Steinbeck's the harvest gypsies
Mid-Term Essay Prompt for Steinbeck's The Harvest Gypsies
Initially published from Octobcr 5 through October 12, 1936 as seven consecutive newspaper articles in the San Francisco News, John Steinbeck's The Harvest Gypsies reported on the growing problems associated with migrant labor during the Great Depression.
Keeping this in mind, answer one of the following questions in on essay:
1. Compare and contrast life in the squatters* camps as Steinbeck describes them to life in a Federal Government camp. What are some of the most significant differences? What amenities does the government camp offer to greatly increase the migrants' standard of living? Why was there such a disparity in camp conditions?
2. Steinbeck explains that the migrants have more traditional views of land use that differ greatly from the system of industrialized agriculture with which they arc confronted in California. Examine the differences in their views of farming and land ownership and consider whether they are impossible to reconcile with the agricultural practices that exist in California.
3. The majority of farm laborers in California history have been imported from foreign countries. According to Steinbeck, how do foreign laborers' circumstances differ from the Dust Bowl migrants? Explain the unique circumstances of the Dust Bowl migrants and why Steinbeck believes they will demand different treatment.
A good essay should be, at a minimum, five paragraphs in length and contain a concrete thesis statement as well as an informative conclusion. As you make your historical analysis, remember to place your argument in historical context. Essays should be handed in by hard copy on Tuesday, April 1, at lecture These essays should follow the same formatting as your papers, using 1-inch margins and a 12 pt. Times New Roman font. You do not, however, need citations in this particular essay.
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Q3. Steinbeck's the Harvest Gypsies
Foreign born immigrants have different circumstances than American born squatters working in California agriculture. Unlike the Dust Bowl Immigrants, foreigners tended to move from place to place depending on the seasonal changes. The California system had unique challenges where both immigrants and foreigners had little chance to fight for their rights. The farmers association groups made it hard for workers to form groups through using intimidation and harassment. Unlike foreigner migrants, Dust Bowl migrants have American identity, are socially responsible, resourceful, and more organized and hence may demand better treatment. This papers highlights on different working conditions between Dust Bowl migrants and foreign workers, and highlights on the circumstances that would have made Dust Bowl migrants to demand better treatment.
One of the main divergences between the foreign migrant workers and the Dust Bowl migrants is that the foreigners typically came from the peon class (Steinbeck 5). Furthermore, they were easily deported and repatriated to Philippines, Mexico and their countries of origin at the slightest hint that they were getting organized. However, Dust Bowl migrants need to own farms and worked independently before the Great Depression and Dust Bowl destruction. The ...