The movie Grapes of Wrath (1940) centers on the internal migration of the victims of the Dust Bowl and based on the Steinbeck novel of the same name. The movie, though set around events that occurred in the 1930’s, is nevertheless prescient to the present. Some elements the movie investigates are, but not limited to:
• The re
siliency of the American people
•
The proper role of government and authority
•
The charitable nature or lack thereof of the American people
•
The rights of local interests versus the rights of Americans generally
•
Was capitalism working particularly if the viewer can forget the tragic condition of the movie’s characters?
•
What is the movie claiming about ‘class’ to the stratification of American society?
Your job will be to view the movie then build a thesis based on one of these observations or one of your own. Your paper will rigorously follow this pattern. Start with an introductory paragraph that can be as long as one page that gives the reader some background information but ends with your thesis. The following paragraphs defend your position with movie examples and the opinions of scholars you find in the college’s databases. The assignment ends with a conclusion that simply restates your thesis and evidence.
The paper will be written in Times New Roman no. 12 font. The paper will be double-spaced and indented in the normal fashion. It will have normal margins, justified alignment, and be at least three full pages. The paper has to be in Chicago Style, or in other words, includes footnote style citations. This is a simple process that I will lecture on as appropriate. More information will be forthcoming as to the writing process and specifically this paper. As with any college-level essay, begin by investigating the topic. Any research might be helpful in this initial stage, but as your research continues, limit what you read to only credible sources. Start early, and this will be a simple and stress-free assignment. Begin too late and you will find yourself with a sub-par grade.
