Wednesday, July 26, 2006
The Grapes of Wrath Notes
NOTES ON THE GRAPES OF WRATH
BY JOHN STEINBECK
CHAPTER ONE
-foreshadowing of the hardship to come
-dust storm overwhelms Oklahoma, clouding the air and blocking out the sun
-when the storm ends it is the beginning of the hardship for Oklahoma farmers
-hopelessness – no solution for the farmers, who are resigned to their fate
-1st chapter gives the novel and epic tone and reminds us the book has a historical basis
CHAPTER TWO
-the transport truck is a symbol of corporate domination
-Tom Joad picks up on the idea of business as cold and heartless when he asks the truck driver for a ride
-Steinbeck is critical of business and the rich
-the truck driver is isolated and bored to the point of near insanity
-Tom Joad, recently released from prison, wears prison-issued clothing, having few possession with him
-Joad is a shrewd but uneducated man
-strain of anti-elitism in the novel and contempt of big business and the rich
-Tom and the truck driver discuss the use of language and says a preacher who uses big words can be trusted but others who use big words only try to obscure and confuse
CHAPTER THREE
-turtle is a metaphor for the working class farmers
-turtle plods along dutifully, but is consistently confronted with danger and setbacks
-dangers posed to the turtle are those of modern times and business (cars and buildings of highways
-the truck that hits the turtle is a symbol of big business and commerce
-The Joad family will experience similar travels as the turtle, they plod along only wishing to survive, yet are brutally pushed aside by corporate interests
CHAPTER FOUR
-Jim Casy is introduced as the moral voice of the novel and its religious center
-he is a religious icon, a philosopher and a prophet
-Steinbeck considers him to be the Christ figure interpreting Steinbeck’s religious doctrine. Jim Casy = J.C.
-Talking about dogma and scripture as well as a strict moral code, Casy finds the rules and regulations of Christian teaching too confining and not applicable to any actual situation
-example – Casy talks about his sins with the women he converts
-his actions worried him, he felt guilt and responsibility towards the women he was trying to convert to Jesus.
-he finally comes to the conclusion that “maybe it’s just the way folks is”
-Casy’s moral code is without any definition
-he denies the existence of virtue and vice (good and bad) saying “there’s just stuff people do. It’s all part of the same thing.”
-Casy’s final conclusion is that all men and women are the Holy Spirit, connected by one common soul. (Emerisonian philosophy – the Over-Soul—all people are joined together in the spirit—the over-soul is one soul that animates all people)
-Casy believes that “All that lives is holy”
-Joad paraphrased Casy’s speeches by saying “he went out in the wilderness to find his soul, and he found he just got a little piece of a great big soul.”
-Steinbeck believes that we should all help each other out and we are at our best as human beings when we are cooperating with each other. When we are all working together we are holy.
-Steinbeck focuses on the common people politically as well as with themes of poverty during the Great Depression, and as religious entities
-Casy may not know Jesus but he does know the common people and believes them to be the representation of god
-They both (Casy and Tom) dislike concrete religious teachings
-Tom’s description of prison emphasizes the poverty of his family
-prison ensured that he would be fed and cared for
-as he reenters society, he has no guarantee
-Tom’s family obtaining their home emphasizes their poverty
-all Tom can do is accept his poverty
CHAPTER FIVE
-arrival of the bankers in a foreshadowing event
-Steinbeck believes that banks have no redeeming value
-they have no human characteristics, are monstrosities that breath profits and can never be filled
-the bank is made by men but is more powerful and separate from people
-it is a destructive force that looks for short term profits at the expense of the land
-it will destroy the land through cotton production which will drain the land of its resources
-the tractors that come over the land are indiscriminate and hostile
-they violently slice the ground with their blades
-it is compared to raping the land (passionless intrusion unconnected with human emotion)
-Steinbeck says it is a personal connection to the land that determines ownership
-this critique of the bank shows the behavior of the employees as excusable
-they are caught in something larger than themselves
-they are slaves to the company
-the farmers cannot defend the land because they would be murdering men who are not responsible for their fate
-they can only leave
-the tractor drivers have to work to somehow feed their families
-they are not responsible for what they do and they are also controlled by a larger force
-this is an example of a controlling corporate system
-even if a farmer wanted to stop the bank, he could not target one individual or small group
-nothing the farmer would do would stop the process of evictions. The people are helpless
CHAPTER SIX
-Tom and Casy return to the Joad home which appears unfriendly, empty, and for Tom this is unnatural.
-the family has left the home
-Muley Graves says that no one can stop the banks
-Muley accepts his fate and enter into a state of resignation
-Muley reminds us of a ghost who lives on the outskirts of society wanders the land. He has already lost is wife and children.
-He demonstrates the dehumanizing quality of the banks’ intrusion
-Tom tells Casy and Muley that he has not be rehabilitated by his jail term and is still capable of violence
-this foreshadows later developments—if provoked, Tom could react violently and possibly kill again
-Muley says that the only type of government force that can manipulate human behavior is the capitalist system—the margin of profit
-corporate system is the real controlling force of society, more powerful than any citizen or group of citizens but the corporate system has no real concern for them
-Tom, Casy and Muley are in danger by spending the night on the property
-they are trespassing and must hide in a cave in order to protect themselves from the deputies.
CHAPTER SEVEN
-car dealerships—another part of the business system
-the owners of these dealerships mean to exploit impoverished buyers
-they do not profit from selling cars that last, but from finding ill-repaired vehicles, giving them the appearance of reliability and pawning them off on desperate farmers wishing to get to California
-no compassion in car sells, but rather a perpetual cycle of exploitation
-this shows was the Joad family experienced (as well as other families) to get their car to go west
CHAPTER EIGHT
-members of the Joad family are tough, crude and hardened by life’s experiences
-Uncle John has gone nearly mad from losing his wife to illness
-Pa Joad is sullen and withdrawn
-Grampa is angry and bitter to even stay in the house
-Ma Joad retains some level of warmth and compassion
-Tom remarks that even his Ma has changed because recently she has had her house pushed over and had to sell everything she owned
-Granma and Grampa Joad are mean, tough people
-Steinbeck glories the common person—the population as a whole exemplifies what is holy—(Casy’s speech at dinner)
-when people move from the common good—that is when they become unholy
-Ma Joad says that there might be hope if everybody became angry enough to rise up against the money interests
-Steinbeck takes a socialist viewpoint, placing emphasis on the common good over individual interests
CHAPTER NINE
-the sale of personal items is a demeaning process, for the farmers must accept extremely low prices for their outdated possession
-Steinbeck says, “You’re not buying only junk, you’re buying junk lives.”
