Chapter 16

At the end of Chapter 16, I started to wonder how Joe's life would've been different if he would have lived with the Hines'. Would his experiences have been more drastic, less drastic, or equally drastic? I see that Mr.Hines is a violent, religious mam in a similar way that Mr.McEachern was. I'm just curious to know your opinions on how Joe's life would've been different if he would have stayed in the Hines household as opposed to living in the McEachern household.

Chapter 15 is interesting. We find out that eupheus Himes has a caring for Christmases. Mrs Himes asks eupheus about mills baby. It's been 30years since eupheus got rid of millys baby. Mrs.himes thinks that Millys baby is Christmas because Christmas is 30  years old. I also think that Christmas is Millys baby. 

       By: Jesus navarrete

The Lingering Past

"Though during the last seven days he has had no paved street, yet he has travelled further than in all the thirty years before. And yet he is still inside the circle. ‘And yet I have been further in these seven days than in all the thirty years" 
These roads that Christmas is traveling on seems to be endless and continues to keep going anyways. While on the run, the day's become endless as well. The further he keeps running, the more the past lingers onto him. Although, during this experience, he is reborn and is no longer haunted by his identity of a biracial man. I feel that his epiphany saved him from having a troubling future. I can finally start to see a brighter future for Christmas.

Christmas on the run

      I feel like all the running Christmas is doing, in chapter 14,  is peeling away sheets of protection from society, he seems to forget how important race is to the society he belongs to, for example when he walks into an all black restaurant expecting to be served without second guessing from the severs. He even seems a little more peaceful by himself in nature than in towns where he is forced to obey laws of society. However i'm not sure if this time alone is truly helping Christmas, because the chapter ends with this ere sentence, "mark on his ankles the gauge definite and ineradicable of the black tide creeping up his legs, moving from his feet upward as death moves.". I suppose I am a bit torn between what Christmas is truly feeling while on the run... 

Letting go of th past

" Letting go isn't about having the courage to release the past; it's about having the wisdom to embrace the present"- Steven Maraboli

One of the many qualities that stood out to me was Joe Christmas's denial to move on from the past. It can be argued that Christmas's  abusive behavior is due to the mistreatment he had as a child being brought up by religious parents and his father making his entire childhood complete misery.I think that since his father tried to bring him up a certain way, Christmas in now struggling to truly find his identity: however, to me it seems like Christmas is inheriting some of his foster father's abusive traits.

Anyway, i feel like all of the problems Christmas has encountered are due to him not being able to confront his past. Christmas looks back upon his past and is completely over taken with pure anger. He doesn't have the capacity to over look his past or even try to learn from it and become a better person. I know many people may claim that it can be very difficult  to overcome your past but there's always that sense of at least trying. Do you think at any point Christmas will overcome his past and move on? 

A Sense of Nothingness

"When he thinks about time, it seems to him now that for thirty years he has lived inside an orderly parade of named and numbered days like picket fences..."

At the end of Chapter 14, we can start to see how Joe Christmas has started to lose track of any time and is pretty much unaware of his surroundings or what he is doing. In my opinion, I see this as a sign that Joe has sort of slid further and further from his own existence and has fallen out of time itself. I think he feels as if he is not one amongst the living and is but a mere ghost roaming around in isolation. This event once again clearly shows us the lonesome state that Joe has remained in since he was just a teenager. As Joe travels more and more into the wilderness, you can notice how he has lost pretty much any contact with the ordered society that he grew up with. This seems to always happen  when Joe goes into the nature to isolate himself from all his struggles and hardships. I also think that Joe's slippage from time can also mirror or be compared to the personal journey of Hightower because his exile from the community slowly causes him to lose a sense of time as well. Overall, Joe Christmas still can't seem to find any form of acceptance, salvation, or belonging in his life.

Time Flies

"Time flies over us, but leaves its shadows behind" - Nathaniel Hawthorne.

This quote relates to the experience Christmas has gone through. Christmas runs from the authorities and has no sense of time passing. However he still wonders how much has passed. He still wonders because of his "shadows" (his past and his reasons for running). Even after so much time passes it does not mean that our past goes away. It just means it will haunt us like it has for Christmas. He has been running for about two weeks and his past has yet to stop following him.  Do you think our past continues to haunt us or does it eventually stop ?

