Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Grapes of Wrath Study Questions

1. What are the causes that contribute to the changes in the character of the migrant people?

The fact that they were constantly moving changed them, they didn't have any food and there children were starving which is what really changed them. Preventing your children from starving can cause you to do crazy things.


2. As a result of the growing numbers of migrant people, what changes take place in the locals?

They were scared, all these people were coming to there land starving and the hunger was driving them mad. The locals were worried for there safety and for there land so they joined together to defend themselves against the "invaders". They became cruel and would do very cruel things to fight off the Okies.


3. How are the “little people” of California similar to the “Okies”?

The little people are small farm owners in california who aren't getting any buisness because the huge farms ran by the monster own canneries and bigger farms so they make all the money, they are going through very similar problems that the okies went through and when they have to leave there land they are forced to live on the road just like the Okies have to.


4. Explain this quote: “The great landowners were glad . . . And pretty soon now we’ll have serfs again.”

The large farm and land owners had suceeded in getting tons of very hungry and desperate okies to come work with them for very little money. And even though all this hunger and poverty was happening around them they were happy that they didn't have to pay the farmers hardly anything.



CHAPTER 22
5. What are the major differences between Weedpatch and the Hoovervilles?

Weed patch is much nicer, it is a government supported camp and cops can not get in, and everything is clean and kept organized, Hooverville is dirty and unorganized there are no laws and cops come and burn people out all the time. The people are animals, they live in carboard boxes and tents.


6. Is Weedpatch Steinbeck’s version of Paradise? Is there a serpent? Explain your answers.


For the poeple on the road this place is like paradise, they have been living on the side of the street, and dirty places like hooverville. You don't have to pay to live there you just have to work, and people can contine there jobs without trouble. The serpent is the people, they run the camp.


7. Timothy invites Tom to join Wilkie and him at work, even though it means fewer hours for the Wallaces. How does this action contribution to the “we” theme of the novel?

They are not only thinking about themselves but also other people. They know what its like to not have work and to be starving so they are trying to help tom and the joads by telling Tom about a job even though it means they might get paid less. They are a perfect example of "we".


8. What is the connection between the Bank of the West and the Farmer’s Association? How does the landowner explain this to the men?

The famers association is owned by the bank of the West. Thomas wants to pay people more then 25 cents but he can't because the land that he doesn't own the bank owns and its only allowing him to pay 25 cents and hour.


9. Why does the Association dislike the government camps?

They don't allow the cops in there to burn them down and run the okies out, and they are scared that the okies will organize them.

10. What does Ma mean when she says, “We come home to our own people . . . Why, I feel like people again,”?

She is realizing that people really do have feelings, and that not everyone is only looking out for themselves. She is discovering the "we" and no longer only seeing the "i".


11. Describe the atmosphere at Ma’s tent. What contributes to that atmosphere?

Pa isn't used to people around him being this generous, he is used to people lying and stealing so when the manager comes by and asks for a cup of coffe Pa is very stand offish because he thinks that the man wants something else, Ma on the other hand is worried that they are not good enough for this nice camp, she thinks they are too dirty.


12. What does the “sin-woman” represent? How does Rose of Sharon react? How does Ma deal with her when she appears again?

It represents sin, she is the kind of person who thinks taking part in anything pleasurable is a sin which means that she thinks everyone who lives in the camp is a sinner. This women frightens rose of Sharon and Ma gets extremely angry and tell hers to leave.


13. The members of the “committee” have a sense of self-importance. Is self-importance of value? Explain.

Well you have to be elected by the people to be in the commitie, people who are elected will feel self important and will carry out there jobs with honor and if they don't then someone else will. The women select a different chairwoman every week and self importance is very important for that particular task.


14. How do the children handle adapting to their new environment?

Winfiled is doing much better then Ruthie, Ruthie takes over a game that they are playing and scares away the rest of the children, winfield does not act as rowdly and is praised for it. Ruthie starts to feel left out because the children don't seem to like her.


15. What do Pa, Al, and John discover about the availability of work?

They found out that there is absolutely no work still.


16. After their emotionally torturous ordeal, what are Ma and Pa finally realizing?

That they have finally founs a nice place without trouble but they can't help but think about those they lost on the way and they wonder if they survived.


17. The family is temporarily happy. What events foreshadow the problems to come?

They start talking about ducks moving south which means winter is coming and living in a tent int he winter will not be easy to survive in.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Grapes of Wrath 15-17

Chapter 15:

Summary- This chapter is set in restaurant, Mae is the waitress and the cooks name is Al. Mae likes to watch the cars go by hoping that the truckers will stop because they tip very generously. One day when two truckers arrive at the restaurant Mae starts conversing with them about all the people moving west. As she is talking to the truckers about this one of those farmers walks in with his two sons and asks for some bread. Mae was just telling the truckers that all these farmers were thieves so she tells the farmer that this isn't a grocery store and says she won't sell him the bread but Al tell hers to do it so she does. Then she sells him two pieces of candy for the boys for a penny. When the truckers see this they decided to give Mae and extra big tip.

