Choose one of the following and write a complete response. Be sure to write about the statement not only in context of the novel, but also in the context of today's world.
1. In this chapter, "the free enterprise system is taken to task, and business is characterized as a villainous spur to greed and indifference" (AP listserve). Defend, refute, or qualify this statement giving specific examples to support your response.
2. "Too many people confine their sense of responsibility to their private family and ignore their communal family" (AP listserve). Defend, refute, or qualify this statement giving specific examples to support your response.
28 comments:
2. People view their family as just their relatives. However a family can be as large as a nation not just limited to so many immediate relations. Once the thought of a small family eneters a mind it is almost never released. People start choosing their jobs to support theirselves even if it hurts other people, for example: the tractor driver in Grapes of Wrath. Those who want their family to survive will push other familys out of the way to get food. Even when the other people need the food more than they do. Without the open-mindedness required for the larger family people will always shove each other around to see their own survive.
1. Business men were looked upon with scrutiny because of how the farmers were struggling at this time. The people whose lives centered around agriculture at this time saw business as its enemy and thus characterized businessmen as villainous. Ironically the businessmen of this time period were sometimes greedy and selfish and concerned only with profit and making more money and they did not mind crushing the little guy to do so. In modern times business is looked upon as an opportunity. Though movies and such still portray business executives as slimy greedy individuals, many successful businessmen today are far from selfish and actually help the average farmer and his system.
Back in one of the beginning chapters, Steinbeck refers to the banks as monsters. It is easy to see why business men are viewed as the villians because during the Great Depression, when hundreds of families lost everything, business just kept on getting. Obviously, the drive behind that IS greed because even when some weathly business men knew what was happening, they didn't care as long as it didn't affect their profits.
In today's world, the gap between the rich and the poor continues to grow. However, businessmen are viewed in a more positive way because those who work hard get rewarded and some of those business deserve what they get. In retrospect, America is filled with greedy, pompous people who will do anything to up their income at the expense of other.
In one of the short overview chapters of the book, the businessmen that went to the farms to evict the families told them they were not to blame, but that it was the bank's fault. The bank is equal to a business because it is run by the rich and greedy. This created a deep seeded hatred for the banks and business. This feeling isn't near as widely felt today because now, just about anybody can start a business, meaning that it no longer involves only the rich.
The statement "Too many people confine their sense of responsibility to their private familiy and ignore their communal family" is justified. This chapter goes along with chapters five and seven. Salesmen did not care about the commun families, they did not care about how much they suffered, they only cared about money. First, they kick the farmers off the land, then the salesmen sell their worn out cars, and last, they cheat the farmers of their money by selling the decrepit car parts. Imagine how much money they were stealing from families, although it was not stealing, it was business. The salesmen put the lives of the families in danger by either selling the worn out car parts for too much money, leaving the families with low money and a broken down car, or, like in chapter eleven, not being able to sell the worn out car parts and then leaving the families with a chance of getting their car broken down. It must have been a depressing life for the families on the road.
1) The free enterprise system is a great form of economy. However, it has been to unrestricted and has become a problem. The man in the book is a great example of free enterprise gone bad. "You go steal that tire an' you're a thief, but he tried to steal your four dollars for a busted tire. They call that sound business." Free enterprise allows companies to raise prices due to necessity rather than quality or quantity. This may or may not relate to the gas price increase. Though it is not confirmed that prices rose due to greedy business, the consense in America leads to dirty, greedy businessmen who are already rich just getting richer regardless of the consumers outcome. 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.
Chapter 12 shows the importance of family and their well being. When the Joads need a new tire the salesman tries to trick them into buying a bad tire. He says "I ain't in business for my health. I'm here a-sellin' tires. I ain't givin' 'em away. I can't help what happens to you. I got to think what happens to me." Just this statement reflects that he has a responsibility to make money for his family, not to look out for the Joad family. This attitude is seen through out life today as well. Many people are greedy with their money when they could help out the sick or the abused. Instead they buy nonsense items for their family when others are goin hungry.
2- Kendra is correct in her thinking. Too many people are greedy and tend only to their families needs. What they neglect to understand is that everyone is their family in such times of need. If a neighbor is in dire need of something that you have, then you would give it to them like you would with family, (well, maybe some people would.)
The importance of family is shown through the man selling tires, like Kendra pointed out. He does not care about what happens to other people, so long as he gets money to feed his family.
