In Dubious Battle

John Steinbeck’s, In Dubious Battle, is a proletarian novel that captures the lives of migratory apple orchard workers in Torgas Valley, California in the 1930’s. Steinbeck wrote this novel to educate others, through “good literature”, about the issues working class Americans face when exploited and controlled by a capitalistic social society.

Mac and Jim are labour organizers who travel into Torgas Valley to investigate the conditions that the migrant workers face as they pick apples for low wages and poor working conditions. Mac is a veteran labour organizer who believes that the working men of America are being exploited by the intense control of capitalist social systems. Mac believes that the value of work goes to the capitalists and not the workers. The wage struggle is of great concern to Mac. When asked if he is a radical he answered, “Anybody that wants a living wage is a radical”. (Steinbeck, 1936) Jim is newcomer to the cause. Steinbeck uses Jim’s character as someone that joins the labour movement after experiencing the misfortune of a capitalist system. For example, Jim was knocked and arrested for vagrancy when he was listening to a radical meeting outside his work place. This unjust and unlawful behavi

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Working class citizens are still fighting for wage increases in the U. Because the state would not provide aid, a doctor was brought in to control sanitation and tend to injuries. Anderson’s barn, as well as the burning of Al‘s lunch cafe. Steinbeck uses both characters to draw out issues that effect the working class. It was very important for the strikers to keep the site very sanitary so the health authorities would not kick them out. (Steinbeck, 1936) Convincing workers to sell out was often attempted by owners. The difficulties that the workers face during the strike prove that the workers were under tight control of the owners. Riots only broke out among the strikers when people were shot, or buildings were burned.

draws closer to the end of the novel. Americans hear the word “communism” and quickly become unsupportive of a strike.

the strikers were accused of supporting communism. Steinbeck really captures the hardship of the working class and its struggle against injustice as he

4. Jim’s death is used to tie together Steinbeck’s argument that workers are the victims of a capitalistic society. Red Bathing can also be used today to prevent workers from having a successful strike.

Approximate Word count = 1266
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

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