-this is another example of the dehumanizing effects of the Depression foreclosures
-the situation is hopeless; there is no possibility of starting over
-the people leaving must give up those objects that have sentimental value out of simply necessity
-another example of loss of human characteristics
CHAPTER TEN
-the Joad family dynamic-relatives of three generations
-Grampa is the nominal head, but exert no special influence
-Ma Joad is the dominating moral force
-she says the Jim Casy can travel with them to California
-Tom Joad is the main character, Ma Joad is the story’s moral center as she reminds everyone that they have greater concerns than just their own interests—they cannot refuse food or shelter to anyone
-Ma Joad appears to be the main victim of the move to California
-she must leave behind the memories that she treasures
-Grampa, refuses to leave, but out of bitter energy
-Ma Joad has a great weariness in leaving
-Grampa’s refusal to leave highlights how important the land is for the people
-it is unimaginable to leave the area where he was born and raised—but he has no option
-if he were to remain he would cease to exist as a human
CHAPTER ELEVEN
-the new means of cotton production overtaking the farms
-fate of the tractors contrasts with the farmers who once worked the land
-tractors and drivers have no connection to the land, little understanding and no relationship with it
-farmers have a deep and long-standing affection and love for the land on which they lived and worked every day
-tractors are inhuman
CHAPTER TWELVE
-Steinbeck foreshadows a number of problems that the Joad family will face on their travels to California
-highlights the problems the people will have with their cars and the possibility of breakdowns of unreliable vehicles
-the final destination in California may not solve the Joad’s problems
-they may be turned back from the California border, even if they reach it
-it is an overcrowded job market for migrant workers in California
-getting to California will not necessarily mean that the Joad’s problems will be solved
-getting to California will not mean that the Joad’s will be in an even marginally better situation than they were in Oklahoma
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
-1st stop reinforces that idea that the Joad’s may not find work when they reach California
because of a filled labor market
-they are better off than some travelers because they can at least pay for gas
-Casy says that the nation faces a nearly unconquerable enemy—the capitalist system
-this enemy does not allow normal people to make a decent living
-early in the journey, the Joad suffer a tragic loss, the family dog becomes the first victim on the journey
-this foreshadows the further losses that the family may suffer
-Steinbeck foreshadows problems the family may back when Tom mentions parole violations
-Tom is only in danger if he commits another crime—which may eventually arise
-the next death is of a family member—Grampa dies from a stroke
-it is likely the separation from Oklahoma helps Grampa died so soon
-Casy is called upon to perform the duties of a preacher even though he no longer believes in preaching
-Casy is best suited for the role as a preacher, despite his disenchantment with religion
-a novel theme is the collective interests that these displaced families find their strength
-the agreement between the Joad’s and the Wilson’s to help each other on the way to California is a significant plot development
-Steinbeck shows this as the first building block in a collectivist scheme which seems to support the working class people who have come together for their collective interests
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
-an explicit political statement is made concerning the migration to the west coast
-owners and controlling powers fear the changes that are at hand and threaten their interests
-owners are the causes of this change by forcing the farmer from their land, they have created the hunger that afflicts them
-Steinbeck says a man is defined by what he creates and what work he does, and most importantly, by his ability for improvement
-Steinbeck warns against the time when mankind does not strive for improvement
-Steinbeck says that mankind is distinguished because men’s actions can go beyond oneself
-this chapter also adverse relationship between the owners and the working classes
-owners exploit individual interests in order to destroy the collective good
-by forcing men to consider only their self-interest, the owners prevent the possibility that the collective interest may form the revolution
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
-for people who own the diners and other businesses on Route 66, the migrant workers are a burden on them
-the people who work on Route 66 view the migrant families with a conflicting sense of loathing and compassion
-they see them as shiftless and threatening, yet they take pity on them
-part of the compassion stems from impatience
-it is easier to give the migrant families what they want and send them on their way
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
-Rose of Sharon is a stark contrast to the rest of the characters
-she is the only adult character who retains some sense of hope for their future
-she believes in the possibility of living a decent life with her husband and eventual child
-the other characters expect only a meager survival from California
-Rose of Sharon hopes to live the traditional American dream
-she is the one beacon of hope in the Joad family
-Al, the younger brother, is defensive and combative, consistently worried that others will blame him for problems with the car
-Ma Joad is again the center of the Joad family when she demands that they not leave Tom and Casy behind (even temporarily)
-Ma Joad emphasizes the idea that the strength comes from unity of the family
-Steinbeck makes it clear that once the Joad’s reach California they may not find work
-Casy says that he has seen many travel west but no one is travelling back east
-a ragged man that the Joads mean at the campground confirm this fear
-worse than a crowded labor market if the presumed opportunities for jobs that are not there
-this induces too many workers to fill positions and drive down wages
-the ragged man says the Joads will face worse fate in California than they did in Oklahoma
-revealing this information, the ragged man is immediately said to be a labor agitator
-this is a label given to those who expose social injustices
-the one-eyed man is grotesque and his introduction is a break from the realistic depiction of the Joad’s experiences
-Steinbeck gives him a personality and a history to emphasize the importance of all working people
-Tom interaction with the one-eyed man shows that he is forthright and direct—he will not shy away from standing up to a person, a quality that gives him an air of authority but may prove dangerous
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
-the society of the migrant workers is somewhat idealized as a society that forms spontaneously
