The gasoline attendant keeps asking, "What's the country coming to?" Discuss the changes in our country and in the migrant families taking place in this chapter. Use specific examples from the text to support your response. Try not to repeat anyone else's answer.
ALSO!!! Answer this question: What do YOU think America is coming to TODAY? What about how the war in Iraq is affecting us? What about morality or the lack of it in our country? How do other countries view America? You can address these or any other issues that would help you define your answer in response to the question. Use specific examples from real life issues to support your response.
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In this chapter the knolwedge of how many cars that are going down Route 66 is thrown into our faces. People who barely had enough money to buy a car come along begging for a gallon of gas. This preverse show of proberty was drastically true. With farmers being pushed off their land they had to move somewhere and California seemed like the best place. unfortunatly so did everyone so there where too many peple for every job.
Today people are remembering how to stand up for our belifs. The people are starting to protest what they dislike and cheer for something they enjoy. Some people knew before of how that worked, but now even more people join together to fight the war in Iraq, social issues, and other problems. Other countries probably look at the United States and thing they are getting an ego bigger than reality. With our belief in ourselves we think we can do more than what we actually can.
The country in the time period may have been having some issues but the people were still willing to fight to keep their family well provided for. The tragedies of this time period were not caused by the poor and the middle class failing at what they did. The combination of weather issues and a flustered economy forced the middle and lower class to take drastic measures to help themselves out. Any family that is willing to trade a sentimental item such as a doll so that they can possibly make it to a better place and ensure the well being of their family is a group of people that is willing to do whatever it takes to take care of themselves and their loved ones. The world today may not have dust storms flying around but we are not in great shape either. The United States has too many internal problems economically and socially to be worried about other countries fighting themselves. The U.S involvement in the middle east is not necessarily a bad idea but it is not where our priorities should be. Our country is billions of dollars in debt and we do not need to climb further into that whole to try and be the "world police". (At least not until we can fix our own problems)
Throughout this chapter, the description of the Joad's journey portrays the journey hundreds of thousands of poverty stricken families took during the 30's in hopes of a better life. Unfortunately, many were forced to give up everything and leave to start over, for example when the Joad's are kicked off their land. The gasoline attendent has a shop full of treasures that families have given in exchange for a mere gallon of gas to hopefully get them that much further. Although today our economic problems are not to the extent they were in the thirities, the US still has its fair share of problems. Billions of dollars of debt, and fighting a war that hasn't proved effective yet are just a few examples. To other countries, we seem like the "Almighty," the power-hungry, extremely wealthy, fully benefited nation, and unfortunately because we do have our share of power we bask in it and like Ethan said, try to solve everyone elses problems. There is nothing wrong with attempting to make the world a better place, but if we want to attempt that, we need to fix ourselves first.
During the Great Depression, the big businesses showed unparelleled ruthlessness. The businesses were always crooked but with the decrease of money, they became greedier. Before the Great Depression, the families of the farmers were happy and prosperous, but now they must survive on what little they have.
Today, there are different problems, but all the same, problems. The war in Iraq is not going the way we had planned, but then again we also hadn't planned on being there this long. On top of that, we are being plagued by constant inflation, and poor financial management. People don't really know who to believe and who to follow in today's nation. On top of all this, we find that most of the world is not thrilled with our handling of the war and don't like us becoming the exact opposite of what we wanted from the outset of this nation. We are an imperialistic power.
By now in the book the migrant families heading west are desperate. "Fella wants to trade his shoes so he can get a hundred miles on his way." Families are doing and giving anything and everything so they can keep on West. Americans in general are viewed as villianous, which i believe is due to the greed in big businesses which travel across the seas and do not represent America in a desired fashion, but only in greed. America is becoming a lousy country do to the lack of morals. People who had/have morals can not make it in America because others do not share the same ideas making it difficult to be moralistic. Theoretically a moralistic person would not have a huge profit margin because they want to keep prices low to help the poor, but without a large profit their business can easily be taken over or put out of business by unmoralistic people. The war in Iraq is making America less popular to people, but only because the bad news is published. You don't read about anything positive anymore, yet i'm sure thousands of humans have been saved and live better lives now than they did under their former rule. If the bad news about WWI and WWII was all that got published and we left that war, whos to say what our country would be coming to.
After being forced from their homes, families traveled Route 66 with hope of a brighter future. The Dust Bowl left them with nothing to believe in. California promised jobs and happiness, everything that the families had before the Dust Bowl. When the gas attendant kept asking, "What's the country coming to?" he was trying to find an answer for his self. He was in shock just like most American's were during that time. He was facing poverty and debating whether to leave his home to go to California. He didn't want to leave his home. In the back of his mind he was thinking that things will get better because this is America.