Joe Christmas' Identity Crisis

First, I would like to apologize for the late nature of this post, which was meant to be done last Thursday, but was delayed due to technical difficulties. 

Throughout the last few chapters we are given a look back into the life of Joe Christmas. All of his faults, his flaws, and his shortcomings in his former life are explored. It can be argued, while not justified, that many of Joe Christmas' terrible circumstances and life decisions have stemmed from his treatment pertaining to him being biracial by others, as well as himself. Joe Christmas is forced to wander "like a phantom", from both racial districts with no place to belong to. I can relate this to my own life since I am biracial, although the repercussions don't go to such an extent. I have been labeled an "uncle tom" by my African American family, and "one of the good ones" by my Caucasian family. It's laughable to think that ostricism still exists for those who are mixed race, but it does on a certain level. Because of my experience, I can relate closely with Joe Christmas, minus the racism and hate for women, and I can imagine the loneliness he felt growing up. He is traumatized to such a point, that he is unable to react correctly to acceptance when it finally presents itself. In my opinion, the only way for him to find true peace is through isolation, because the time period he lives in does not allow for him to be welcomed by both races.

-Michael Ollis

The Meaning of Burden

So, I didn't have to post. But it's gonna drive me nuts if I see much more speculation about what Miss Burden's name means. It's a reference (and an obvious one at that; I really should have noticed sooner than just a few days ago) to "The White Man's Burden," a poem by Rudyard Kipling. The Poem is about Imperialism, broadly speaking, but specifically addresses the desire to "save," or "civilize," people who are "savage." It's a somewhat subtle critique of those who would consider another way of life worse because it's different; and Kipling (likely) hoped to point out that just because your particular lifestyle of first world privilege has been good to you; does not make it necessarily desirable to others. The poem is as follows:

Take up the White Man's burden--

Send forth the best ye breed--

Go bind your sons to exile

To serve your captives' need;

To wait in heavy harness,

On fluttered folk and wild--

Your new-caught, sullen peoples,

Half-devil and half-child.

Take up the White Man's burden--

In patience to abide,

To veil the threat of terror

And check the show of pride;

By open speech and simple,

An hundred times made plain

To seek another's profit,

And work another's gain.

Take up the White Man's burden--

The savage wars of peace--

Fill full the mouth of Famine

And bid the sickness cease;

And when your goal is nearest

The end for others sought,

Watch sloth and heathen Folly

Bring all your hopes to nought.

Take up the White Man's burden--

No tawdry rule of kings,

But toil of serf and sweeper--

The tale of common things.

The ports ye shall not enter,

The roads ye shall not tread,

Go mark them with your living,

And mark them with your dead.

Take up the White Man's burden--

And reap his old reward:

The blame of those ye better,

The hate of those ye guard--

The cry of hosts ye humour

(Ah, slowly!) toward the light:--

"Why brought he us from bondage,

Our loved Egyptian night?"

Take up the White Man's burden--

Ye dare not stoop to less--

Nor call too loud on Freedom

To cloke your weariness;

By all ye cry or whisper,

By all ye leave or do,

The silent, sullen peoples

Shall weigh your gods and you.

Take up the White Man's burden--

Have done with childish days--

The lightly proferred laurel,

The easy, ungrudged praise.

Comes now, to search your manhood

Through all the thankless years

Cold, edged with dear-bought wisdom,

The judgment of your peers!

(source: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/Kipling.asp )

In this poem, one sees many aspects of Burden herself, and of her family. A resentment for other religions (and an insistence that non-Christian's be saved- see Ms. Burden "praying over" Christmas); a belief that it is their responsibility to uplift "lesser," races (the Burden family saw blackness as "a stain," and believed that by helping the blacks they could uplift them into whiteness- a misguided "altruism," that cements racist thought); and especially the last stanza of the poem reminds one of the Burdens- "Comes now...through all the thankless years...cold...the judgement of your peers!"

