Throughout John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath the inhumanity of man to man was not.
The rich were continuously going to drastic measures for.
money, and the poor people, like the Joad's, were continuously cheated out of money and.
common necessities, too.
During the time of the Dust Bowl, it was not uncommon for one to hitch hike. It.
was in fact a very common way for one to travel a long distance if they were without a.
car, which most people were during this time. Were these hitch-hikers hurting anyone? .
No one thought so, except the owners of the company. There was no actual reason as to.
why these hitch-hikers couldn't ride, the rich owners were just being "bastards". As a.
means to ensure that a driver didn't not pick up a hitch-hiker, the company would place.
No Riders stickers on the trucks. "Didn" you see the No Riders sticker on the.
win'shield"? .
The truck drivers were often faced with uncomfortable situations when they were.
asked for rides. If a driver didn't allow riders "not only was he not a good guy, but he.
was forced to carry a sticker, was not allowed to have company". On the other hand.
though, if he did allow riders "he was automatically a good guy", but he was also at high.
risk of losing his job, which was something most people were not willing to sacrifice at.
this time. "But sometimes a guy"ll be a good guy even if some rich bastard makes him.
carry a sticker". The company owners were just that, "rich bastards", and they made their.
employees choose between doing the right thing, helping his fellow man, or being a jerk.
just to keep his low paying job.
During this time, there were thousands of people like the Joad's who were starving.
because they couldn't get food. It's not that there wasn't any food for them to have, there.
was actually an abundance of food, but before it could be harvested the rich farmers would.
destroy it just to keep the prices high and get even richer. The men who worked the land.