Technology in John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath Essay Example

Technology has been very commonly used for families other than those who don’t have the ability to access it. As tenant farmers are heading to California, many of them face arduous journeys. Not only were common technologies inhibiting them from having a steady life, but it was mostly cars and tractors. In The Grapes of Wrath, tenant farmers encounter obstacles such as tractors that force them out of their homeland, car dealers who are deceiving them, and how cars continue to be a burden throughout the whole story.  

The technology of the tractors is creating disastrous effects on families. The workers paid by the bank are ordered to knock down the farmers’ land and force families out of their hometowns. The farmers are unwilling to give up their land to someone who has no fondness for it. Without consent, the driver, whose father is a friend of the tenants, is trespassing their land even when he is threatened by the farmers. During the driver’s lunchtime, the tenant expresses that,  “Nearly a hundred people have to go out and wander on the roads for you three dollars a day.”(pg.50) The 3 dollars shows how the tractor can make hundreds of families landless. Without guilt, the driver affirmed that, “Can’t make a living on the land unless you’ve got two, five, ten thousand acres and a tractor.”(pg.50) Additionally, the rich are taking advantage of the poor because they have more power and money. It’s stated that one tractor on the field was equal to twelve to fourteen families. Since the tractors have made them landless, they must listen to the owner men and head to California with the lack of knowledge for cars. 

Without the knowledge of cars, the farmers, including the Wilson family, have a disadvantage and face serious impediments in their journey to California. “An’ now the goddamn car is busted again, an’ money's getting low…” The Wilson’s had to stop their travel because they didn’t know what to do with the busted car even though they did everything they thought was right. In addition, due to the lack of knowledge the farmers have on cars, the car dealers take this downside and swindle them. “I don’t want nothing for more’n twenty-five, thirty bucks. Sell ‘em for fifty, seventy-five.” (pg.84) Steinbeck shows how the car dealers tell their employees the ways to cheat on the farmers and sell the cars for double the amount. “Squirt in a couple quarts of sawdust…”(pg.85) The crooked car dealers are selling the farmers the “broken” cars with good batteries and engines for a really high price. They then replace the high-quality engines with sawdust and good batteries with bad ones. Additionally, the farmers who are desperate to go to California and ignorant of cars are willing to pay for the price. 

Additionally, the cars continue to be a burden on the poors. “Well, we got to take this stuff an’ sell it...We ain’t got so much money, an’ a fella says it’s damn near two thousan’ miles to California.” (pg.113) The Joads had to sell all their valuable items to be able to purchase the gas for the car during their road trip. However, after all the items they sold, they didn’t make much out of it. For the farmers, car expenses are more important than their health. Steinbeck states several times how the Joads bought supplies for the car but barely mentioned buying food for the family. Due to the truck, the Joads are driving, they are being judged by the man from the station. “You folks aim to buy anything? Gasoline or stuff? ... Got any money” (pg.170-171) The man was undiscriminating towards them and thinking that they were beggars. It clearly shows that cars are not only bringing trouble towards spending money, but also towards being judged by others. 

As of today, technology is still a burden to the farmers. Advances in technology are unreasonably high for the farmers who aren’t making enough to live. In order to buy equipment for the farm, farmers are going into debt. This is the only way to purchase the highly advanced machines for their farm or else they wouldn’t have an abundant harvest, which would lead families into poverty. As Sharie Al-Faiha A. Lubang stated, “ As agriculture is in itself a risky financial and social enterprise, the pressure for the farming families to stay afloat is saddling the poor.” With the lack of knowledge of technology and money, poor farmers are at risk.