The Burden's Duty

                 In chapter 11 we start getting bits and pieces of information that explains to us the behavior of Joanna Burden. We learn that her half brother and grandfather died trying to fight for the rights of the black race. Joanna's father (Nathaniel) takes her to burial site where her half brother and grandfather were buried. Nathaniel tells her, "'The curse of the black race is God's curse. But the curse of the white race is the black man who will forever God's chosen own because He once cursed him'" (p.253). Joanna has been given the duty to continue to fight for the rights of the black community.

                 All the experiences that Joanna has endured explains, like Cynthia M said, "her independence, endurance of strength, and fortitude." Joe always found her quite masculine for the lack of emotion Joanna conveyed; dissimulated all her thoughts. However, she finally reveals to Joe her history which clarifies her magnanimous actions towards the black community (donating, advising others, etc.). Joanna Burden could, hopefully, be the savior that Joe Christmas needed. 

Miss Burden

" He did not try to be quiet. He entered the house boldly and mounted the stairs; she heard him at once. “Who is it?” she said. But there was no alarm in her tone. He didn't answer. He mounted the stairs and entered the room. She was still dressed, turning, watching the door as he entered. But she did not speak to him. She just watched him as he went to the table and blew out the lamp, thinking, ‘Now she’ll run.’ And so he sprang forward, toward the door to intercept her. But she did not flee. He found her in the dark exactly where the light had lost her, in the same attitude. He began to tear at her clothes. He was talking to her, in a tense, hard, low voice: “I’ll show you! I’ll show the bitch!” She did not resist at all. "

For starters, I have zeal for Miss Burden and her general nonchalance attitude. The understanding that she can tolerate Joe, it could be what he needs after much rejection from his past. If she has a perspective, it's not from her point of view, but mainly from the other person. I glorify her independence, endurance of strength, and fortitude; in all honesty, I want that for myself. It's also  ironic that her name is Burden even though she's no where near one. Overall, she's becoming one of my favorites already.

Christmas and Bobbie

Joe Christmas finally becomes intimate with another--Bobbie. A prostitute, someone who lives on the edge of society, looked down on by most people and being taken advantage of. At the very least, she can be sympathetic to him, an outsider of society for being half-blooded. But she isn't, like most people, she tramples on him and completely forgets anything went on between the two --the intimacy, the love. It's shocking but ironic how even those on the bottom of society are disgusted by someone that was socially considered worse, "best to jump on the edge of the wagon and let it run over the ones who couldn't quite catch up, at least I'm in....just barely".

A Reference to the Messiah?

          Finding an identity is a stepping stone in understanding who we are. Joe Christmas's racial identity continues to determine where he stands in society. He learns that he is not fully accepted in the White and Black community. He is a misfit. A misfit with an unusual name...  His initials are J.C. Just like Jesus Christ. I think that Faulkner chose his name for a specific purpose: to show the similarities between Christmas and Christ. After all, they were both hated by their society and suffered greatly. Christ carried the cross for the shame of the world. Christmas carried his cross for the shame of his past. SPOILER ALERT: They both died at the age of 33...coincidence, I think not. Yet, Faulkner portrays Christmas to be far from Christlike...Instead he is misogynistic, violent, and merciless. Faulkner does not make him a spiritual figure, in fact he actually spends much of the novel trying to avoid Christianity. Why does Faulkner make such clear connections between the two characters and yet make them polar opposites as well?

Chapter 7: Mrs. McEachern

Today in class it was suggested that perhaps Joe Christmas declined Mrs. McEachern's offering, because he was resentful. Throughout his entire stay with the McEacherns, not once did Mrs. McEachern stop her husband from beating him or comfort him after he was beaten. Did we ever take into consideration as to why she never did anything about this crisis? Maybe we should take things into Mrs. McEachern's perspective. Light in August takes place during the 1920's. A quick history lesson, “After women got the vote in 1920, interest in politics and reform generally declined among women. The 'new women' of the pre-WW1 era, who had been interested in education, careers, and social reform, were seen as somewhat old-fashioned by the new generation of young women, who were more interested in enjoying themselves.” The new generation of young woman only had one thing on their minds... TO HAVE FUN! About 10 percent of women were in the workforce.

