Conflict: Man vs. Machines (s) chapters 1-10

In the Grapes of Wrath, one of the main conflicts is in between traditional methods of farming and more modern ones which include heavy machinery such as tractors. In the text, the conflict mostly consists in that the new ways of farming destroy the connection between the farmers and the land. In chapter V, Steinbeck describes a farmer operation a tractor "The man sitting in the iron seat did not loo like a man; gloved, goggled, rubber dust mask over nose and mouth, he was a part of the monster, a robot in the seat."(35) This description from a traditional farmer point of view demonstrates the new material and machinery were foreign for the tenant farmers. the description is very industrial, and the is a lot of metal involved in it to represent how the man made materials are destroying their relationship with the land. Furthermore Steinbeck Describes the tractor operator as a man filled with illusions. "...Proud of the tractor he did not own or love, proud of the power he could not control" (36) which highlights the farmers lack of self reliance which is really important for farmers. This explains the hate that the farmers have for the machines because it makes them dependent which is something that they are not used to.