Which outcome does the novel depict as a potential risk of labor organizing among migrants?

• A. Immediate wealth for all
• B. Complete safety and plenty
• C. Unanimous harmony with employers
• D. Backlash from owners or instability

Answer: (D)

The idea being tested is that organizing migrant labor can provoke real pushback from those in power. In Grapes of Wrath, when workers band together to demand fair wages and safer conditions, landowners and the systems that control work and housing often strike back. They may evict families, hire strikebreakers, or call on police and guards to break the protests. This retaliation creates instability and hardship for migrant communities, showing that union activity can bring danger and disruption rather than immediate gains. The narrative does not promise wealth, complete safety, or harmonious relations with owners; instead it highlights the precarious, sometimes brutal consequences that power structures impose on organized labor.