I like Napoleonin Rags interpretation. I will add my own thoughts toward his point. let's keep in mind that Dylan's biggest inspiration was woody guthrie. Now if you are familiar with "Library of Congress Recordings" featuring woody guthrie which I highly recommend for its historical spoken word stories< you will have a better grasp of what the song is about. Much like the Keene Ranch in the grapes of wrath, Maggies Farm is a large scale commercial Grower. In the 1940's the migration of "OKIES" to California left many families with no choice but to cross picket lines to work for these types of usually fruit growers. Housed in Shacks these families bought everything from a company store and were paid 2 1/2 cents a box when 5 cents was minimum pay for a man who wanted to eat. They had no other choice. The Keene Ranch is a good visual example in the G.O.W Film especially to the line and my whole point hangs on this "the national guard stands around the door. The song is historically in line with these farms as an abomination to labor. Trust me, it seems complicated and requires a history lesson. just trust me im right. (oh ya "fines you every time you slams the door" these labor camps enforced strict rules and curfews with fines) Ill keep em shorter from now on guys sorry
I like Napoleonin Rags interpretation. I will add my own thoughts toward his point. let's keep in mind that Dylan's biggest inspiration was woody guthrie. Now if you are familiar with "Library of Congress Recordings" featuring woody guthrie which I highly recommend for its historical spoken word stories< you will have a better grasp of what the song is about. Much like the Keene Ranch in the grapes of wrath, Maggies Farm is a large scale commercial Grower. In the 1940's the migration of "OKIES" to California left many families with no choice but to cross picket lines to work for these types of usually fruit growers. Housed in Shacks these families bought everything from a company store and were paid 2 1/2 cents a box when 5 cents was minimum pay for a man who wanted to eat. They had no other choice. The Keene Ranch is a good visual example in the G.O.W Film especially to the line and my whole point hangs on this "the national guard stands around the door. The song is historically in line with these farms as an abomination to labor. Trust me, it seems complicated and requires a history lesson. just trust me im right. (oh ya "fines you every time you slams the door" these labor camps enforced strict rules and curfews with fines) Ill keep em shorter from now on guys sorry