In Dubious Battle Power Quotes

Jim tries to explain to Nilson what drew him to the Party in the first place. Like many conversion experiences, it happens in jail. When Jim meets Party members while serving his 30 days on a trumped-up charge, he begins to see how his hopeless and useless life could lead him to effect change—even in a small way. He figures out that his father got it all wrong—it's no use fighting the man on your own. One person doesn't have the strength to do much. Jim's newfound philosophy fits perfectly with the Party line, as Mac will soon find out.

Old Dan sums up the problem for the workers in three sentences. We can do it in one phrase: no power. Jim challenges Dan to think of something to do about this unequal distribution of power, but Dan tells him he's barking up the wrong tree (pun totally intended). While Dan understands the problem, he, like many workers, doesn't see the virtue in going out on a limb to fight back. There's a hopelessness about the workers, represented here in tired old Dan, that keeps them from addressing the problem and advocating for themselves.

Mac and Jim encounter a thug sent by the Growers almost immediately after they arrive. From that moment on, Jim and Mac are marked men. This creepy warning highlights both the resources of the owners and their willingness to use violence to enforce their agenda. It also shows the vulnerability of the workers, who have very little to protect themselves, except sheer numbers.