Today we face similar obstacles in life. Everyone has a different opinion on how the situation in Iraq should be handled. America is weakest at the time of war mainly because it is split on the issue. There are the "peacemakers" who think if we leave them alone that they will leave us alone. Then there are the "fighters" who will do anything to protect their freedom. Honestly we need more "freedom fighters" in America. Other countries around the world both hate us and respect us. They hate America because they want what we have but they also respect America because America stands for freedom. Slowly America is dying because of war and the fact that we want everyone to be treated equally. Chaos is taking over and little is being done to stop it.
I agree with Kendra, that the gas station attendant asked "what the world is coming to" because he was trying to answer the question himself. The attendant is stuck in a difficult position, he is poverty stricken and needs his job, but his occupation only continues to perpetuate the horrible economic situation. A specific example of "what the world was coming to" can be seen by looking at government assistance to the poor, historically some government programs had been in place to help the less fortunate, but the government sat back and observed in passivity. Currently, war has led many Americans to question similar things. The situation is almost the opposite as it was during the Depression, instead of failing to help others, the United States has taken an active role to establish more democracy and help for less fortunate nations. The war in Iraq had good intentions, but the scale and immensity of entering such a conflict was drastically underestimated. The goal of helping others is noble, but is best carried out with the help of others. Just like it would be illogical for one person to try and help all those hurt during the Depression, it is illogical for the United States solely to establish democracy worldwide.
Both Sarah and Kendra present strong points about how the gas station attendant was trying to answer this question himself. Facing poverty is enough to make anybody question what the world is coming to. If suddenly there was a stock market crash, I'm certain that most of us would question the world, just like he did.
The war in Iraq is tearing Americans apart. We have been united for a period of time, and then when terrorism became a problem, then we became split. The ones who support the war, the ones that do not support the war. This "war" as it is called is tearing America apart. And the truth of the matter is, united we stand, divided we fall.
The gasoline attendant asks, "What is the country coming to?" however in my opinion, this wasn't exactly a negative statement. In some way, the migrants were brought together through their hardships. They realized how many people were facing the same exact problems as they were. The Wilson's and the Joad's were brought together on their journey on Route 66. Both families confided in each other about their problems. The Joad’s were brought together on their voyage. Although they seemed to get on each other’s nerves at times, the family grew closer as a result. They cared for each other and were there when they needed each other most. For example, when Rose of Sharon was worried that the trip would endanger her unborn child, Ma was always there for her to give her hope. Not to mention, the entire family came together after the death of Grampa.
However, this was written many decades ago. What IS the country coming to these days? Initially, 9/11 brought the entire country together. The United States was flooded in hues of red, white and blue; the nation was sprinkled with acts of kindness which were previously not shown. However, those feelings have seem to have worn off. As the war in Iraq looms, Americans question why we are ever there. Forgetting that in the beginning, the nation supported the war by flying yellow ribbons everywhere. Today, more and more citizens are requesting troops to be pulled out of Iraq. As Jessica Boyle stated, the nation is divided between those who support the war and those who do not. Unfortunately, it also seems the war in Iraq has also desensitized many Americans. Death tolls are merely numbers. Yet, if someone close to you is affected by these “mere numbers”, you are too. This can be related back to the Dust Bowl. Poverty and famine did not phase some people until it affected them directly.
The gasoline attendant, although said “What’s the country coming to?” in the Dust Bowl Era, he could have said it in any time period. Looking back our country has dramatically changed since the Dust Bowl. The U.S. has gone through the Great Depression, a World War, the Cold War, and the most recent War on Terror since the 1930’s. The road of America’s life compares to the road on which the migrant families travel on in The Grapes of Wrath. The Joad family undergoes dramatic changes in chapter 13. The death of their dog, and also grandpa are among the altercations. The most prominent change is the change of landscape, the family is moving out of familiar territory and into a new world. The children see new sights and styles, that are new to them. The family is bombarded with people who do not trust them. Everything seems different during this exodus of their lives.
The old gasoline attendant’s words could definitely be used in America today. The war in Iraq is the center of much controversy. The affects us in numerous ways, wether it be gasoline prices, or to who is the leader of our country. The next presidential campaign will focus on the Iraq war and what the U.S.’s involvement will be. The people are not happy with the current situations and would like change. There is a lack of morale in America because so many people are split on their political views. Other countries perceive America as an arrogant, controlling, bully.
By questioning what the world is coming to, the gasoline attendant is wondering how your country got to the point where their important items from home, or family treasures are worth a new life, that is not a guarantee. So many people leaving what they know and love, just to find something better.
As for America today, I feel it is coming to be so hated, we will never be at peace. The war in a Iraq may not affect one first hand, but it is in some way. Most people do not even know they main reason we are fighting anymore. Because of the war, and how America is seen in other countries, we are hated, like the issues with Korea right now. It will start becoming alot scarier because of the choices we as Americans make today, right now.