Frequently in Grapes of Wrath, characters are so concered about their family's outcome that they forget and neglect the needs of others, or their "communal family". In chapter 12, however, the family that received an easy ride to California was fortunate and seemed to break that generalization. Although that example is included in chapter 12, episodes like these are few and far between. For the most part, families had to worry about themselves first, just like the man who plows his neighbors old farms to earn a small wage. Some might have cared about others, but still could do little to help others situations because their own problems were overwhelming. Overall, those in society who could have helped were passive and did nothing.
1. Throughout The Grapes of Wrath and the Dust Bowl, the statement "...business is characterized as a villainous spur to greed and indifference" is held particularly true. Business and businessmen are generalized as having the same qualities through the novel. For example, in Chapter 7, the businessmen at the car dealership were constantly bargaining with customers but in reality they were ripping them off. Business and large corporations were also doing this. In Chapter 12, the statement "Fella in business got to lie an' cheat, but he calls it somepin else," is used. Therefore, it can be concluded that businesses and their works knew they were being greedy but they did not care. However, they still didn't want to think of themselves as liars and cheaters. Even in today's world it seems businesses and businessmen are strongly affected by greed and indifference at one point or another. For example, during the Enron Scandal, it could be said that the company was overcome by greed and indifference. They were getting more money and others were paying for it, literally.
2. Although I am not certain what qualifies as “too many people”, I defend this quote referring to private versus communal family. From the passage, and entire novel for that matter, many examples are evident of people confining sense of responsibility solely to their private family. The farmers in chapter 12 who are traveling to California are perfect examples of private family over communal family. They abandon their communities in search of a better life for their own family. This is justifiable. Another example would be earlier in the novel when farmers were paid to demolish the farms of their neighbors. The men behind the tractors were put in a difficult situation. They could get paid, or they could be loyal to their community. Their responsibility was obviously with their private family in this case, to survive. This is still evident in today’s world. For example, someone mows their yard, and not their neighbors. The community would benefit and look better if all the lawns were cut, but people only do this for themselves.
2. It is ironic that the community we find when Tom returns to the farm that was once so close knit is so torn apart. Former inhabitants of this commune are tractoring over their neighbor's land in hopes of surviving, even if it means ruining the lives of their past friends. If everyone banded together, and cared more about the community, they might've had a chance to suffer through the dust bowl. The car salesmen who are selling them old lemons at ridiculously high prices might've gone to church with the people they are taking advantage of. The pawn shop owners who are taking everything that was precious to these families and exchanging them for mere dollars might have been a family friend. When these individuals work only for themselves and their families, they are turning their town and community into a dog-eat-dog society. Whereas, when the people begin to work together, the community can thrive even in times of hardship.
2.) People tend to push others away over their "private" family, just because they are family. Through out Grapes of Wrath, families stick together, not caring whom or what they ruin to gain better life for their private family. Today, people are more about their communal family, because vaules of family have changed. Communal family to me the more reasonable of the two. I am closer to people in my circle of friends or community, than some of my family members. Would you do something for your best friend in the world, or Uncle Joe, who you see every few years and know nothing about? In this case, I would put communal family first, not private.
When single families look out for only their own and seek gain at the expense of others such as the used car salesman overpricing cars for poor people and getting richer, this causes selfishness and greed. As a result a community is divided. A community is only as strong as the families who live there and who are committed to seeing each other succeed. The farmers in Chapt. 12 were ruining each others fields while looking to take care of themselves abandoning the idea of a communal family. There is strength in numbers when families ban together for a common good.
Obviously, people tend to care more about the well-being of those they are closest to then the prosperity of a stranger, but, in the long run, it is necessary for people to reach out and show concern for those outside their household. Many people passed by the parked cars on the side of the road, only wondering what might have happened to the owner, feeling relieved that they are still traveling. Other examples, such as the bankers taking the land and the cheating car salesmen, show how in times of desperation, people will do whatever they have to do. These same kinds of things occur today. Landlords are forced to kick tenants out because they can't pay the rent and the landlord can't survive without the extra money. In many cases, these decisions are difficult, but necessary for survival. If people made more of an effort for the common good, all people would probably be more prosperous.
