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