Chapter 8

Thee story about Uncle John's wife was so sad. I agree with Melissa on the fact that it did affect him mentally and emotionally. I also like how his family was characterized and they all were happy that he was back with them.

Chapter 2: Tom

Was anyone else a bit surprised on how Tom spoke so easily of his doing ? If it would have been me driver  telling the would have been a bit reluctant to share it.

Chapter 5: land owners and the bank.

Throughout the chapter, Steinback discusses how horrid the situation is for the farmers. He makes the reader feel sympathy for them through dialogue and text. Although, I do feel sympathy for the farmers and the workers, I noticed that everyone searched for someone to blame. Their initial reaction was not to create a plan of action, but instead they wanted to know who was responsible? WHY? What would the people have done if there were a specific person to blame?

Since the beginning of the novel, assumptions are made that corporations and companies are bad and evil, but do the people have any logical reasons to assume this? 

I also noticed that they spoke about the bank as if it were an animate object. "The bank is something more than men, I tell you. It's the monster. Men made it, but they can't control it" (Pg 23). According to Google, a bank is a financial establishment that invests money deposited by customers, pays it out when required, makes loans at interest, and exchanges currency. Why are the people so scared of the bank? If they should fear anyone, it'd be the landowners that sold their property to the bank, so that the bank could tractor it.

Also, the owners take no responsibility for the eviction of the farmers they claim, "It's not us, it's the bank". But a "bank" cannot force someone into doing something because a bank is an inanimate object. (Side note: the people who control the bank cannot force you into making decisions you do not want to take as each and every individual thinks for themselves.)

Metaphoric Turtle-- Chapter 3

Are the barley oats it holds symbolic for something?

Chapter 8

I really found chapter 8 to be very interesting with all the emotions Tom's family gave out at his arrival. I found the each family member had  a different reaction toward seeing him but in the end, they were all happy to have a piece of their family back and to continue on their lives as a whole. I also found Uncle John's experience with his wife very tragic and  that it affected him both mentally and emotionally.  

Chapter 5

Woah. I totally agree with Chloe. This chapter was very good and like she said, Steinbeck really tried to emphasize the sympathy he has towards them. This chapter was very sad yet very interesting.

Chapter five: the feels man.

I really feel for the farmers in chapter 5, I feel like Steinbeck is really emphasizing his sympathy for them. We don't get much information about the men who work for the banks other than the fact that they have to do what they're told in order to support their families. I wonder if they hide their emotions; lock them away somewhere deep in their minds so they don't get hurt? Wouldn't it hurt to watch your neighbors, people you know, people you may like or love have to leave everything they have with nothing and no where to go; let alone be the one to tell them that they must? And what about the landowners and their families?