It is true humans have self-centered tendencies. They tend to think of "them and theirs" more often than the needs of the society. It is very easy for those in a comfortable position to condemn these men and women for their actions. Yet who are we to point the finger. There but for the grace of god go we. Often we forget that the man driving the tractor of the crooked tire salesman have to do what they do to survive lest they join the ranks of the foresaken migrants.
1. It seems that indifference and greed are common in this chapter because the people have know they can scam those who are worse off than them. Obviously, this goes back to the 'is it justified' question. Although everyone is impoverished, I do not believe that justifies climbing on top of your fellow human being to survive ( sorry for the bad metaphor). The man who tries to sell the dud tire tries to completely rip off the buyer, he is blatant about it shows that he frankly doesn't care.
Today, our class had a discussion about private vs. communal families. One quote that is pretty common around my family is, "It takes a village to raise a child." What this means is that, while the blood family is key to the development of an individual, the community as a whole helps to shape who that person truly is.
By ignoring those around them, a person (and the family, if applicable) confine their worlds to a pinpoint of knowledge instead of the endless abyss that pulsates around them.
On the same token, ignoring one's private family results in a loss of history that can never be replaced again.
2. I agree with many people on the matter that some people view their families exclusively as their relatives. However, the characters in the book should also recognize not only their relatives as family, but also the people who must endure similar tortures. Ma tries so desperately to maintain an order in her family and to keep them together, but disregards the fact that she could seek advice and comfort from other families that are living in parallel situations. By doing this, she would be benefiting not only her family and herself, but also instating a strong sense of family among her fellow sufferers.
2. Although many people can be considered one's "family," there is a sense of security with a private family. I'm not saying that being close to people outside your family is a bad thing, but a specific level of comfort is reached when your with your own clan so to speak. Along the way to California we see people that only associate with they're family and people who like to socialize with whoever they meet. It really just comes down to who's comfortable with who.
The farmers used the big business as a scapegoat for their problems. The Dust Bowl would have never happened if they hadn't overworkered the land.
2. I agree with Jessica Sheahan regarding the thought that this statement has merit in the context of this chapter. Outside of the examples she provides, the haggling that occurs between the Joad family who is trying to buy a tire and the tire salesman who is trying to cheat them is the best illustration. A communally minded person woudl have given up the tire at a fair price to ensure that both parties benefited equally.
In today's world, the communal family is increasingly in the spotlight. An excellent example of this is the increasing responsibility of teachers (the responsibility of teaching basic social skills - teachers as parents). When the community steps in to play these roles, community is preserved.
1. Some businesses today are characterized as a villainous spur to greed and indifference, but these same businesses are helping America. Similar to Fast Food Nation, the book explains how disgusting the food and people are who work at these fast food resaraunts, but at the same time, America loves it. Many Americans believe that the world would be a better place without these terrible business enterprises, when in all actuallity our economy, lifestyle, and nation would fall apart without them.
An example from earlier in the novel of someone ignoring their communal family was the man on the tractor. He only cared about his direct family members and it didn't bother him at all that he was screwing over all of his neighbors.
1) The free enterprise system is exactly that, a system in which one is free to do business as he or she pleases. Depending on the character and needs of the person doing business and the needs of the person with whom he is doing business, the business may be conducted in a civil, just manner in which the consumer pays a fair price, or in a manner in which the consumer is cheated of all he or she is worth. This qualification of the question is true for today and for the time in which the novel is set. Civil business techniques are demonstrated by the cook/owner of the restaurant during the ten cent bread encounter, while business techniques centered on corruption and greed are demonstrated by the many car salesmen in the novel.
"Too many people confine their sense of responsibility to their private family and ignore their communal family" (AP listserve). Defend, refute, or qualify this statement giving specific examples to support your response.
In the time of the story-Grapes of Wrath-everyone is so concerned about their own family and their own needs that they forget about helping others and being respectful to the land. The car company's might be part of the group of people who move but to feed their families they have to jip people of their money. Everyone is in the same boat but its everyone for themselves!
The fact that people are only worried about their private families is true. They're so wrapped up in they're families because who has time to worry about those people who are starving when they don't know how they're going to pay next month's rent. Who has time to worry about the fact that there is a boy or girl the same age as their son or daughter who is dying of AIDS when they don't know if dad's ever going to stop drinking and hitting mom. The point is people feel like they have there own problems to work out so why worry about anyone else?
Post a Comment