Although most single women worked for a living, work was generally seen as something that would be given up on marriage. “I pay our women well so they can dress attractively and get married” said Henry Ford. Staying single to follow a career was no longer seen as an appealing prospect.”

My point is what if the reason Mrs. McEachern never stopped her husband from hurting a child was because she didn't want to upset Mr. McEachern. What if she did disagreed with her husband, was she afraid he'll kick her out into the streets? How would she support herself if Mr. McEachern did? Her main priority was to keep her man satisfied, even if it does go her own  beliefs.

I sense she did have sympathy for Joe from this quote,

“I know what you think. It ain’t that. He never told me to bring it to you. It was me that thought to do it. He don’t know. It ain’t any food he sent you.” (Faulkner, p. 65).

...But this is just my opinion? Do you think Mrs. McEachern never did anything because she was afraid of what her husband would do to her if she spoke up (could their marriage have involved some sort of domestic violence) ? Or do you think it might have something to do with their religious/ and or parental beliefs?

The Past of Joe Christmas by Jenessa Armstrong

Hello everyone it's me, Jenessa. I'm using Amanda's account because I'm having problems with my account.
In chapter 5, we learn that Joe Christmas feels like he has no home or place to belong. I wonder why he felt that way. We now learn that even growing up, he never had a place he considered home. He was an orphan with no real parents, then when he was adopted they never treated him as their own child. It goes to show how your past is what makes you and it's something you cannot escape, but something you should come to peace with. Do you think that Christmas will overcome his past as the novel goes on or still be filled with hatred?

Chapter 7: A Broken Child...

          Joe Christmas is described as a violent, dangerous, and obscured man in the novel. In Chapter 7 we were introduced to a young Joe Christmas who had to endure the consequences of being a biracial child and adopted into an abusive home. I found it very interesting that McEachern would beat Christmas, pray for absolution, and harm him again. It's become some sort of ritual or routine for Christmas. There's no wonder that Christmas can't escape his haunting past. He was constantly surrounded by abuse, humility, and shame. How can someone, especially a child, be expected to move on, recover, and abide to the world around him when all he's ever known was hate? I believe that he is unable to fully embrace his identity because of this and until he can face his younger self, he will never be able to move on.

Ch.7: Christmas's Struggle to Understand

In chapter 7, the scene where Joe Christmas rejects Mrs. McEachern's tray of food by dumping it on the ground in the corner of his room seemed like an interesting event that conveyed much about Joe's beliefs in women. When I read this, I saw this scene as a way of showing the reader the refusal that Joe has to accept anything from a woman because, as with the dietician, he cannot understand the true motivations of women in general. I also found this quote about Joe Christmas to be very true in sense, "though he did not then know that, like the eagle, his own flesh as well as all space was still a cage” (pg.160).  Since Faulkner compares Joe to an eagle in this quote, I believe that it is trying to say that his constant anger with himself and his surroundings is like that of a caged beast who just wants to be set free. He is pretty much an imprisoned child who is having such a troubling time embracing his self-identity. Joe's past can clearly be seen as such a painful memory that no matter how much he runs and tries to escape from it, he will never succeed in getting the release that he desperately yearns for.

Ch.7: sex, violence, religion, and TV

     In chapter seven, there is an extremely strange incident in which Joe Christmas and some of his friends go to a barn to have sex with a negro girl. One thing that stood out to me was Mr.Mceachern's reaction to what Joe did: he was furious that Joe might have been with a girl, but when he learns that Joe had only been fighting, Mr. McEachern's only concern was how well Joe did in the fight. It's a strange and common scene in America: we celebrate violence in movies, tv, and video games, but any sexual content is censored harshly. I wonder if this sort of repression is what lead to Joe's issues, and I feel that it likely causes many of our problems today.

Tom Joad's " Swagger "

         " ...Saw that his brother was not a swaggerer as he had supposed. Al saw the dark brooding eyes of his brother, and the prison calm, the smooth hard face trained to indicate nothing to a prison guard, neither resistance nor slavishness."

