Grapes of Wrath Chapter 7

Garages and lots are filled with used cars and salesmen eager to sell them to whomever they can swindle. "Salesmen, neat, deadly, small intent eyes watching for weakness." Chapter 7, pg. 77 There seems to be more profit in selling used cars than new ones. The owner takes out a good battery before he delivers a sold car, and pours sawdust in the exhaust system to quiet it down. The salesmen bargain hard. They know the migrants have to have a car, and they know how easy it is to deal with the complaints of the uneducated. "Guarantee? We guaranteed it to be an automobile. We didn't guarantee to wet-nurse it." Chapter 7, pg. 82 Even if there are problems with their cars, most of them will be out of state on the road to the West. The owners are intent on making a profit and making it at the expense of the poor migrants. "Soften 'em up Joe. Jesus, I wisht I had a thousand jalopies." Chapter 8, pg. 83

Topic Tracking: Inhumanity 3