camps, many cops today misuse their authority to do things they shouldn't be able to. As people have previously stated, many cops trick people into thinking they have to let the cops do whatever they want. This goes for searching a car, searching a house, answering questions, or taking a breathalizer. The police force of Salina works their hardest, often times misusing their authority, to attempt to ruin the fun of high schoolers every weekend.
4.This is only true under some circumstances. When the men of the work committee in the novel were able to overcome the police force, it proved this theory. However, throughout history, we have learned that non-conformists who stand alone can also overcome hardship successfully. Although it is effective when groups such as the American Federation of Labor work towards fairer wages and working hours, it was also effective Ghandi vowed to be peaceful in order to attain freedom for India. The ideas oppose each other, but it is still true that in order to overcome hardship, men must cooperate with one another.
1. Cops misuse their authority
When the families were pushed out of their homes and their farms, they had no choice as to move or not. They had to move and it wasn't their decision, which i don't think the others understood. The people in California and other states were the migrants moved, did not understand that they didn't have anywhere else to go. Since the rich farm owners werent happy, they gave an excuse for the cops to take over and treat the migraters badly. They wanted nothing to do with the "okies" and wanted them to leave, doing whatever they had to, to get them to leave. Even though they are cops and they had authority to do it, they took it out of hand with the unnessecary killing and burning of the weedpatches.
It is true that people should not turn on their own people, but it would be very difficult not to turn your back on your people when you did not even have food. The migrant workers were doing about anything to get a job that would maybe feed their families. It is like they had two choices- either they took the offer they were given at the job and gain little money or food, or they did not take the job offer and basically starve to death. It is true that if they stuck together, they would have a greater chance of making it through the hard times. People that were new, like the Joad family, wanted to take the jobs that paid decent but they did not want to compete for jobs. At first, fifteen cents an hour would sound horrible, but after a while, it would sound nice. It was a terrible way of living, but desperate times called for desperate needs.
2) The chapter illustrates the lives of the "Jesus-lover", and shows the result of religion being interpreted too literally and taken too far by extreme individuals. The lady in the novel goes out of her way to find the good "God-fearing people" in the camp before anyone else can get to them. She attempts to find those who have exactly the same extreme, ridiculous beliefs as she does, and condemns all those who believe different, even if they do worship the same god and have the same general beliefs. Not only does she exile herself from society in such a way, but she also exiles the rest of her family, although it is doubtful that they have the same views on the issue as she does. In these ways she is extremely intolerant of other peoples beliefs and values, and views her beliefs as the only correct beliefs, when if fact there could be many or none at all.
The exact situation is seen today in the extreme religious branches such as the Evangelical Christians or the numerous intolerant Middle Eastern religions.
In both situations, the individuals act so intolerantly are terribly hypocritical and should rethink the ways in which they treat others simply because they are different.
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