         Since reading this passage, I have interpreted that Tom thinks that he can do what ever he wants. That is why he feels no sympathy towards any loved ones of Herb Turnbull. He thinks there is nothing wrong with killing him because he came at him with a knife, and if the same incident happened, he would do it again. He has an extremely chill characteristic towards this occasion. He feels that prison did not negatively affect him at all.
        I also do not beleive he strives to portray a "bad-boy" characteristic towards guys and girls alike. I have convinced myself this because all of the times he was asked if he broke out of prison, he never once said " Yea, I did, so you probably should not go telling anyone." Instead he humbly said, "No, I am on parol, " more or less in a different phrase at various moments. Moreover, he does not want to be cool by killing a man that simply did not fit his interest because he stabbed him, or by breaking out of prison because he felt that prison was not good or bad enough for him. I beleive he goes through his life doing what he wants, making some mistakes, doing what he thinks is right even if it provides a less preferable outcome, and not being either invisible, or prominent. I think he desires to live his life the way he wants come what may. He does not need acceptance from anyone, or the proclamation of someone saying " You are truly legit Tommy. I just want to be just like you. " He survives off of himself, and does not care much about anything else except his family.

        That is just what I feel Tom Joad's " swagger " is.

Bringing it Back

Towards the end of the book in chapter 30, Rose of Sharon decides to suckle a dying man, who's obviously more unfortunate than her, with the milk inside her breast. Then I realized, back in Chapter 26

"I'm learn' one thing good... If you're in trouble or hurt or need - go to the poor people. They're the only ones that'll help - the only ones."

Ma's quote tied back to this very moment (Well, in my opinion it did). Just thought I should let you guys know.

Chapter 18: Ma Joad

One of the chapters that I very much enjoyed was chapter 18 when the family arrived to California. The Joad men are once again informed that there is no employment in California yet they decide not to give up they keep on going. Even though they have been informed twice. Although Noah will no longer be part of there journey there family has to go on . In this chapter I also enjoyed Ma Joads behavior . When The police man entered there tent she was not scared she basically threatened the police man by saying if her men where there they would of hurt the man for his rude behavior and afterwards she told tom "I'd a took a sock at the cop" I love the way Ma Joad acts .

The End

Honestly, I really liked this book because the Joad family fought back against what they thought was unfair. Also, I liked how Rose of Sharon stopped complaining and cared for the dying man. I felt bad for his son because he was caring for him and there was nothing the son could do. My reaction to the ending was bittersweet, but I liked it very much.

Chapter 30-The End

I honestly enjoyed read this novel and learning about the people's struggles during the Dust Bowl. It was amazing to learn about the tragedy through the eyes of the people and not through a textbook. When reading a textbook, you receive only a part of the incident. When reading The Grapes of Wrath, the reader can experience the tragedy on an emotional and personal level. You can't experience this by just reading a textbook.

Chapter 29: Horses vs People

In Chapter 29, there is a comparison made between how the owners of the farms treat their horses and the migrant workers.

" Fella had a team of horses, had to use 'em to plow an' cultivate an' mow, wouldn' 

think a turnin' 'em out to starve when they wasn't workin'. Them's horses—we're men. "

This made me think of our present society. There are plenty of people that are homeless and very few citizens help them out, yet there are thousands of people who donate money to animal shelters and volunteer to help them. Yes, there are people who do both, but it is not uncommon to see that people feel more sympathy for mistreated animals than they do for homeless, jobless humans.

One-Eyed Junkyard Man

After completing the novel, and re-evaluating it. I noticed something that I dismissed the first time I was reading it. The one-eyed junkyard man is a minor character, but I feel as if we can all relate to him. He spends his time complaining about all the negative things in his life. He complains about his looks and his job opportunities. In short, he is always feeling bad for himself. Personally, I can relate to both Tom and this character. Tom is tired of the man's complaints and rants about how he needs to get his life together. On the other hand, the one-eyed man seems to be stuck in the past, and doesn't see that he is limiting himself.

