Man vs. Society

Explores the conflict between the migrants and the economic and legal systems that exploit and marginalize them.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Bank as Monster

The System The Eviction The Joads are evicted by a tractor. The bank owns the land. The tenant system is broken. The bank is a faceless monster. The Explanation The owner men explain that the bank must have profits. It cannot be merciful. The tenants are victims of an economic system. The Powerlessness The Joads cannot fight the bank. There is no one to shoot. The system is impersonal. They are forced to leave.

The Blacklist

The Threat The Warning Floyd Knowles tells Tom about the blacklist. If a man speaks out, his picture is sent around. He can never get work again. The system punishes dissent. The Fear The migrants are afraid to organize. They fear starvation. The blacklist is a tool of control. The Reality The Joads experience this fear. They must be careful. The system is designed to keep them in line.

The Vagrancy Law

The Legal Trap The Law Vagrancy laws are used to arrest migrants. A man can be jailed for being unemployed. The law is a weapon against the poor. The Enforcement Deputies use the law to harass migrants. They can arrest anyone they don't like. The Joads live in fear of being picked up. The Injustice The system is rigged. The migrants have no rights. They are at the mercy of the authorities. The conflict is systemic.

early in the story, during the eviction

at the Hooverville

throughout the California experience