-it is a communal society, one with rules and regulations determining polite behavior and enabling the various, desperate families to find common interests
-Steinbeck uses this campground life to build a utopian society in which displays of wealth are shunned, equality is important and no real ruling class emerges
-the ruling class become the elderly, who rule from wisdom and experience
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
-arrival in California is anticlimactic at best
-the Joads cross the border only to enter the harsh California desert
-they must journey farther to reach the orange groves
-the migrant workers are loathed, and there still remains the problems of the wealthy corporate interests
-the Joad’s problems will not be solved in California
-the rich owners have wealth, but they suffer from loneliness and fear
-Noah, Tom’s brother, decides to leave the family. He will stay at the river and support himself by fishing (Noah decides to leave society rather than be crushed by it)
-this loss demonstrates the sense of hopelessness that has set in
-Ma Joad once again takes charge by ordering the Jehovites to leave them alone and confronting the deputies who threaten her
-the deputies are the first to call them “Okies”
-this hatred is made even more evident by the boy at the gas station, who remarks that the Okies are less than human
-members of the family become more tense
-Rose of Sharon and Connie are bothered by the lack of privacy
-Uncle John worries that he may be the cause of the family’s troubles
-the death of Granma Joad is significant for it shows just how much Ma Joad can bear
-this event forces her to confront and intimidate several police officers and hide Granma’s fate from the rest of the family
CHAPTER NINETEEN
-Steinbeck traces the history of California which is fraught with slavery and oppression
-Americans took the land from the Mexicans
-then put Asian workers into virtual slavery
-then condemned the Okies who were forced to build shantytowns
-Steinbeck believes that this capitalist owner class will be overthrown
-he says the accumulation of wealth in too few hands will deprive the population to such a degree that they have no choice but to revolt
CHAPTER TWENTY
-the cruelty of the California police is evident in this chapter
-the Mayor has been subjected to continuous torture by the police, which has driven him insane
-the reason for this torture is simple: it is an attempt by the police to prevent the migrant workers form settling in California
-if the migrant workers were to settle down, they could vote and have political power
-if the migrants have no permanent residence, they cannot organize and threaten the ruling business class
-anyone who opposes the police or the business class is labeled a labor agitator and placed on a blacklist, preventing him from working anywhere
-police can murder migrant workers because they have no name, no property and no power
-the family loses Connie Rivers who abandons his pregnant wife
-he leaves out of selfishness
-he believes that he would have been better off staying in Oklahoma and he can make a better life for himself away from the Joads
-this is treason for the Joads
-Connie believes that he can rise to a middle-class lifestyle
-Ma Joad remains the center of authority, generous and just
-she gives away some food to starving children when her family cannot afford to spare food themselves and she even defends Connie
-Connie’s selfish behavior is reflected in Uncle John’s behavior
-he has held out from the family by keeping $5.00 for himself in order to get drunk
-even though he behaves selfishly he still makes some sacrifices for the family by giving up more than half of his money
-his behavior is because of guilt rather than a lack of concern for the family
-the government camps give hope to the Joad family
-they are safe terrain where they cannot be bothered by intimidating police officer and they can expect some comforts
-there is a sudden outbreak of violence but Tom does little more than trip the deputy while Casy knocks him unconscious
-the deputy causes the real havoc by inadvertently shooting an innocent woman
-Casy takes Tom’s place as the scapegoat for the crime
-he sacrifices himself to save Tome
-his role as a spiritual martyr is fulfilled (he will return at the end of the novel)
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
-this chapter shows some of the tactics that the great owners used in order to make profits at the expense of working class farmers
-Steinbeck predicts that the result of this will be a working class uprising (this is the product of perpetual poverty and oppression)
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
-government camp life proves a shocking interruption to the consistent hardships that have plagued the Joad family
-in the government camp, people are polite and well-mannered toward the Joads
-the few problems in Weedpatch (the government camp) are handled in a fair and organized manner
-the camp represents a communal society in which everyone has an equal share and an equal voice
-while not a perfect place, the government camp is a comfortable community where the Joads can live respectably
-degree of comfort Weedpatch affords is reflected in the return to a normal rhythm that occurs among the Joads
-Ruthie and Winfield can play like small children
-Uncle John’s depression is manageable
-Rose of Sharon begins to worry about her unborn child as she focuses
on the child’s immediate fate
-Ma Joad can comprehend the losses that the family has suffered and
mourn the two deaths and two desertions
-before reaching camp, Ma Joad can only be concern about her own survival, at camp she has the luxury of processing what has happened since leaving Oklahoma
-the degree of poverty to which the Joads and other migrant workers are subjected is reflected by the amazement that they show to the simple camp amenities
-the presence of toilets, running water, showers, and camp appliances
-once again the banking elite causes needless hardship for the migrant workers
-the Farmer’s Association (which the banks control) demands that wage be reduced
-the Farmer’s Association is responsible for most of the hardship and oppression of the migrant workers
-the Farmer’s Association does not treat the migrant workers fairly, for it they are treated well the migrant workers will demand more
-the Farmer’s Association plans underhanded activities to cause trouble in the government camps and even try to shut them down
-their plan is to sabotage the government camp by instigating a fight which will allow the deputies to enter to disrupt and shutdown Weedpatch
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
-this chapter shows some of the simple details of the life of migrant workers
-amusement and diversion helped to relieve their hardships
-drunkenness was common—it softened the loneliness and pain
-it serves as a type of suicide, dulling the man into a drunken stupor and then
finally sleep
-Steinbeck says, “death was a friend, and sleep was death’s brother.”
