In Dubious Battle, published in 1936, follows two main characters, Mac and Jim, through the process of an apple pickers' strike in a small California town. At the beginning of the book Jim joins the Communist Party, and Mac takes him along when he goes to try to agitate the pickers and incite them to strike after the growers' association cuts their wages to fifteen cents. Steinbeck paints a watercolor picture of migrant workers in a small California town during the tough years following the crash and depression of 1929. He shows clearly how the workers lived, how small farmers suffered and how grass-roots organizations, such as the American Communist Party, tried to effect changes that would improve life for the poor workers.
Most of the story takes place in the fictional town of Torgas Valley, California,.....
This is a free excerpt of 135 words. This section contains 1,305 words. This
study guide contains 22,189 words (approx. 74 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Literature Guide with our In Dubious Battle Access Pass.