Chapter 24

In this chapter, Pa told a story about mountain men -in Akron, Ohio- working in rubber plants. As the story went along, the towns people apparently hated the "union" and tried exceedingly to run out the migrant workers. All I could think about is Pa seriously told a story based on what's happening currently to him and the rest of the migrant workers and ended it with the "town (California)" never giving the migrant workers/union trouble again. He told a story based on what he'd wished to happen. Could this possible be a foreshadow on what'll happen next and will his story even compare to his near future?

Chapter 16 : Rose Of Sharon

In the study guide for chapter 16 the second question  asks about Rose Of Sharon who is named after a flower refered to in the book of the bible  . Which i looked up on the internet. With that being said I did not truly understood it. I am not the most religious person. Would someone be so kind to help out  and explain just a little bit on the significance in the bible?

The Grapes of Wrath Character's Inspiration?

I found an article that links characters from the novel to characters from the Bible. Rose of Sharon is from the Bible, but this article uses all the characters. For those who check it out, do you think the characters are really linked?

http://taliawaite.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/did-you-know-a-look-at-biblical-allusions/

Chapter 16: Warning Sign

Towards the end of the chapter, Pa Joad tells a man at the campsite all of the plans that he expects to achieve when he arrives to California. Another person described as a "ragged man" laughs at all that Pa is saying. Tom Joad (Pa) asks him what was so funny and the ragged man tells him that all of the rich and promising rumors about the West are false. The ragged man tells Tom that he had returned from California after realizing that there was no hope for higher wages, steady work as well as the death of his son and wife. Of course, this worries Pa but Casy assures him that there experience might be different for them.

It seems Steinbeck notably wrote the encounter between Pa Joad and the "ragged man" to foreshadow the uncertain and difficult times that were up ahead the Joad family. As a result, I believe that this is a huge warning sign for the Joads to pack their bags and call its quits or to reconsider what they are doing.

What would you guys do in this situation? Keep going or find a different alternative?

Chapter 15: Mae

       In this chapter, we are introduced to Mae, a waiter at a diner on Route 66. Even though Mae isn't one of the main characters of the story, I found her quite interesting. She seems to be nice, trying get by just like everyone else. Then a tattered man enters along with two children begging for a loaf of bread. Mae refuses to sell him the bread and the man tells her that he will give her ten cents. Mae claims the bread is worth 15 cents but Al (a co-worker) tells her to sell it to him for ten. He then asks for the price of the candies and Mae lies by saying that they are two for a penny (originally five cents each). What made her have a change of heart? Did she feel guilty after refusing to give him the bread? What do you guys think?

(Keep in mind that she has no idea why all of these families are going west).

Chapter 13: Grandparents

       Throughout chapter 13, Grandpa Joad was not feeling so good and we could tell by now that he wasn't going to make it any further on the journey to California. When he Pa passes away, they bury him with great honor; however, Grandma Joad is now all alone. My family has a saying that goes along the lines of, "Once an elderly spouse dies, the other spouse is bound to quickly follow after." As a result, I predict that Grandma Joad is going to pass away soon. What do/did you guys predict Grandma Joad's future to be?

Chapter 26

I'm upset that Casey dies in this chapter. I'm also afraid for Tom because I think he's going to do something that will get him sent back to Oklahoma. He just keeps getting himself into trouble like killing a man with a pick handle. The last thing the Joads family needs is for another family member to walk out and leave; they have to stick together.

Chapter 8

"She seemed to know, to accept, to welcome her position, the citadel of the family, the strong place that could not be taken. And since old Tom

and the children could not know hurt or

fear unless she acknowledged hurt and fear,

she had practiced denying them in herself"

Ma Joad is not like the wives in the previous chapters. She is a rock for the family; a foundation. 

