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.