-we can directly relate this to the drunkenness of Uncle John
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
-this chapter continues to talk about Weedpatch and its society and how the residents maintain order
-interaction between residents if fair and orderly
-hierarchy has emerged among various heads of committees and residents which is based on mutual respect
-committee leaders do not issue orders—they offer advice and counsel to residents
-orderly workings of Weedpatch society are shown in how they deal with the intruders during the dance
-no outbreak of violence
-committee members deal with the situation calmly, defusing it and refusing to allow the deputies and intruders at the dance to instigate a violent riot
-Steinbeck rejects the justification of the intruders actions—they say they had accepted bribes to start a riot simple to support themselves
-this motive is self-interest and according to Steinbeck, individualist concerns are characterized as selfish and detrimental to the common good of all—which is in contrast to selfless collective behavior
-the intruders are the most extreme example of a selfish attitude
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
-Steinbeck continues to present us with the metaphor decay
-the decay of ripening fruit is juxtaposed to the decay among the elite business class
-they go to great length to make sure their fruits were ripe and protected against disease but were the responsible for the rot of the fruit
-by having too much fruit and forcing the price of the fruit too high, when others had too little money to buy it, they have ensured that nobody would be able to purchase the fruit
-the business elite have engineered their own destruction
-other victims are children who die from disease for their parents cannot afford the fruit
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
-the comfortable situation the Joads find at Weedpatch must come to an end
-the Joads realize they cannot find work in this area and must move on
-they move on to the Hooper ranch, where they no longer have the amenities of the government camp nor a sense of a strong community
-this retreat from the strong society of the government camp is reflected in the breakdown of the Joad family
-Ma Joad even realizes that the family is breaking apart
-Al has little concern for anyone else
-Pa Joad makes significant comment about gender roles, and is saddened that he
no longer runs the family
-Ma makes it clear that his role has changed because he no longer fulfills his
duties as husband and father
-Ma is the only Joad who fulfills her obligations to the family—she is the
caretaker and moral center—she has the right to make decisions for the family
-Pa suffers this major lost—he no longer has the right t make decisions for the
family and must subordinate himself to his wife
-Ma Joad is not strong enough to prevent the gradual breaking up of the Joad household
-Al appears ready to abandon the Joad family next—he is more concerned with finding a girlfriend and a steady job working on cars than helping the family support themselves
-his dreams of success and steady employment remind us of Connie
-Rose of Sharon descends into paranoid religious hysteria—she fears for the safety of her unborn child and feels that the murder Tom has committed will permanently scar her child with sin
-the two children (Winfield and Ruthie) begin to noticeably suffer—Winfield becomes sick because of being deprived of necessary food and nutrients
-conditions at the Hooper Ranch are worse than the government camp
-the Joads have a roof over their heads and are paid sufficient wages
-the store owner at the ranch raises the prices for items because it is the only nearby store
-the wages for the migrant workers are good because of the strike
-Ma Joad makes the observation at the grocery store that it is only the poor who will help out other impoverished people
-the clerk at the store then will help her out
-the owners of the grocery store will exploit the worker through inflated prices
-the strike sets the scene for another tragedy for the Joad family
-Tom finds the striking workers and is reunited with Jim Casy, who is a labor activists
-Casy’s lost religious zeal has been transformed into working-class activism, which has been fueled by his experiences in jail and traveling to California
-Casy is the crusader for the cause of the mistreated migrant workers—he has developed a fiery conviction concerning the justice of his cause
-Steinbeck makes is clear that these activist are facing certain doom, but will be vindicated eventually
-Casy will sacrifice his life for this cause in this chapter—he will be the victim of a brutal murder at the hands of the police
-Casy had been a martyr for the Joad family and now is a martyr for the entire class that the Joad’s represent
-the effect of Casy’s martyrdom is that Tom must not leave the Hooper ranch to escape capture from the police (Tom kills the man that had killed Casy) if Tom is captured they will kill him on the spot (perhaps a lynching)
-Ma Joad once again binds the family together—she chooses to risk safety of the entire family to preserve whatever unity the family has left—Ma insists that they leave the Hooper Ranch as a family as she hides Tom
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
-Steinbeck, in this chapter, exposes several frauds in the farming system
-owners who hire cotton pickers make sure that the pickers receive less compensation than they deserve
-they keep them in debt by making them pay for cotton bags beforehand
-the system is made to maximize profit, no matter the cost to the migrant worker
-the migrant workers must stand up to the men who weigh the cotton to ensure that they are paid fairly
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
-Joads settle into a temporary home-a boxcar
-they find their routine disrupted when Ruthie reveals the secret about Tom
-the cause of her(Ruthie’s) fight is her arrogance—by eating her candy in the open, she offended the other children who were starving
-Tom’s decision to leave the family is inevitable—by remaining with the family he endangers them and cannot contribute
-Tom leaves the family with a new purpose that is a combination of political and spiritual belief
-he accepts Casy’s belief that there is o individual soul, only a collective soul of which each person has a part
-he vows to continue Casy’s struggle for the better treatment of the migrant workers
-this is a turning point for Tom—for he previously was an individualist and for himself and his family, but now he works for the common good of all
-Ma Joad says good-bye to Tom and is once again seen as the center of the Joad family
-she advises Tom to go alone rather than keeping the family together
-she knows that the family unity is insignificant without the greater society unity for which Tom will strive
-Tom is the character the Ma Joad has shown the most affection—but she will not weep over his departure
-at the moment she realizes that she cannot cry, the rain begins to fall which reflects her emotional state
-Steinbeck suggests that women such as Ma Joad are better equipped to handle change and pain than the men
-men have railed against their fate in this novel
-Uncle John and Connie have deserted the family
-Grampa died when he was forced to leave Oklahoma
-Ma Joad has accepted the changes she has faced—she says that women can accept change because it is inevitable
-women do not have the illusion that they control their own destinies
-women are less shaken when they are presented with hardship
-Al Joad, displaying immaturity throughout the novel, takes a more dangerous edge in this chapter
-Mr. And Mrs. Wainwright confront the Joads with the possibility that Al could get their daughter pregnant, leaving her without support
-the two announce their engagement but this is not joyous news because Steinbeck contrasts this news with the pregnancy of Rose of Sharon, who is ready to deliver her child without her husband or any means of support
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
-the migrant workers must face another hardship
-the coming of the rains is the end of the harvest season
-the migrant workers now face starvation, and they cannot receive any government relief
-Steinbeck shows how the treatment of these workers is not only inhumane, but below even the treatment of livestock
-he makes a point that no farm owner would leave his horse to starve when it was not used
-the farm owners are doing just that for the migrant labor force
CHAPTER THIRTY
-the Joads are caught between two opposing events in this chapter
-1. They face the possibility of flooding from the nearby creek
-2. They cannot leave because Rose of Sharon goes into labor
-one solution to their problems depends on the community action—the rest of the families must pitch in to build up the banks of the river to stop the flooding
-most of the families suggest leaving, reasoning that they have no obligation to help Rose of Sharon—only the Joads help the effort and defend themselves
-the stream still floods and the family is forced to take shelter on top of their car
-Mrs. Wainwright comments that there are now greater concerns than family—a collectivist stance
-it has taken great hardship and poverty for them to realize that the small, isolated groups of families must come together for united action
-the birth of Rose of Sharon’s child carries significant symbolic meaning
-for Rose of Sharon, this child has represented the possibilities for the future, yet the baby is stillborn (dead)
-this parallels the Joad’s journey to California—they have faced incredible hardship and pain striving for a better future, yet their sacrifices lead to nothing
-an allusion to Moses occurs when Uncle John places the dead child in a box and sends it down the river
-the final scene of the book is meant to give the read some hope
-debilitated Rose of Sharon breastfeeds the starving man in the barn to sustain him
-she gives what was meant for her baby to a complete stranger—an example of selfless sacrifice for the sake of the community instead of individual well-being
-it took personal loss, the stillborn child, to enable Rose of Sharon to help the man
-she care for the complete stranger with the same love as she would her child—her selfish individual concerns change for the communal good
BY JOHN STEINBECK
CHAPTER ONE
-foreshadowing of the hardship to come
-dust storm overwhelms Oklahoma, clouding the air and blocking out the sun
-when the storm ends it is the beginning of the hardship for Oklahoma farmers
-hopelessness – no solution for the farmers, who are resigned to their fate
-1st chapter gives the novel and epic tone and reminds us the book has a historical basis
CHAPTER TWO
-the transport truck is a symbol of corporate domination
-Tom Joad picks up on the idea of business as cold and heartless when he asks the truck driver for a ride
-Steinbeck is critical of business and the rich
-the truck driver is isolated and bored to the point of near insanity
-Tom Joad, recently released from prison, wears prison-issued clothing, having few possession with him
-Joad is a shrewd but uneducated man
-strain of anti-elitism in the novel and contempt of big business and the rich
-Tom and the truck driver discuss the use of language and says a preacher who uses big words can be trusted but others who use big words only try to obscure and confuse
CHAPTER THREE
-turtle is a metaphor for the working class farmers
-turtle plods along dutifully, but is consistently confronted with danger and setbacks
-dangers posed to the turtle are those of modern times and business (cars and buildings of highways
-the truck that hits the turtle is a symbol of big business and commerce
-The Joad family will experience similar travels as the turtle, they plod along only wishing to survive, yet are brutally pushed aside by corporate interests
CHAPTER FOUR
-Jim Casy is introduced as the moral voice of the novel and its religious center
-he is a religious icon, a philosopher and a prophet
-Steinbeck considers him to be the Christ figure interpreting Steinbeck’s religious doctrine. Jim Casy = J.C.
