Man vs. Machine- Chapters 1-10 (G)*

One of the main distinctions between man and machine is emotion. Machines lack the sense to feel, specifically emotional feelings that would allow them to have strong attachments that the farmers themselves portray to have towards their land/home. In particular, Chapter 5 of the novel is focused on the theme of Man vs. Machine. John Steinbeck portrays the land owners breaking down the bad news to the tenant farmer that he evicted from his land, and tractors sent by the "monster" will take over, the farmer obviously does not take this news lightly. Throughout the chapter, Steinbeck depicts the idea that machinery is void of all human characteristics and emotions. As humans become less powerful in the time period of the novel, machinery is taking over their job. As shown by the quotes:

• "The driver could not control it-straight across country it went, cutting through a dozen farms and straight back. A twitch at the controls could swerve the cat', but the driver's hand could not twitch because the monster that built the tractor, the monster that sent the tractor out, had somehow got into the driver's hand, and into his brain and muscle..."(35) 
• "The driver sat in his iron seat and he was proud of the straight lines he did not will, proud of the tractor he did not own or love, proud of the power he could not control. And when that crop grew, and was harvested, no man had crumbled a hot clod in his fingers and let the earth sift past his fingertips.No man had touched a seed, or lusted for the growth. Men ate what they had not raised, had no connection with the bread. The land bore under iron, and under iron gradually died; for it was not loved or hated, it had no prayers or curses." (36)

In the narrative, Steinbeck makes it apparent through the description of the rural setting that there is an imperative need for improved farming techniques, thus the introduction of the use of machinery taking over the area of agriculture replacing people with ironclad machines. The industrial economy adversely affects the farmers, forcing banks, portrayed as "monsters," to foreclose on unprofitable land. With the benefit of technology that was created by man, but not controlled by man any longer. For as they grew more powerful the banks become like a machine as they began to lose their sense of emotion and form a disconnection with humans, ultimately making their job of taking over someone's land less difficult because all that would matter is whether or not the money would continue to pile in, because that is were their power derives from. As the novel progresses, the reader witnesses town folks caving into the idea of using machinery and become heavily dependent on the advancement of technology as a way to survive their tragic life conditions. Which connects to our generation now, were we cannot survive with out the latest and greatest inventions that make our lives a tad bit easier. Moreover, as our dependence in technology deepens, we grow further and further away from physically feeling the hard work and sense of accomplishment that comes from doing something without the use of technology, thus not appreciating the privileges we have in life.