Chapter 25

After reading Chapter 25, I was kind of annoyed at the fact that the landowners went through so much work and effort just to accomplish their goal of starving people to death. For starters, it seemed cruel that the large landowners would purposely drive the price of labor down so that the small farmers wouldn't be able to afford to harvest their land and end up losing it. Then, they would let a mass number of food go to waste as the hungry people watched the food decompose on the dirt floor. Crops would be burned and pigs would be killed and thrown into a pit that would be soon covered up with dirt. Also, they would throw perfectly fine potatoes into the river and have policemen prohibit the migrants from getting any from the water. Finally, they sprayed kerosene on hundreds of oranges, knowing that the migrants wouldn't eat them. The only purpose why: just to let innocent and poor people go hungry another day until soon enough they die of hunger or disease. In their minds, they are "making the state a better place." The landowners truly sounded like monsters which can also be compared to the banks in the country states. This quote from the book summarizes everything, "In the souls of the people, the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." 

Chapter 5

“But—you see, a bank or a company can't

do that, because those creatures don't

breathe air, don't eat side-meat. They breathe

profits; they eat the interest on money. If

they don't get it, they die the way you die with

out air, without side-meat. It is a sad thing, but it is so. It is just so”

The tenants call the bank a monster and the men working for the bank agree, such as the tractor driver; yet, isn't the tractor driver a part of the "monster?" Aren't all those who make up the bank the monsters?

Ending- Reflection

The end of the book had me very tense, I enjoyed every emotion that it gave me. However, i'd rather reflect on how the book changed me in general. I am never looking at a toilet the same way in my life. I feel spoiled rotten knowing I have running water; warm water at that. And I also feel very grateful to be able to eat everyday, and not have to worry about where i'm going to sleep. I now see every little detail in my life that has been greatly unnoticed, and am much more appreciative of my life, all thanks to this amazing story!

Chapter 4

Isn't it ironic that Jim Casey sings,
"Yes, sir, that's my Saviour,
Jesus is my Saviour,
Jesus is my Saviour now.
On the level
'S not the devil
Jesus is my Saviour now."

He says he is no longer a preacher and doesn't believe in God/Jesus.


Why do you guys think Jim is still singing songs of praise?

chapter 20 and 21

Where any of your predictions on the climax correct?

THE TURTLE!

Earlier in the book, John Steinbeck dedicates chapter 3 to a turtle. So much details about some turtle, I thought it might symbolize something, so I kept it in mind. Later on in the book, I think I have made a good guess to what this little guy represents! He represents the Joad Family. Think about it, the turtle is described as a brave, unstoppable animal in chapter 3 and 6. That's everything the Joad family is during their road trip from Oklahoma to California. Plus in chapter 6, it mentions which direction the turtle started to walk away in, southwest. Just like the turtle, the Joad family also travels west to California.

Do you guys think the turtle symbolizes anything?

Chapter 8: Granma Joad

Chapter 8 is hands down one of my favorite chapters in Grapes of Wrath! I read this chapter aloud in a southern accent the whole time and it definitely made it more enjoyable than reading it how I normally would. I recommend giving it a try. The main reason why I like this chapter was purely because Grandma Joad! I loved how John Steinbeck introduces her character. I'm especially amused by her and her husband's relationship. She's a loyal Christian who's married to someone who really isn't so loyal. The way she called Grandpa Joad out when  he said Casy was his favorite preacher, she told him, and I quote "shut up, you sinful ol' goat." I lost it, she's hilarious! My favorite chapter and character! Did you guys find any parts in the book to be funny?

Chapter 18

In this chapter, Ma Joad threatened a local authority with a skillet for being disrespectful. I admire the way she stood up for herself and wouldn't let him speak to her that way. If any of you were in that situation, what would you do? Would you do the same thing as Ma Joad did?

Chapter 5: Individual vs Society or Man vs Man?

I'm curious to what you guys think about the conflict between the landowners and the banks were in chapter 5. In my opinion, I think it's individual vs society. I see the landowners as the individuals and the banks as a society. I know since the bank is made up men, you'd think of it as man vs man, but not quite. A society can be an organization formed for a particular purpose (I looked it up). The landowners are the individuals here because even though they're all facing the same problem, each family is only worrying about themselves. As for why I see the bank as a society well they're working together like a community.

Chapter 6

Let me just start out by saying Muley Graves, in my opinion, is a favorable character, has some guts staying in a "Ghost Town" & sleeping in a cave every night for safety . Although he had let his family relocate to a new home without him, he is fighting to stay in a place he considers home. He also explains the eventful memories that happened within his home (his Pa's death or Joe's birth). I don't know about you guys, but Muley is one of my favorites now. +4 points for you Muley Graves, you go Muley Graves!

