Quote/passage: "Yes, that's a good way. But I like to think how nice it's gonna be, maybe, in California . Never cold. An ' fruit ever'place, an' people just bein' in the nicest places, little white houses in among the orange trees. " ( Steinbeck, 1939, p. 91).
This quote from Ma in chapter shows how she really looks up to California providing the jobs and security they need. She likes to think that California will save the family from the state they are in. Ma sees California as the family's haven.Ma does not know what will occur on their journey to California, so she can only hope that California is good. Even after Tom tells Ma about how Fella from California told him that many folks in California are looking for work, Ma does not want to believe him. She thinks that the people would not send out brochures if there was not enough work. The whole family is pretty much looking up to California. They cannot stay in Oklahoma anymore. They want a nice place where they can work and live comfortable lives.
Later in this Chapter Grampa refuses to go California. "I ain't sayin' for you to stay.... You go right along Me- I'm stayin'. I give her a goin'-over all night mos'ly. This here's my country. I b'long here. An' I don't give a goddamn if they's orange an' grapes crowdin' a fella outa bed even... I ain't a-goin" (Steinbeck, 1939, p. 111). This quote shows how Grampa does not want to leave his home. He feels he belongs in Oklahoma, whether there is jobs in Oklahoma or not. Grampa has been in Oklahoma his whole life, and while California sounds nice, he does not want to leave the country where his memories are. This event is deep. Muley and Grampa are alike. They both do not want to leave their lives in the country behind them, even if it means letting go of their loved ones.
If you have any thoughts on this chapter, please leave a comment below.
I think grampa was tied to Chapter nine in a sense. In Chapter nine it says,"Maybe we can start again....But you can't start. Only a baby can start. you and me--why, we're all that's been....[Everything that's happened to us,] that's us until we're dead," (Steinbeck, 1939, p. 59).
ReplyDeleteI think Grampa knew this. No matter where he went, everything he's done would be with him; So he decided to stay in a place he was familiar with and that he loved because it wouldn't make a difference.
Yeah I agree, Grampa's life was all in Oklahoma. He could not leave the place where he grew old in. He probably did feel it was too late for him to start a new life in California.
DeleteAlthough, Ma does look up to California, she also has many reservations concerning the quality of life there. For example, "Well—nothing. Seems too nice, kinda. I seen the han'bills fellas pass out, an' how much work they is, an' high wages an' all; an' I seen in the paper how they want folks to come an' pick grapes an' oranges an' peaches. That'd be nice work, Tom, pickin' peaches. Even if they wouldn't let you eat none, you could maybe snitch a little ratty one sometimes. An' it'd be nice under the trees, workin' in the shade. I'm scared of stuff so nice. I ain't got faith. I'm scared somepin ain't so nice about it" ( Steinbeck, 1939, p. 90). Joad eventually does put Ma at ease, however, it is her job as “the citadel of the family” to repress her emotions and to remain optimistic. I believe that even though Ma may seem reassured, deep down inside she will continue to question whether California was the right choice or not, until she sees the land for herself.
ReplyDeleteYeah I do also agree that Ma is looking to stay optimistic for her family. Ma wants California to be the place to raise her family.
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ReplyDeleteThe situation with grampa here is related to chapter 28. In chapter twenty eight Steinbeck suggest that women are better suited for change and for pain because for women they understand that change and pain are part of life. Like when grampa died shortly after leaving Oklahoma.
ReplyDeleteYeah I also felt the Grampa's refusal to leave in this chapter was deeply connected to his death. Yeah Ma did handle the change better than most of the men in the family as well. The whole thing with Grampa was very sad
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