CLASS STRUGGLE AND ECONOMIC DISPLACEMENT IN THE GRAPES OF WRATH: A COMPARATIVE MARXIST ANALYSIS WITH CONTEMPORARY LABOR CRISES

Abstract

This research immerses The Grapes of Wrath by (Steinbeck (1939) into a Marxist interpretation that studies the economic turmoil affecting both working classes and displaced populations in the Dust Bowl era. Historical analysis shows a comparison between the past conditions of labor and the current labor challenges, which include unstable employment and modern forms of work alongside automation and the worldwide movement of workers. Workforce analysis, socioeconomic findings, and literary text assessment reveal extensive parallels between these two historical periods because both experienced vast employee movement and industrial labor changes, and business models focused solely on maximizing profit while disregarding worker needs. In The Grapes of Wrath, the “monster” banks and agribusiness force tenant farmers from their land, while platform capitalism, through its displacement of workers and destruction of security systems, operates in a similar fashion. Marxist criticism of Steinbeck, along with Marxist theory of labor exploitation and academic insights on present-day precarity, make up the basis of analysis. Qualitative content analysis of the novel and comparative research in labor literature demonstrates that capital still exploits labor forces and maintains a system of surplus workers. A comparison showcases the differences between 1930s Americans moving from dust areas and current international migrant patterns, and the shift from manual farm equipment toward computer automation. This paper demonstrates that Steinbeck’s proletarian tale continues to be applicable because it highlights modern labor dislocation as well as ongoing class struggles in capitalist societies.

Keywords: Marxist theory, class struggle, economic displacement, gig economy, migration, platform capitalism, Dust Bowl, contemporary labor crisis