-Talking about dogma and scripture as well as a strict moral code, Casy finds the rules and regulations of Christian teaching too confining and not applicable to any actual situation
-example – Casy talks about his sins with the women he converts
-his actions worried him, he felt guilt and responsibility towards the women he was trying to convert to Jesus.
-he finally comes to the conclusion that “maybe it’s just the way folks is”
-Casy’s moral code is without any definition
-he denies the existence of virtue and vice (good and bad) saying “there’s just stuff people do. It’s all part of the same thing.”
-Casy’s final conclusion is that all men and women are the Holy Spirit, connected by one common soul. (Emerisonian philosophy – the Over-Soul—all people are joined together in the spirit—the over-soul is one soul that animates all people)
-Casy believes that “All that lives is holy”
-Joad paraphrased Casy’s speeches by saying “he went out in the wilderness to find his soul, and he found he just got a little piece of a great big soul.”
-Steinbeck believes that we should all help each other out and we are at our best as human beings when we are cooperating with each other. When we are all working together we are holy.
-Steinbeck focuses on the common people politically as well as with themes of poverty during the Great Depression, and as religious entities
-Casy may not know Jesus but he does know the common people and believes them to be the representation of god
-They both (Casy and Tom) dislike concrete religious teachings
-Tom’s description of prison emphasizes the poverty of his family
-prison ensured that he would be fed and cared for
-as he reenters society, he has no guarantee
-Tom’s family obtaining their home emphasizes their poverty
-all Tom can do is accept his poverty
CHAPTER FIVE
-arrival of the bankers in a foreshadowing event
-Steinbeck believes that banks have no redeeming value
-they have no human characteristics, are monstrosities that breath profits and can never be filled
-the bank is made by men but is more powerful and separate from people
-it is a destructive force that looks for short term profits at the expense of the land
-it will destroy the land through cotton production which will drain the land of its resources
-the tractors that come over the land are indiscriminate and hostile
-they violently slice the ground with their blades
-it is compared to raping the land (passionless intrusion unconnected with human emotion)
-Steinbeck says it is a personal connection to the land that determines ownership
-this critique of the bank shows the behavior of the employees as excusable
-they are caught in something larger than themselves
-they are slaves to the company
-the farmers cannot defend the land because they would be murdering men who are not responsible for their fate
-they can only leave
-the tractor drivers have to work to somehow feed their families
-they are not responsible for what they do and they are also controlled by a larger force
-this is an example of a controlling corporate system
-even if a farmer wanted to stop the bank, he could not target one individual or small group
-nothing the farmer would do would stop the process of evictions. The people are helpless
CHAPTER SIX
-Tom and Casy return to the Joad home which appears unfriendly, empty, and for Tom this is unnatural.
-the family has left the home
-Muley Graves says that no one can stop the banks
-Muley accepts his fate and enter into a state of resignation
-Muley reminds us of a ghost who lives on the outskirts of society wanders the land. He has already lost is wife and children.
-He demonstrates the dehumanizing quality of the banks’ intrusion
-Tom tells Casy and Muley that he has not be rehabilitated by his jail term and is still capable of violence
-this foreshadows later developments—if provoked, Tom could react violently and possibly kill again
-Muley says that the only type of government force that can manipulate human behavior is the capitalist system—the margin of profit
-corporate system is the real controlling force of society, more powerful than any citizen or group of citizens but the corporate system has no real concern for them
-Tom, Casy and Muley are in danger by spending the night on the property
-they are trespassing and must hide in a cave in order to protect themselves from the deputies.
CHAPTER SEVEN
-car dealerships—another part of the business system
-the owners of these dealerships mean to exploit impoverished buyers
-they do not profit from selling cars that last, but from finding ill-repaired vehicles, giving them the appearance of reliability and pawning them off on desperate farmers wishing to get to California
-no compassion in car sells, but rather a perpetual cycle of exploitation
-this shows was the Joad family experienced (as well as other families) to get their car to go west
CHAPTER EIGHT
-members of the Joad family are tough, crude and hardened by life’s experiences
-Uncle John has gone nearly mad from losing his wife to illness
-Pa Joad is sullen and withdrawn
-Grampa is angry and bitter to even stay in the house
-Ma Joad retains some level of warmth and compassion
-Tom remarks that even his Ma has changed because recently she has had her house pushed over and had to sell everything she owned
-Granma and Grampa Joad are mean, tough people
-Steinbeck glories the common person—the population as a whole exemplifies what is holy—(Casy’s speech at dinner)
-when people move from the common good—that is when they become unholy
-Ma Joad says that there might be hope if everybody became angry enough to rise up against the money interests
-Steinbeck takes a socialist viewpoint, placing emphasis on the common good over individual interests
CHAPTER NINE
-the sale of personal items is a demeaning process, for the farmers must accept extremely low prices for their outdated possession
-Steinbeck says, “You’re not buying only junk, you’re buying junk lives.”