Characters:
Mae
Al
2 Truckers
Farmer
The famers two sons

Theme:

We vs. I- Everybody is coming together because it is the only way to survive.

People vs. Molach(monster)- Everyone has to move west, without hardly any money or food, because the monster has kicked them out of there homes.

Chapter 16:

Summary- The joads and the Wilsons continue there journey, and finally reach California. Connie and Rose of Sharon discuss there plans for California, Connie plans to take night classes and work during the day and they want to buy a house for themselves but Ma, who is big on sticking together as an entire family, doesn't like this idea. The wilsons car breaks down again and tom and casey offer to stay behind and get it fixed and then meet up with the family and the men of the family agree but Ma would not allow it at all. She does not want to break up the family at all. So the family and the extended family wait behind as Tom and Al go into town to buy some parts. They arrive at a car lot where they meet a very unhappy one eyed man. He doesn't wear a patch or anything he just leaves his empty eye socket out in the open for everyone to see. They begin talking to the man about moving to california and he seems to be very sad and has given up on life in a way, tom tells him to buck up and cover his eye and go make something of his life. But the man continues to whine about his terrible life. The boys arrive back at the camp that night after getting the car fixed a lot faster then they expected. The owner of the campy tells them that they have to pay for the extra car even though the rest of there family already paid. They start conversing about there voyage to california and another man tells them that there isn't as much work as they think and then tells them that his wife and children starved to death becase they went to california and couldn't find work so he couldn't feed his family.

Characters-
Joad Family
Wilson Family
Casey
One eyed man
Camp owner

Themes:
People vs. Molach

Strength of woman- Although the decisions are all made through the men, Ma easily changes the decision because family is the most important thing to her.

Importance of family- Ma is not going to leave without her son so the family waits for them to fix the car before they leave. Also she does not want Connie and Rose of Sharon to go off and do there own thing in California because she wants the family to stick together.

Chapter 17:

Summary- Its a symbolic chapter, all the families are starting to form together as they move westward, and the camps along the road have become litte communities. families are extening to 10 to 20 families becoming one. They all have there own rules and ways of living.

Characters-
No major characters

Themes-
People vs. Molach

We vs I

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Grapes of Wrath Chap. 12-14

Chapter 12:

Summary- The attention again is brought onto the struggeling tenant farmers who are all driving down route 66 trying to get to california. The farmers are again getting cheated for their parts for there cars by salesman. A story about a family who didn't have a car only a trailor was told, and that family when to the side of the road and was eventually picked up by another car and taken to california. Although they struggle to get from one service station to the next people are making it to California.

Characters-
Farmers moving to California

Themes-

People vs. Molach- the famers were getting cheated by the salesman for tires, but they have to get cheated in order to survive.

Chapter 13:

Summary- While the Joads are traveling down route 66 Al is watching the engine and making sure everything is in tip top shape, they stop at an old service station to get some gas and water because they left there water back at home. At the service station they meet the owner, who is running and old station that has been losing buisness because of all the new corprate chains of gas stations. While the family is getting water and getting gas there dog gets hit by a car, it frightens rose of Sharon as she screams when it happens. The owner of the service station agrees to bury the dog for the family and the family leaves, they drive through Oklahoma city, and everyone is the truck is mesmerized by the city. They decided to stop at the side of the road and camp, and they meet Ivy Wilson and his wife Sairy. They ask if they can share the side of the road with them, and they say its alright. Grampa isn't feeling well so the family gives them there tent and he ends up having a stroke and dying. A funeral is held, and grampa is buried. The two families decide to go to california together, and the joads say they will help fix there car.

Character:

Joad Family
Kacey
Ivy Wilson
Sairy Wilson
Service station owner

Theme:
People vs. Molach(monster)- Ther service station owner is losing buissness because of all the new corporate chain gas stations, he tries to paint it to make it look like all the new fancy gas stations but he does not suceed. All the new big stations are taking over and are probably owned by the bank. The bank is taking over all the small buisnesses as well.

Importance of land- The land was all that grampa knew so when he left he died because he didn't know how to live without the land.

Chap. 14:

Summary- The families heading west have taken over every ditch and road on the way to California. And the people of the west don't really know what is going on or why they are coming. And they are starting to get worried and frightened cause all of these people are just showing up, without reason.

Characters- Farmers and there families moving west

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Grapes of Wrath Chap. 10/11

Chap.10:

Summary- Since everyone has left for town, Tom and Ma start talking about California. Tom warns his mother that he heard there wasn't as much good work as everyone is saying there is. But Ma tells him about the handbill, and the subject is changed when Grandpa comes down and Ma helps him dress. The rest of the family arrive back from town pretty upset because they only made $18 off of all there belongings. They all meet by the car for a family meeting, Tom brings up that Casey wants to go to California with them and Grandpa says that bringing a preacher might be bad luck but they decide that he can come. The family begins to pack up for there trip and Ma starts salting the meat. The family starts getting ready to leave, and Muley shows up and Grandpa decides he wants to stay and live on the land like him. But the family slips medicine in his coffe, and the family leaves the farm.

