How did John Steinbeck portray migrant workers in Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath?

John Steinbeck’s portrayals of migrant workers in Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath are rooted in his own experiences as a manual laborer, which lent his writing significant authenticity. While often associated with the social realism of the era rather than the formal experimentation of high Modernism, his work reflects a deep commitment to documenting the lives of ordinary people during the Great Depression.123

In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck focuses on the intimate, tragic bond between two itinerant ranch hands, George and Lennie, highlighting their shared dreams and the harsh reality of their precarious existence. Conversely, The Grapes of Wrath offers a broader, epic perspective on the Dust Bowl migration. Steinbeck depicts the Joad family’s struggle against impersonal commercial forces, arguing that the exploitation of workers necessitates a shift from individual survival to collective action. Through these works, Steinbeck sought to arouse sympathy for the dispossessed, using his writing to challenge the systemic greed that caused widespread suffering among the working class.4562