Special Prompts
You are reading, and your sibling asks you, "hey, what's that book about?"
Write a detailed response to your sibling, including at least one lesson someone could learn about life by reading it.
two contrasting families with two very different issues showing us that life isn't fair to everyone.
Consider Charles' will: it stipulates that half of Charles' money should go to Cathy.
Why do you think Charles included this stipulation instead of giving it all to Adam? What does it suggest about his relationships with the both of them?
He knew that Cathy and Adam would divorce eventually. He put this in his will cause he still cares for Cathy and wanted to help her out. It also implies Charles liked her after they slept together. It could also mean that Charles didn't trust Adam with the money and thought he would spend it all.
Find a quote/passage from Ch. 32-33 that helps reveal the close bond shared between Tom and Dessie.
Then discuss: in what ways do they complicate the novel's depiction of sibling relationships? BONUS (100pts): Which Hamilton brother inadvertently contributes to Tom's deep depressive state?
"Every fifty yards there was another card sticking on a bush, or hanging from the branches of madrone, or tacted to the trunk of a buckeye and all of them said. "welcome home."(Steinbeck 395)
The Hamilton's seem to be more caring and argue less, while the Trask brothers cant seem to get along.
Will is the brother that makes Tom sadder
How does the info we receive about Charles' last 12 years without Adam contribute to our understanding of his symbolic connections to Cain? Have these connections held strong? (p. 371-372)
Charles is shown to be alone and without human contact for those 12 years, similar to how Cain was very lonely. I think they have held strong through the similar experience these two have had. Like both of them being farmers who hurt their brothers and deeply regret it.
Why do you think Tom is looked down upon by Will for writing poetry? (p. 392)
He feels that business is the only important thing in the world and if Tom cant do that then he is considered a failure to him.
Grab a blank sheet of paper. Collaborate to draw a quick sketch of Cathy/Kate during the moments following Adam's most recent departure from the brothel (p. 385, paragraph starting with "Kate sat down and stared...")
Add a thought bubble which contains her likely thoughts after being psychoanalyzed by Adam.
He'll be back
We've noted some similarities between Cal and Charles... but what similarities does Cal share with a young Adam?
Find a quote that represents Cal's similarities to Adam. (100 bonus pts. per additional quote)
"said Cal. And in his mind he cried"
Relate Lee's character to the concept/theme of duality of man. How does his outward persona conflict with his truest motivations?
BONUS (+100): What might Steinbeck be trying to argue through this conflicting aspect of Lee's character?
When introduced to Lee he mentions the positives of being a Servant but near the end of when he's a Servant he's against it and wants to run his own bookstore more than anything.
Which side does Steinbeck seem to lean towards regarding the nature vs. nurture argument, based on the novel so far? (BONUS: do you agree?)
I believe it is a mix of both since both are expressed very clearly. Nature is how you were born, like how Cathy/Kate is a very evil woman from what we've been told since birth. While Will Hamilton was kind when Samuel was alive but grew greedier when he died.
I agree that nurture is more powerful way of growing up then nature since humans learn everything through others.
Tom blames himself for Dessie's death, calling it a 'murder' in his own head (408).
Do you agree or disagree with his estimation? Explain.
I don't believe Tom murdered her, since to murder someone you have to intend to murder and or harm that person. While Tom meant to help her.
Imagine that Charles had been sending letters to Adam throughout the 11 years between Adam's move and Charles' death... but each letter got lost somehow.
From Charles' POV, write a theoretical final letter to Adam.
Dear Adam
Ive been getting sicker lately, I don't know what's happening but I feel weaker and its harder to breathe. I know you wont ever see this as you haven't seen any of the other letters I've sent. I have already made my will and I hope you don't spend the money like you did our fathers haha. I can barely work now, the crops have failed. I wish you the best, and I'm sorry for all the things I've done to you.
Sincerely
your brother Charles Trask
Near the end of Part 3, it is revealed that Adam is buying Dessie's house in Salinas... where Kate owns her brothel.
Aron does not yet know that she is still alive. Make a prediction: if Aron finds out, how could his relationship with Adam be affected?
This could cause serious trust issues betweem Adam and Aron cause lying to your son about their mother being dead is a horrid thing. I could also see this causing Aron to lose a little trust in Cal cause he would think he knew.
Do Steinbeck's portrayals of women so far align with modern portrayals of women in media and/or literature? Provide reasons for the yes and/or no side.
No, seems to show them as very one sided character s. Characters like Kate are pure evil and Olive is pure good. They are either cheery or stern. Its one or the other for these characters and nothing else.
What does Ch. 29 (the chapter about Adam learning how to turn on his new Ford) suggest about Steinbeck's views about modernity's promise to make the world better?
To show how it starts complicated but when you learn it, it makes life a whole lot easier
Remember Timshel, the Hebrew word for "thou mayest", which Lee determined represents humans' choice to conquer sin.
Where does Tom fall on a hypothetical spectrum of whether or not he embodies Lee's idea, and how do we know? (Use p. 407-410.)
I think Tom for how good of a person he was, he was very sinful commonly sleeping with prostitues and other harmful things. Also I remember hearing that suicide is a sin and you go to hell, which is something.