Sympathy For Dust Bowl Farmers?

I think that the Grapes of Wrath successfully establishes sympathy for the Dust Bowl farmers. Steinbeck tells a side of the story that wasnt really known. You get the story from a migrant families perspective, and although the Joads did pretty well, you read about the families who weren't so fortunate. Having policemen arrest you for being smart, burning down your home, being called names and getting paid near to nothing, it's degrading and it really makes you feel bad for the characters. Although they may have been ignorant to what was coming, its still a story that makes you feel bad because they still have so much hope. I can understand where the farmers perspective comes in, but that isn't the focus of this story, you never pity them while reading.