-this is another example of the dehumanizing effects of the Depression foreclosures
-the situation is hopeless; there is no possibility of starting over
-the people leaving must give up those objects that have sentimental value out of simply necessity
-another example of loss of human characteristics
CHAPTER TEN
-the Joad family dynamic-relatives of three generations
-Grampa is the nominal head, but exert no special influence
-Ma Joad is the dominating moral force
-she says the Jim Casy can travel with them to California
-Tom Joad is the main character, Ma Joad is the story’s moral center as she reminds everyone that they have greater concerns than just their own interests—they cannot refuse food or shelter to anyone
-Ma Joad appears to be the main victim of the move to California
-she must leave behind the memories that she treasures
-Grampa, refuses to leave, but out of bitter energy
-Ma Joad has a great weariness in leaving
-Grampa’s refusal to leave highlights how important the land is for the people
-it is unimaginable to leave the area where he was born and raised—but he has no option
-if he were to remain he would cease to exist as a human
CHAPTER ELEVEN
-the new means of cotton production overtaking the farms
-fate of the tractors contrasts with the farmers who once worked the land
-tractors and drivers have no connection to the land, little understanding and no relationship with it
-farmers have a deep and long-standing affection and love for the land on which they lived and worked every day
-tractors are inhuman
CHAPTER TWELVE
-Steinbeck foreshadows a number of problems that the Joad family will face on their travels to California
-highlights the problems the people will have with their cars and the possibility of breakdowns of unreliable vehicles
-the final destination in California may not solve the Joad’s problems
-they may be turned back from the California border, even if they reach it
-it is an overcrowded job market for migrant workers in California
-getting to California will not necessarily mean that the Joad’s problems will be solved
-getting to California will not mean that the Joad’s will be in an even marginally better situation than they were in Oklahoma
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
-1st stop reinforces that idea that the Joad’s may not find work when they reach California
because of a filled labor market
-they are better off than some travelers because they can at least pay for gas
-Casy says that the nation faces a nearly unconquerable enemy—the capitalist system
-this enemy does not allow normal people to make a decent living
-early in the journey, the Joad suffer a tragic loss, the family dog becomes the first victim on the journey
-this foreshadows the further losses that the family may suffer
-Steinbeck foreshadows problems the family may back when Tom mentions parole violations
-Tom is only in danger if he commits another crime—which may eventually arise
-the next death is of a family member—Grampa dies from a stroke
-it is likely the separation from Oklahoma helps Grampa died so soon
-Casy is called upon to perform the duties of a preacher even though he no longer believes in preaching
-Casy is best suited for the role as a preacher, despite his disenchantment with religion
-a novel theme is the collective interests that these displaced families find their strength
-the agreement between the Joad’s and the Wilson’s to help each other on the way to California is a significant plot development
-Steinbeck shows this as the first building block in a collectivist scheme which seems to support the working class people who have come together for their collective interests
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
-an explicit political statement is made concerning the migration to the west coast
-owners and controlling powers fear the changes that are at hand and threaten their interests
-owners are the causes of this change by forcing the farmer from their land, they have created the hunger that afflicts them
-Steinbeck says a man is defined by what he creates and what work he does, and most importantly, by his ability for improvement
-Steinbeck warns against the time when mankind does not strive for improvement
-Steinbeck says that mankind is distinguished because men’s actions can go beyond oneself
-this chapter also adverse relationship between the owners and the working classes
-owners exploit individual interests in order to destroy the collective good
-by forcing men to consider only their self-interest, the owners prevent the possibility that the collective interest may form the revolution
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
-for people who own the diners and other businesses on Route 66, the migrant workers are a burden on them
-the people who work on Route 66 view the migrant families with a conflicting sense of loathing and compassion
-they see them as shiftless and threatening, yet they take pity on them
-part of the compassion stems from impatience
-it is easier to give the migrant families what they want and send them on their way
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
-Rose of Sharon is a stark contrast to the rest of the characters
-she is the only adult character who retains some sense of hope for their future
-she believes in the possibility of living a decent life with her husband and eventual child
-the other characters expect only a meager survival from California
-Rose of Sharon hopes to live the traditional American dream
-she is the one beacon of hope in the Joad family
-Al, the younger brother, is defensive and combative, consistently worried that others will blame him for problems with the car
-Ma Joad is again the center of the Joad family when she demands that they not leave Tom and Casy behind (even temporarily)
-Ma Joad emphasizes the idea that the strength comes from unity of the family
-Steinbeck makes it clear that once the Joad’s reach California they may not find work
-Casy says that he has seen many travel west but no one is travelling back east
-a ragged man that the Joads mean at the campground confirm this fear
-worse than a crowded labor market if the presumed opportunities for jobs that are not there
-this induces too many workers to fill positions and drive down wages
-the ragged man says the Joads will face worse fate in California than they did in Oklahoma
-revealing this information, the ragged man is immediately said to be a labor agitator
-this is a label given to those who expose social injustices
-the one-eyed man is grotesque and his introduction is a break from the realistic depiction of the Joad’s experiences
-Steinbeck gives him a personality and a history to emphasize the importance of all working people
-Tom interaction with the one-eyed man shows that he is forthright and direct—he will not shy away from standing up to a person, a quality that gives him an air of authority but may prove dangerous
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
-the society of the migrant workers is somewhat idealized as a society that forms spontaneously