Characters:
Tom
Casey
Ma joad
Old Tom Joad
Al
Rose of Charon
Connie
Muley
Noah
Ruthie
Winfield
Grandma
Grampa

Themes:

Importance of Land to the people- The land has no longer become the center point for the family, it is now there truck because they are being forced to leave. The land is so important to Grampa though that he decides he wants to stay and live on it because he is the land.

Importance of family- Family is very important to the Joads, and each person has an individual role which shows in there family meeting.

Chapter 11:

Summary- After the farmers leave their land, the land in a way loses its importance. The new workers do not have a connetction to the land, all they do is drive a tractor over it. The men ar no longer one with the land, and all of there old houses have been taken over by animals and other things.

Characters:
Not main characters

Theme:
We vs. I- all the we, the old farmers, have left and now the farms have been taken over by the I and the importance of the land to the people is lost.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Grapes of Wrath chap. 8/9

Chap.8

Summary: Tom and Casey walk to Toms uncles house, while walking tom tells casey the story behind Uncle John and his wife dying because her appendex burst. When they arrive at the house Tom sees his dad outside working on the truck that they will be taking to california. Tom reunites with his father and two decide to surprise his mother. They walk into the house and at first Ma does't take a good look at Tom but then she really sees him and is overjoyed that he is home. She is worred though that he has gone mad from being in prison and questions whether or not he escaped. Then Tom reunites with his grandparents, and they all sit down for breakfast where Casey has to say grace even though he is not a priest anymore. Al, toms brother arrives at the house, and tom is told that his two youngest siblings have gone to town with Uncle John. Toms sister Sharon has married and is expecting a baby.

Characters:
Tom
Casey
Old Tom
Ma
Grandma joad
Grandpa joad
Al
Ruthie
Winfield
Sharon

Themes:
Importance of family- Tom has finally reuinted with his family and they are all extremely overjoyed to see him. Ma didn't want to leave to California because she was worried tom would never find them but when he arrives at the farm she was more than excited

Chapter 9:

Summary- The tenant farmers are raising money for there trip to california but they are having a very difficult time. They have to pawn off all of there belongings and they do not get very much money for it at all. The famers have to return home to thier wives and tell them that they have sold most of ther belongings for hardly any money. The wives do not want to give up some of there special possesions, but they have to in order to make the trip.

Characters:
Tenant famers
Thier wives

Themes:
The importance of the land to the poeple- These families do not want to give up their land but they have to along with the majority of there possesions.

People vs. Molach(monster)- These men have to sell all of there possesions in order to afford to leave for california because they have nowhere else to go because they have been kicked off their land.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Chapter 6/7

Chap.6
Summary: Tom and Casey arrive at the Joad family farm only to see that it is untouched and the majority of the neighbors have left. They run into Muley Graves, who tells them that the Joad family have moved into Toms uncles johns house, and they are picking cotton in order to raise enough money for a car so they can go to California. Muleys family has already left, and Casey nags at him for not going with them. Muley then explains that a large company has bought the land. They see a police car coming so they hide, so they don't get in trouble for tresspassing. They then go to a cave where Muley has been sleeping and stay there for the night.

Characters:
Tom Joad- a man returning from prison, going back to his family farm.
Jim Casey- former priest
Muley Graves- Old tenant whos family has left for California, Stayed behind to work, lives in a cave
Willy Frewly-

Themes:

The importance of land to the people- Muley stayed on his land because he is loyal to it, he is the land.

We vs. I- Muley represents the We, he stays on his land because he is the land.

The importance of family- Tom wants to get back to his family, and he is determined to do it.

Chap.7

Summary: A cars salesman is selling these people who are saving up as much money as they can to buy cars and go the California really crappy cars. He makes them seem like they are really nice cars, and puts them at high prices but what he really does is fill them with sawdust so it makes it sound like they are running. But the tenants still buy the cars even though they know they are getting played, because they really have no other choice.

Characters:
Used cars salesman
Jim
Joe

Theme:
People vs. Molach(monster)- All these people are trying to get to Cali and they need cars to do that, and the cars salesman is the monster, he is makin a huge profit off these crappy cars, and taking advantage of the people. They really have no other choice because they were kicked off thier land.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Grapes of Wrath Chapter 5

Themes:

The importance of the land to the people: The tenants of the land are being kicked off ant they don't want to, because they are connected to the land. They were born on the land, they work on the land, they get killed on the land, they die on the land.

We vs. I: I represents the bank, the tractor driver tells the tenant that if you wanna get 3 dollars a day you only have to think about your own children not about the land. The We is the tenants who are connected to the land that don't wanna leave, they are the land.

Anger: The tenants are angry that they are being kicked off the land, they are actually sad but the women know that sadness will turn into anger so they give them there space so they don't take there anger out on there family.

People vs. "Moloch": Moloch is the monster, its what is kicking the tenants of the land, its the machines that are replacing the work of all the croppers.

Summary: The monster is kicking all the tenants off thier land because they are being replaced by machines, so now they have nowhere to go and they will starve, the tractor driver talks to one of the tenants about how he is getting 3 dollars a day because he is thinking about his family, and not the land. The tenant is one with the land and he does not want to give it up because that land is his entire life, the tenants are the we.