Key details
What is the "too few hands" idea?
When "too few hands" own land and the masses are hungry and poor, there will be upheaval/ disruption.
What is the historical parallelism in this chapter?
Americans first conquered land from Mexican natives, driven by their hunger for land. Now, migrant workers have this same hunger for land, food, and resources that will soon cause disruption for land owners.
What is a Hooverville and what happens to them in this chapter?
A Hooversville is a makeshift squatters camp used by Okies and the Joads during this era. In this chapter, Hoovervilles are burned down by authorities, suggesting fear rising within landowners
What themes are shown when California landowners are scared of losing their land to migrants?
power and control
What history of California is described in this chapter?
Earlier settlers took the land from the Indigenous people and then passed it down, creating a long legacy of taking claim of land that is someone else's property.
What is the "little screaming fact"?
History has proved that "repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed".
What is the symbolism of Jimson Weed in this chapter?
A hungry farmer cleared a small patch of Jimson Weed in order to farm for his family. His small garden was destroyed by a sheriff, and soon the poisonous weed grew back. This represents the harshness of survival and extreme lack of empathy from authorities to migrant families.
What is Steinbeck's purpose in describing migrants as dangerous "new barbarians"?
What is Steinbeck's purpose in describing migrants as dangerous "new barbarians"?Steinbeck describes migrants as "new barbarians" because anger and aggression are growing within them as their desperation for simple resources grows.
Steinbeck highlights what theme through the divide between wealthy Californians and poor migrants?
class conflict
How does the historical conquering of Californian land affect the landowners' treatment of migrant workers?
Their own ancestors took land by force. They the migrants might do the same and grow defensive
What is the progression of the word "dispossessed" throughout the chapter (pg 233).
At first Steinbeck describes the dispossessed as "homeless and hungry", then later he describes them as "hardened, intent, and dangerous".
What is the juxtaposition between migrant workers and immigrant workers?
Both groups may be treated poorly, but immigrant workers receive no empathy from Californians while migrant workers do. This is because the migrant workers insist on their rights as American citizens.
After the parents of starving children stop praying and start acting, the end will come for owners.
("Pray God some day a kid can eat. And the associations of owners knew that some day the praying would stop. And there's the end" (239).
What theme is emphasized by migrants being treated as outsiders?
dehumanization
How does listing different groups of people from different times who took land strengthen Steinbeck’s general argument throughout the novel?
It shows that exploitation is a repeated pattern, not an isolated event.
Why are landowners scared of Okies? What actions do they take that suggest this?
Landowners fear the rising anger and desperation among Okies. Landowners burn down Hoovervilles and do not allow families to farm on small strips of land, fearing unity and strength among the repressed workers.
What does "the owners followed Rome" (pg 232) allude to?
This is a historical reference to the phrase "all roads lead to Rome", suggesting that any actions taken against the landowners and migrant owners creates tension and anger, resulting in a cycle of injustice.
Explain the anecdote about jimson weed that happens in this chapter.
A farmer clears a small patch of jimson weed in order to farm to feed his family. This patch of weed is destroyed by a local Sheriff, revealing the threat that owners are beginning to feel from migrants.
What theme is conveyed by landowners exploiting migrant labor for profit?
economic injustice
How does the chapter use history to show that fear drives oppression?
Landowners mistreat the migrants out of fear that they will attempt to overtake land similarly to how their ancestors did
What is Steinbeck's main overall message/ warning in this Chapter?
Steinbeck warns that repression will lead to growing and unified wrath, which results in social uprising.
What is the comparison between migrant workers and ants? What is the rhetorical device?
Steinbeck's simile comparing migrant workers to ants emphasizes the shared eagerness and desperation for work, land, and food. "[migrant workers] streamed over the mountains, hungry and restless- restless as ants, scurrying to find work to do... anything, any burden to bear, for food" (233).
Why do Oakies believe they have the same rights as California residents?
Oakies believe they have the same rights as California residents since they are all American citizens; they feel separate from immigrants from places such as China and Mexico in this way.
Despite being treated badly, migrants continue to fight to survive. What theme is emphasized by this?
struggle and perseverance
How does the chapter show that California’s present inequality is rooted in its past?
The Indigenous displacement led to early settler domination. So, those settlers' families inherited wealth and gained corporate control. Through the flawed system emerged migrant exploitation.