The motif of selfishness and one's obligation to another human being is an aspect of The Grapes of Wrath that really takes shape in chapters 11-15. Steinbeck initially gives off the idea that humans are hopelessly greedy and only look out of themselves. He comments on capitalism's selfish motives and does hesitate to openly criticize its very heart and soul, the bank. However, Steinbeck does make the effort to recognize and applaud the humaneness that some good individuals possess:
In the first quote from the book, the narrator recalls a seemingly impossible, but true story that would absolutely boggle the mind of any migrant traveling to California in the 1940's. Basically, he tells a story of a a family that had no choice but to hope that someone would pull them and their trailer to California, and someone did. This person was awfully kind and five of the family members even got to ride in the sedan. This good samaritan even fed these god-forsaken people. This quote contributed to the overall message of the text by displaying the motif of one's responsibility to help out a fellow human in a time of need. An absolute stranger in a random car went as far as to tow a random family and their trailer all the way to California. He even fed them, which must have cost him a great deal of money. By putting this tale of a good deed into his book, Steinbeck is trying to convey the message that even though the world is greedy and only cares about themselves, there is still hope. He is saying that it only takes one random act of kindness from a stranger to restore hope in the heart of a cynical individual. There are still people in the world that her inherently good-hearted humans.
"God Almighty, Mae, give 'em bread. We'll run out 'fore the bread truck comes. Run out, then, goddamn it. (159 - 160).
In the second quote of the book, a cook named Al yells at a waitress named Mae in a coffee shop on Route 66. A poor man wearing tattered clothes comes into the store along with his two sons to try to buy a loaf of bread for a dime. However, Mae insultingly tells them that their diner is not a grocery store and that even if she were to sell it to them, she would have to charge them fifteen cents. Al then yells at her to just give them the bread. She interjects saying that the bread is for making sandwiches and that they will run out if she gives them a whole loaf. Al then says that then they will have to run out. This instance of kindness by the head cook of a diner to a man in need again helps reinforce the motif of one's responsibility in helping another person in need. Al recognizes that this man and his children obviously need some food and do not have very much money to spare for the rest of their long journey. In response, he selflessly commands Mae to give them the bread. He puts aside his own self-interest and the interest of the coffee shop's business to help out a fellow human being. That one loaf of bread was 15 cents but he sold it to the man for 10 cents, and thus lost money. Also, if more people were to come in to have a sandwich, they would run out of bread and thus could not run their business till the bread truck were to stop by again. This also would cause an indirect loss of money. Nonetheless, he helps the man out. Steinbeck again tries to convey the message that although most people are greedy, things can happen that restore hope in the goodness of mankind.
"There was a family of twelve and they were forced off the land. They had no car. They built a trailer out of junk and loaded it with their possessions. They pulled it to the side of 66 and waited. And pretty soon a sedan picked them up. Five of them rode in the sedan and seven on the trailer, and a dog on the trailer. They go to California in two jumps. They man who pulled them fed them." (122).
In the first quote from the book, the narrator recalls a seemingly impossible, but true story that would absolutely boggle the mind of any migrant traveling to California in the 1940's. Basically, he tells a story of a a family that had no choice but to hope that someone would pull them and their trailer to California, and someone did. This person was awfully kind and five of the family members even got to ride in the sedan. This good samaritan even fed these god-forsaken people. This quote contributed to the overall message of the text by displaying the motif of one's responsibility to help out a fellow human in a time of need. An absolute stranger in a random car went as far as to tow a random family and their trailer all the way to California. He even fed them, which must have cost him a great deal of money. By putting this tale of a good deed into his book, Steinbeck is trying to convey the message that even though the world is greedy and only cares about themselves, there is still hope. He is saying that it only takes one random act of kindness from a stranger to restore hope in the heart of a cynical individual. There are still people in the world that her inherently good-hearted humans.
"God Almighty, Mae, give 'em bread. We'll run out 'fore the bread truck comes. Run out, then, goddamn it. (159 - 160).
In the second quote of the book, a cook named Al yells at a waitress named Mae in a coffee shop on Route 66. A poor man wearing tattered clothes comes into the store along with his two sons to try to buy a loaf of bread for a dime. However, Mae insultingly tells them that their diner is not a grocery store and that even if she were to sell it to them, she would have to charge them fifteen cents. Al then yells at her to just give them the bread. She interjects saying that the bread is for making sandwiches and that they will run out if she gives them a whole loaf. Al then says that then they will have to run out. This instance of kindness by the head cook of a diner to a man in need again helps reinforce the motif of one's responsibility in helping another person in need. Al recognizes that this man and his children obviously need some food and do not have very much money to spare for the rest of their long journey. In response, he selflessly commands Mae to give them the bread. He puts aside his own self-interest and the interest of the coffee shop's business to help out a fellow human being. That one loaf of bread was 15 cents but he sold it to the man for 10 cents, and thus lost money. Also, if more people were to come in to have a sandwich, they would run out of bread and thus could not run their business till the bread truck were to stop by again. This also would cause an indirect loss of money. Nonetheless, he helps the man out. Steinbeck again tries to convey the message that although most people are greedy, things can happen that restore hope in the goodness of mankind.
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