Fear, Hostility and Exploitation in Chapter 21 of The Grapes of Wrath Steinbeck's intervening chapters in The Grapes of Wrath have nothing to do with the Joads or other characters from the novel, but help to describe the story in different terms. They are like poems, offering different perspectives on migration and clarifying parts of the story the reader might not understand. An excellent example of this usage can be seen in Chapter 21, where an examination of the attitudes of Okies migrants and California residents reveals the changing nature of land ownership among California's changing population and gives more meaning to the fierce hostility as the The Joads meet in California. The first section of Chapter 21 explores the plight of the Okies, simple people forced from their homes when industrial change makes their lives more difficult. Steinbeck writes: “Their senses were still sharpened against the ridiculousness of industrial life. And then, suddenly, the machines chased them away and they invaded the highways. » This statement narrates the beginning of the novel, with particular emphasis on the deaths of Grampa and Granma. When industrial agriculture hits the agrarian Midwest, the Joads are forced off their land and driven to migrate, abandoning the home they have lived in for so long. Shortly after, Grandpa dies of a stroke. His life is tied to the earth and cannot keep up with such rapid change, and when he dies, Granma will certainly follow him. The paragraph continues: “The movement changed them; the roads, the camps along the roads, the fear of hunger and hunger itself have changed them. Children without dinner have changed them, incessant travel has changed them. They were mig... ... middle of paper ... and banks. The “fermenting anger” described by Steinbeck is also linked to the title of the novel, as grapes are the symbol of migrants and anger represents their anguish and difficulties. The thin line between hunger and anger is shattered by changes in land ownership, and worker retaliation is the inevitable result. In four pages, Steinbeck greatly clarifies and expands his story by examining the different emotions and reactions of his general character groups. It takes two sides of an argument and applies them to a third body rather than pitting them against each other. By mastering the use of the intercalary chapter, he is able to enrich his story with deeper reflection and explore it beyond the confines of his main characters. . In this way, Steinbeck is able to write a four-page chapter of great significance for a 581-page novel...