When the gasoline attendant wonders what the world is coming to, he is really wondering why all of the comfort, safety, and stability of American life seems to have disappeared. He speaks of all the cars that pass by on the highway, questioning where they're going and what they'll do. The comfort of having a home and being in control is gone from the passers-by, and he wonders how it got to be that way. The travellers are looking for a better life in California, although they know not how they will achieve this upon thier arrival. Similarly, many foreign immigrants travel to America each year, not knowing what lies ahead for them. Usually what they find is not the most ideal of situations, as they had hoped for. It exemplifies to what extremes people are willing to go to for an improved life.
America today seems to be lacking in good values that we seemed to have had in the past. Parents work more hours to makes better lives for their children, but they instead end up not providing for them at all, as far as morals and positive habits go. Many kids are sitting in empty houses in front of a T.V. eating potato chips and playing violent video games instead of doing their homework. Maybe the perceived loss of morality and "brains" in America's politicians reflect a transformation from traditional family life to the busy, rushing, and matertialistic families of America today.
When I was nine, I was told the world would end at the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve. As I'm sure you can guess that didn't really workout. History has been filled with doomsayers proclaiming the decline of man and the eventually end of the world. They claim the morality has been lost and the values have declined. While I can understand their argue to a degree, it does not seem to me to be entirely true. While cursing and sexuality are more prevalent in society, so is open minded thinking and acceptance of differences. We have come a long way from slavery, Jim Crow, and women's sufferage to where a women and black man are leading canidates in the race for presidency. Values haven't declined; they've just changed.
The depression had led to a general decline in the profits of most people, the farmers especially. Because of this, people became desperate and willing to do almost anything to keep going. These migrant families were nearly forced to steal when they had the opportunity, or bargain for the gas they needed to stay rolling. So, the country was becoming less moralistic because they could not afford to uphold these morals. As soon as the depression passed I'm positive the average morality rose back up to it's usual standard. It just happened that, because of the times morals had to slip a little in order for people to survive.
I think America is fine, sure we have our problems, but as soon as they reach an unbearable point we will rid ourselves of them. We probably lack morals because morals are a hindrance in business and we are for the most part a capitalist, business society. The war in Iraq definitely effects us as a whole, but personally I don't believe it effects me in the least. I have no clue what is really going on there and have no idea what we are doing exactly; all I know is that we are there. So, is the war effecting us? Sure, but is it directly effecting me, no.
During the bleak and melancholy era of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, there were many attempts to lift American's spirits. Baseball and Basketball were invented. Bubble gum, baseball cards, and comic books came into effect. America was trying so very hard to get their minds off of the weariness of the time.
In today's world, it is hard to see what America is coming to. We have become a nation where you can get pizza before an ambulance, where "Christians" go to church, only on Christmas and Easter. We have become a country that rules people out as a "terrorist" for being a certain race, and who value oil more than the lives of our citizens. America is heading in no particular direction, but downwards.
To me, it seemed as if the migrant families (as shown through the Joads) were being ripped apart due to the taxing toll of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. As the situation grew to uncontrollable heights, the family scence completely detioriated - on a communal AND private scale.
This can be shown through several scenes in the book. The man plowing down the other houses to provide food for his family was destroying his communal family to help his private family (as seen in past chapters.)
The Joads provide the perfect window into the destruction of the private family and how that period caused families to stay stretched to the snapping point. I mean, the Grandmother was dead and the young couple had sex right next to her without realizing she was no longer living!
America is being forcecd to play out the drama that has been written for us. The past decisions of people who were to be our "leaders" have led us down the road to our imminent self-destruction. Sure, I would gladly blame all of our problems on that little man with the big ears (a.k.a. Prez Bush), but that kind of belly-aching solves nothing.
On the issue of morality, I don't believe that it is the major lack of as a trait, but rather the over exertion of it in our everyday lives. Sure, we have a pretty basic moral view (killing someone else is bad, obtaining success is good.) but we are all so quick to expect every single person to adopt our views on morals and enforce them. It seems to be a bit controversial and a bubbling mass of hatred, to me anyways.
As the migrant families progressed down the road to California, they changed in an astonishing amount of ways. The loss of a family member-whether it was through death or wandering-was an almost welcome sight because the family had one less mouth to feed. This fact alone proves that the migrant families were no longer burgeoning farmers, but worn wanderers. The entire country felt the effects of the Great Depression, and the majority felt the symptoms of the Dust Bowl. However, the migrant workers without a doubt felt the issue in the most substantial way.
I feel similar as Sarah when it comes to the United States' foreign aid. It is always extremely gracious of America to help countries in need, but is illogical to the point of idealistic to assume that we can assist all countries in their time of dwindling fortune. America must learn to look inward and solve national issues before attempting to save the rest of the world. So, to directly answer the question, America is becoming an aspirant source of hope for every country, while being hindered by its own uniquely treacherous problems.
