Personal Response: Okies (Edwin)

The "Okies" were just doing what was necessary. The people of California were very unfair. They were only letting the Okies that had money enter the state! That is so hypocritical. What difference does it make really? Money or no money they are looking for the opportunity and the Okies that did have money probably didn't have much or they wouldn't have moved in the first place. Besides with so many people moving to your town you should take advantage not reject them. It’s a chance to expand and grow the city. Instead of making them turn back they should of put them to work and try to fix the economy.

Okies went through a lot of hardship. Their way of life changed suddenly with out warning. Then they traveled to California hoping to start over, instead they end up getting rejected and humiliated.

I think that it can be possible for that to happen again. I mean the present day economy isn’t very good to speak of. It could happen any time. It is already happening in countries around us. Thousands of people immigrate to the US every year and not just from neighboring countries. They come from Asia, Africa, and even Europe.

All this affects the story in that it makes it harder for George and Lennie to afford their dream. It’s going to take longer for them to reach their goal, which means their more time for something to go wrong. Here is a quote from the site, “…there was not enough work for everyone who came. Instead of immediate riches, they often found squalor in roadside ditch encampments.”