Gregory, American Exodus, Ch. 1-5
Ch. 1
How does Gregory’s portrayal of the Okie migration fit that of Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath?”
Why did many Okies leave homeland and go to CA?
What were some of the positive traits of California which made it an attractive destination?
What were the 2 migrant streams in the 1930s?
What kinds of problems/experiences did migrants face in each migrant stream?
Why, in general, were Californians hostile towards Okies?
What specific concerns did many rural Californians raise in response to Okies’ arrival?
How did politics affect attitudes toward Okies?
What was a general working definition of an “Okie” among Californians? What explains this?
Why did Okies expect to be accepted by CA population?
What strategies and methods did Okies employ when confronting this negative reaction to their arrival?
Why and how were Okie children’s experiences different?
What factors helped define the CA Okie subculture?
What evidentiary base (kinds of evidence) did Gregory use to support his findings?
What personal values made up Plain Folks Americanism?
How did the Okie neo-populist perspective regarding politics and social equality affect them and their activities?
Why did communists and left-leaning unions find it hard to organize Okies?
What about CA did Okies feel was inferior or wrong? Impact of this?