-it is a communal society, one with rules and regulations determining polite behavior and enabling the various, desperate families to find common interests
-Steinbeck uses this campground life to build a utopian society in which displays of wealth are shunned, equality is important and no real ruling class emerges
-the ruling class become the elderly, who rule from wisdom and experience
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
-arrival in California is anticlimactic at best
-the Joads cross the border only to enter the harsh California desert
-they must journey farther to reach the orange groves
-the migrant workers are loathed, and there still remains the problems of the wealthy corporate interests
-the Joad’s problems will not be solved in California
-the rich owners have wealth, but they suffer from loneliness and fear
-Noah, Tom’s brother, decides to leave the family. He will stay at the river and support himself by fishing (Noah decides to leave society rather than be crushed by it)
-this loss demonstrates the sense of hopelessness that has set in
-Ma Joad once again takes charge by ordering the Jehovites to leave them alone and confronting the deputies who threaten her
-the deputies are the first to call them “Okies”
-this hatred is made even more evident by the boy at the gas station, who remarks that the Okies are less than human
-members of the family become more tense
-Rose of Sharon and Connie are bothered by the lack of privacy
-Uncle John worries that he may be the cause of the family’s troubles
-the death of Granma Joad is significant for it shows just how much Ma Joad can bear
-this event forces her to confront and intimidate several police officers and hide Granma’s fate from the rest of the family
CHAPTER NINETEEN
-Steinbeck traces the history of California which is fraught with slavery and oppression
-Americans took the land from the Mexicans
-then put Asian workers into virtual slavery
-then condemned the Okies who were forced to build shantytowns
-Steinbeck believes that this capitalist owner class will be overthrown
-he says the accumulation of wealth in too few hands will deprive the population to such a degree that they have no choice but to revolt
CHAPTER TWENTY
-the cruelty of the California police is evident in this chapter
-the Mayor has been subjected to continuous torture by the police, which has driven him insane
-the reason for this torture is simple: it is an attempt by the police to prevent the migrant workers form settling in California
-if the migrant workers were to settle down, they could vote and have political power
-if the migrants have no permanent residence, they cannot organize and threaten the ruling business class
-anyone who opposes the police or the business class is labeled a labor agitator and placed on a blacklist, preventing him from working anywhere
-police can murder migrant workers because they have no name, no property and no power
-the family loses Connie Rivers who abandons his pregnant wife
-he leaves out of selfishness
-he believes that he would have been better off staying in Oklahoma and he can make a better life for himself away from the Joads
-this is treason for the Joads
-Connie believes that he can rise to a middle-class lifestyle
-Ma Joad remains the center of authority, generous and just
-she gives away some food to starving children when her family cannot afford to spare food themselves and she even defends Connie
-Connie’s selfish behavior is reflected in Uncle John’s behavior
-he has held out from the family by keeping $5.00 for himself in order to get drunk
-even though he behaves selfishly he still makes some sacrifices for the family by giving up more than half of his money
-his behavior is because of guilt rather than a lack of concern for the family
-the government camps give hope to the Joad family
-they are safe terrain where they cannot be bothered by intimidating police officer and they can expect some comforts
-there is a sudden outbreak of violence but Tom does little more than trip the deputy while Casy knocks him unconscious
-the deputy causes the real havoc by inadvertently shooting an innocent woman
-Casy takes Tom’s place as the scapegoat for the crime
-he sacrifices himself to save Tome
-his role as a spiritual martyr is fulfilled (he will return at the end of the novel)
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
-this chapter shows some of the tactics that the great owners used in order to make profits at the expense of working class farmers
-Steinbeck predicts that the result of this will be a working class uprising (this is the product of perpetual poverty and oppression)
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
-government camp life proves a shocking interruption to the consistent hardships that have plagued the Joad family
-in the government camp, people are polite and well-mannered toward the Joads
-the few problems in Weedpatch (the government camp) are handled in a fair and organized manner
-the camp represents a communal society in which everyone has an equal share and an equal voice
-while not a perfect place, the government camp is a comfortable community where the Joads can live respectably
-degree of comfort Weedpatch affords is reflected in the return to a normal rhythm that occurs among the Joads
-Ruthie and Winfield can play like small children
-Uncle John’s depression is manageable
-Rose of Sharon begins to worry about her unborn child as she focuses
on the child’s immediate fate
-Ma Joad can comprehend the losses that the family has suffered and
mourn the two deaths and two desertions
-before reaching camp, Ma Joad can only be concern about her own survival, at camp she has the luxury of processing what has happened since leaving Oklahoma
-the degree of poverty to which the Joads and other migrant workers are subjected is reflected by the amazement that they show to the simple camp amenities
-the presence of toilets, running water, showers, and camp appliances
-once again the banking elite causes needless hardship for the migrant workers
-the Farmer’s Association (which the banks control) demands that wage be reduced
-the Farmer’s Association is responsible for most of the hardship and oppression of the migrant workers
-the Farmer’s Association does not treat the migrant workers fairly, for it they are treated well the migrant workers will demand more
-the Farmer’s Association plans underhanded activities to cause trouble in the government camps and even try to shut them down
-their plan is to sabotage the government camp by instigating a fight which will allow the deputies to enter to disrupt and shutdown Weedpatch
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
-this chapter shows some of the simple details of the life of migrant workers
-amusement and diversion helped to relieve their hardships
-drunkenness was common—it softened the loneliness and pain
-it serves as a type of suicide, dulling the man into a drunken stupor and then
finally sleep
-Steinbeck says, “death was a friend, and sleep was death’s brother.”