Chapter 18- Ma Joad again

Ma Joad continues to fascinate me. I'm this chapter she threatens an armed police officer with a cooking pan, which was very daring on her part, but she does it out if dignity because he offended her and she simply reacted. Another admirable moment was how she knowingly slept with grandma; which was no longer breathing. She shows how strong she is, and what she's willing to do for the family. According to her, there was no reason for them to worry about grandma until it was necessary.

Chapter 30

I honestly really liked the ending of the book. It came to show that the Joads have always been great, selfless people. Also, they never once lost hope. The novel has a huge lesson to teach which is to never give up. Also, that if you want something really bad you will achieve it.

Chapter 25

Did you guys feel that this chapter was similar to the first one ? I felt like it was in a way but not too much.

slang

what are 'my dogs'. Tom talks about them a lot. For example, "my dogs are tired".

Tom, escaped??

Why does the family all ask Tom is he escaped? Why do they not believe him ?

Chapter 3

does the turtle at the beginning of the book have any meaning?

Chapter 13

In chapter 13, it was a sad chapter because there were two deaths in the Joad family.  The family's dog had been run over by a car and the person just drove by. Also, Grampa died of a stroke and the sad thing was he sad he was going to do all of these things. For example, we getting to California he was going to grab  as many grapes as he wants and eat them. He  also said that he wanted to stay in Oklahoma with Muley Graves. I think that he was just going to be homesick if he had made it California.

Chapter 8- Ma Joad

I had to go back and write about this chapter because I absolutely love how Ma Joad was introduced. I admire the way she accepted a man to join her family at the dinner table, with not a single hesitation, or judgment. All she needed to know is that a man was hungry, and asking for food. I especially like how her physical character was described. Bare feet and all, I fell in love with how she leads her family, and knows that if she shows any sign of distress her family is directly affected. Ma Joad is the most admirable character so far... in my opinion ;)

Chapter 16: Foreshadow

In Chapter 16, the Joad’s stay at a camp. They meet a man who is travelling back east. He tries to tell the Joad’s that there are no jobs in California.

“‘I tried to tell you folks,’ he said. ‘Somepin it took me a year to find out. Took two kids dead, took my wife dead to show me. But I can't tell you. I should of knew that. Nobody couldn't tell me, neither…’” 

I think this is important because a stranger shared his insight and his personal struggle, yet they dismissed it as false. They pay no attention, and continue to go along on their journey to California.

I feel as if we can all relate to this in one form or another. We have all been told by someone to not do something or to make a certain decision, but we do not listen, and we have to face the consequences in the end. I predict that it will be difficult for the Joad’s to find work once they get to California. I think they should have given some thought to what the man said.

Chapter 13: Control

In Chapter 13, we are introduced to the Wilson's; they bring a hopeful tone into the novel. The entrance of this family into the lives of the Joad's reminded me of a certain quote. "Fate controls who walks in to your life, but you decide who you let walk out, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go". I found that this quotation directly related as to why the Joad's asked if they could stay with the Wilson's.

Chapter 30 - The End

Even though this book brought many emotions into me, like sadness and hope, it was an amazing book. I was surprised that although the family had gone through so much, from losing family to starving, they still hope for the best. They helped the old man who was starving when they could have just given them a cold shoulder. They still believed that things would turn for the best and that gives them a chance to turn things for the better which I believe they will.

Chapter 28

What do believe will happen to Tom since he is going away now without his family ? I think the Joad's may  see Tom again but when they see him he would be in entire different person. Do you believe that Rose of Sharon is getting "sick" because she's about to give birth to her baby ? Since how things are turning out in the last part of the chapter do you think things are turning for the better or for the worst ?

Chapter 27

I don't understand how the cotton field owners would want the workers to buy there own sacks to put cotton in. Well, it does benefit the owner since he is getting money for these sacks. Also since the workers do get paid good wages the owners would have less workers to pay, since most of the workers can't afford their own bags.