A lot of people claim that America is going to hell, but i have to disagree. As a nation, we have been through many hardships, but have ultimately learned from our mistakes. The main focus of how America functions is primarily shown in a negative light, thus everyone thinks that the country is going down the tubes. Documentarys on morbidly obese people and ignorant political leaders have become the face of American culture. The next few generations of young people, i think, will turn to the positive side of the nation and create a much better future for us.
At the time our country was coming the the critical junciton that we are now approaching again. This situation is set up by the competing values of production and of protection (production of products for a business perspective or protection of environment and social structure). This is evident in the reality of the situation in the chapter where literally everyone is leaving for the west, even the attendant. As the same time the country is trying to move to make money, the government and other people are trying to regroup to make up for the mistakes that had been made.
Today, we reach this same junction as we battle the issue of global warming when we have to decide betwen a continual focus on production and a focus on covering up our mistakes and trying to save ourselves.
“What is the world coming to” is such a wonderful phrase. In the Depression era the world was going downhill, hence Depression. People still had hope however, that’s why many moved to California. Although there was tragedy surrounding the people of the time, they banded together and hoped for the future. Today we are using the theory “survival of the fittest,” and watching out for only for ourselves.
Other countries correctly view America as very selfish. It's also true that the majority of people in America hasve very low moral standards. However, the U.S. still remains the most powerful country in the world so there isn't much any other countries can do about it.
The gas attendant is accustomed to seeing many cars pass and not too many cars stop at his station. The only time people seem to stop at his station is to trade something for gas. The gas attendant keeps asking the same question but he cannot seem to find the answer. A possible answer might be poverty in it’s highest. So many families were forced to move with no other options but to move. The gas attendant says that not one big new car will stop at his station, but rather at the yellow painted company stations. This shows that even people with secure jobs were having economic troubles.
America is viewed as one of the strongest countries in the world, but they also are in debt with many other countries. A problem with the war in Iraq is how much gas and other prices have risen. This chapter also reminds of a very hot controversial topic in the U.S.: Immigration. The families from the Midwestern states were moving west to find better jobs and have a better life. Many people would receive the families with open hands, while others would reject them and make their lives difficult.
The gas attendent was merely asking why has our country had a down fall? Families such as the Joad Family packed up all their belongings, and moved west to start a new life. Some of their most precious belongings were left behing just to have a little money in hopes of making it in the west.
Today we obvious have made improvements in our economy, but we still have our fair share of issues. We have poor people living in slums or even homeless, immigrant workers taking up space, and finacial deficits because of a war that is not proving itself to be necessary. To other countries we come off as a well to do country that is almighty and powerful. Which we do like others to see us as the best, but it doesnt always put us in the best positions. We try to solve other countries problems making ours on the homefront not any better, and sometimes worsen.
When the gas attentdant kept saying "What is this world coming to?" over and over i think that he was in shock and didn't want to believe that the world was changing around him. Back then all the families were happy and would look out for other families who were the friends. But after the Dust Bowl no one had enough money to take care of other families and it was everyone for themselves.
In today's society it is like an extreme to what was just happening in Grapes of Wrath. Not many people are worried about anyones family but their own. And if someone doesn't have enough food you just say too bad and are happy its not your own.
In the chapter we become aware of how desperate people can be. Back then the world seemed like it was coming to an end because they had went from the world running smoothly, the economy booming, and having a good time to having to living terribly destitute and struggling for any little crumb they could get to last.
In the world today we aren't as desperate or hopeless as they were. We're just lost. They is no clear cut answer to where the world is headed. We are even more aware of this when we see the people who are searching for truth wherever they think they can find it, when we can't realize that who's in love with who and what sex they both are isn't the biggest problem facing the world today, and when people are complaining about how the world is terrible and they aren't doing anything to help fix the problem.
During this era, the country began to see a drastic change in the way strangers view one another. The economic problems of the time, more specifically the growing abyss between those with money and those without, led to a strong immediate suspicion against strange persons. People began to become hostile towards each other due to the belief that everyone was against them and only trying to take their money. This feeling is shown in the chapter by the hostility of the owner of the gasoline pumps towards the Joads until he is sure that they do have money and intend to pay for the gas.
Similar changes are occurring in today's world because of economics; however the extent to which people view each other with hostility is not nearly as extreme as it was in the early nineteen hundreds. In addition to those changes caused by economic inequality, there are other changes taking place as well. The military situation in Iraq is generating a nationwide negative opinion of our government and the inadequateness of it. Another change that has been taking place is a change in the way America is viewed by the rest of the world. It is a change that has been taking place for decades due to the numerous poor choices made by our government in regard to other nations. Countries views of America have changed from thinking of it as a great example of the success of democracy to thinking of it as simply a "Big Brother" imperialistic nation that is disguised as a democracy.
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