3.+Realism

Realism Over the course of chapter twenty-nine, realism is used to present the reader with a strong sense of what is actually happening to the migrant families, and to connect it to real life, and real life experiences to show how harshly it is affecting the migrant families.

The first example of realism is seen in the description of the weather, and how Steinbeck uses great detail to give the reader a feeling of what it would be like in real life. “The wind blew fiercely and silently, high in the air, and it swished in the brush, and it roared in the forests, The clouds came in brokenly, in puffs, in folds, in gray crags; and they piled in together and settled low over the west” (432). This can be related back to the author’s purpose of depicting how life was unfair for the migrant families looking for work, and had to survive in conditions like these.
 * Weather being harsh and dangerous
 * Poor conditions to live in
 * Struggling to suvive

Realism is also seen again as the families must move to barns on higher ground to escape the flooding of their tents and vehicles. “In the barns, the people sat huddled together; and the terror came over them, and their faces were gray with terror. The children cried with hunger, and there was no food” (433). This presents a great sense of realism because this can be seen everyday in many parts of the world. This again expresses the injustice and unfair lives the migrant workers were living in.
 * Life in shelter crowded with other people
 * No money, food, or work
 * Death and disease

As conditions worsened for the migrant families it led to sickness and disease and called for medical attention, which is the final example of realism. “Frantic men pounded on the doors of the doctors; and the doctors were busy” (434). The in depth description of the men waiting for the doctors outside their doors, and pounding on the doors, and being turned away represents realism in that this happens in everyday life. It also ties into the overall purpose of showing the conditions of poverty, disease, and unfairness towards the migrant workers.
 * Turned down by doctors
 * Unable to receive any sort of help
 * Unfair way to live life becasue of the effects of nature