-we can directly relate this to the drunkenness of Uncle John
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
-this chapter continues to talk about Weedpatch and its society and how the residents maintain order
-interaction between residents if fair and orderly
-hierarchy has emerged among various heads of committees and residents which is based on mutual respect
-committee leaders do not issue orders—they offer advice and counsel to residents
-orderly workings of Weedpatch society are shown in how they deal with the intruders during the dance
-no outbreak of violence
-committee members deal with the situation calmly, defusing it and refusing to allow the deputies and intruders at the dance to instigate a violent riot
-Steinbeck rejects the justification of the intruders actions—they say they had accepted bribes to start a riot simple to support themselves
-this motive is self-interest and according to Steinbeck, individualist concerns are characterized as selfish and detrimental to the common good of all—which is in contrast to selfless collective behavior
-the intruders are the most extreme example of a selfish attitude
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
-Steinbeck continues to present us with the metaphor decay
-the decay of ripening fruit is juxtaposed to the decay among the elite business class
-they go to great length to make sure their fruits were ripe and protected against disease but were the responsible for the rot of the fruit
-by having too much fruit and forcing the price of the fruit too high, when others had too little money to buy it, they have ensured that nobody would be able to purchase the fruit
-the business elite have engineered their own destruction
-other victims are children who die from disease for their parents cannot afford the fruit
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
-the comfortable situation the Joads find at Weedpatch must come to an end
-the Joads realize they cannot find work in this area and must move on
-they move on to the Hooper ranch, where they no longer have the amenities of the government camp nor a sense of a strong community
-this retreat from the strong society of the government camp is reflected in the breakdown of the Joad family
-Ma Joad even realizes that the family is breaking apart
-Al has little concern for anyone else
-Pa Joad makes significant comment about gender roles, and is saddened that he
no longer runs the family
-Ma makes it clear that his role has changed because he no longer fulfills his
duties as husband and father
-Ma is the only Joad who fulfills her obligations to the family—she is the
caretaker and moral center—she has the right to make decisions for the family
-Pa suffers this major lost—he no longer has the right t make decisions for the
family and must subordinate himself to his wife
-Ma Joad is not strong enough to prevent the gradual breaking up of the Joad household
-Al appears ready to abandon the Joad family next—he is more concerned with finding a girlfriend and a steady job working on cars than helping the family support themselves
-his dreams of success and steady employment remind us of Connie
-Rose of Sharon descends into paranoid religious hysteria—she fears for the safety of her unborn child and feels that the murder Tom has committed will permanently scar her child with sin
-the two children (Winfield and Ruthie) begin to noticeably suffer—Winfield becomes sick because of being deprived of necessary food and nutrients
-conditions at the Hooper Ranch are worse than the government camp
-the Joads have a roof over their heads and are paid sufficient wages
-the store owner at the ranch raises the prices for items because it is the only nearby store
-the wages for the migrant workers are good because of the strike
-Ma Joad makes the observation at the grocery store that it is only the poor who will help out other impoverished people
-the clerk at the store then will help her out
-the owners of the grocery store will exploit the worker through inflated prices
-the strike sets the scene for another tragedy for the Joad family
-Tom finds the striking workers and is reunited with Jim Casy, who is a labor activists
-Casy’s lost religious zeal has been transformed into working-class activism, which has been fueled by his experiences in jail and traveling to California
-Casy is the crusader for the cause of the mistreated migrant workers—he has developed a fiery conviction concerning the justice of his cause
-Steinbeck makes is clear that these activist are facing certain doom, but will be vindicated eventually
-Casy will sacrifice his life for this cause in this chapter—he will be the victim of a brutal murder at the hands of the police
-Casy had been a martyr for the Joad family and now is a martyr for the entire class that the Joad’s represent
-the effect of Casy’s martyrdom is that Tom must not leave the Hooper ranch to escape capture from the police (Tom kills the man that had killed Casy) if Tom is captured they will kill him on the spot (perhaps a lynching)
-Ma Joad once again binds the family together—she chooses to risk safety of the entire family to preserve whatever unity the family has left—Ma insists that they leave the Hooper Ranch as a family as she hides Tom
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
-Steinbeck, in this chapter, exposes several frauds in the farming system
-owners who hire cotton pickers make sure that the pickers receive less compensation than they deserve
-they keep them in debt by making them pay for cotton bags beforehand
-the system is made to maximize profit, no matter the cost to the migrant worker
-the migrant workers must stand up to the men who weigh the cotton to ensure that they are paid fairly
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
-Joads settle into a temporary home-a boxcar
-they find their routine disrupted when Ruthie reveals the secret about Tom
-the cause of her(Ruthie’s) fight is her arrogance—by eating her candy in the open, she offended the other children who were starving
-Tom’s decision to leave the family is inevitable—by remaining with the family he endangers them and cannot contribute
-Tom leaves the family with a new purpose that is a combination of political and spiritual belief
-he accepts Casy’s belief that there is o individual soul, only a collective soul of which each person has a part
-he vows to continue Casy’s struggle for the better treatment of the migrant workers
-this is a turning point for Tom—for he previously was an individualist and for himself and his family, but now he works for the common good of all
-Ma Joad says good-bye to Tom and is once again seen as the center of the Joad family
-she advises Tom to go alone rather than keeping the family together
-she knows that the family unity is insignificant without the greater society unity for which Tom will strive
-Tom is the character the Ma Joad has shown the most affection—but she will not weep over his departure
-at the moment she realizes that she cannot cry, the rain begins to fall which reflects her emotional state
-Steinbeck suggests that women such as Ma Joad are better equipped to handle change and pain than the men
-men have railed against their fate in this novel
-Uncle John and Connie have deserted the family
-Grampa died when he was forced to leave Oklahoma
-Ma Joad has accepted the changes she has faced—she says that women can accept change because it is inevitable
-women do not have the illusion that they control their own destinies
-women are less shaken when they are presented with hardship
-Al Joad, displaying immaturity throughout the novel, takes a more dangerous edge in this chapter
-Mr. And Mrs. Wainwright confront the Joads with the possibility that Al could get their daughter pregnant, leaving her without support
-the two announce their engagement but this is not joyous news because Steinbeck contrasts this news with the pregnancy of Rose of Sharon, who is ready to deliver her child without her husband or any means of support
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
-the migrant workers must face another hardship
-the coming of the rains is the end of the harvest season
-the migrant workers now face starvation, and they cannot receive any government relief
-Steinbeck shows how the treatment of these workers is not only inhumane, but below even the treatment of livestock
-he makes a point that no farm owner would leave his horse to starve when it was not used
-the farm owners are doing just that for the migrant labor force
CHAPTER THIRTY
-the Joads are caught between two opposing events in this chapter
-1. They face the possibility of flooding from the nearby creek
-2. They cannot leave because Rose of Sharon goes into labor
-one solution to their problems depends on the community action—the rest of the families must pitch in to build up the banks of the river to stop the flooding
-most of the families suggest leaving, reasoning that they have no obligation to help Rose of Sharon—only the Joads help the effort and defend themselves
-the stream still floods and the family is forced to take shelter on top of their car
-Mrs. Wainwright comments that there are now greater concerns than family—a collectivist stance
-it has taken great hardship and poverty for them to realize that the small, isolated groups of families must come together for united action
-the birth of Rose of Sharon’s child carries significant symbolic meaning
-for Rose of Sharon, this child has represented the possibilities for the future, yet the baby is stillborn (dead)
-this parallels the Joad’s journey to California—they have faced incredible hardship and pain striving for a better future, yet their sacrifices lead to nothing
-an allusion to Moses occurs when Uncle John places the dead child in a box and sends it down the river
-the final scene of the book is meant to give the read some hope
-debilitated Rose of Sharon breastfeeds the starving man in the barn to sustain him
-she gives what was meant for her baby to a complete stranger—an example of selfless sacrifice for the sake of the community instead of individual well-being
-it took personal loss, the stillborn child, to enable Rose of Sharon to help the man
-she care for the complete stranger with the same love as she would her child—her selfish individual concerns change for the communal good
# posted by Sister Pat / English @ 2:36 PM 
