There's more than one group in In Dubious Battle that just can't get no satisfaction: the workers, Doc Burton, Jim, Mac, Al, Anderson—heck, pretty much everybody is pretty unhappy. While we're meant to focus on the plight of the workers living in horrendous poverty, we also get an intimate look at the frustrations of those who are trying to make that change happen.
Mac tells Jim that although the workers have cause, they need something to motivate them to action. Dissatisfaction, it seems, can't overcome fear. And fear comes in many varieties for the workers: they're afraid that they'll lose what little they have if they strike, that they won't ever get a job again, and that they'll die in misery as a result.
It isn't just "group man" who suffers from discontent. Doc Burton, for one, also finds himself in an awkward position. He's neither a Party man nor a blue-collar worker, and yet he implicates himself in the fates of both groups. It's a lonely place to be, and it's a hopeless cause. He knows that he's trying to put a Band-Aid on a broken arm as he tries to stem the tide of hatred that threatens to devour everyone around him.
And Jim, who wants to take on the world barehanded, is totally thwarted in his desire to be of use. He wants to splash out and make a big statement with his life for the Party, but Mac's feelings of friendship for him prevent him from taking risks.
Questions About Dissatisfaction
- What motivates Mac to participate in hopeless causes? What about Jim?
- Why does Doc Burton involve himself with the actions of the Communist party, even though he isn't a member?
- What is the most difficult part of organizing the men, in Mac's eyes? What makes it hard for the workers to decide to strike?
- In what way is catastrophe a good thing for "the cause"? How does tragedy help the strikers achieve their goals?
Chew on This
While the workers draw positive energy from each other on several occasions, it's really their discontent that makes progress possible.
Steinbeck uses the character of Sam to highlight what becomes of human nature when exposed to constant dehumanization.