Author's Purpose
Why would Steinbeck include the camp in the novel and then have Thomas tell Joad that it might not end well?
To show that the good things that were given to you could be taken away quickly.
Mrs. Joyce stayed, “We ain’t never took no charity,” (Steinbeck 316).
What does this say about Mrs. Joyce and her values?
It shows that she won’t take help from anyone even when she needs it.
The Okies are looked down upon because they're "dirty and ignorant" (Steinbeck 283). How does this connect to one theme in the book?
This connects to the theme of "people doing wrong to people" because the people are feeling threatened by the migrants, so they shun them and create a hatred for them. The migrants are just trying to survive, like the people who already live there.
"Ma said, 'You got wash tubs—running water?' Watchman, 'Sure.' Ma, 'Oh! Praise God,'" (Steinbeck 286).
How does this connect to today’s abundance of resources?
This connects to today because we take for granted having a shower and running water wherever we go. Ma is grateful because she wasn’t expecting them to even have water.
Why did Steinbeck include the quote, "And the latter was true, for how can a man without property know the ache of ownership" (Steinbeck 283).
Steinbeck included it to get readers to understand the other side of the story. People weren't hating migrants just because they wanted to. They had their reasons, which was thinking the migrants were thieves and bad people.
“Ma put down her head and she fought with a desire to cry,” (Steinbeck 305). How does this show Ma’s resilience?
This shows her resilience because even though she’s been put through a lot, she still is fighting to stay positive.
“‘It’s twenty-five cents and hour.’ ‘We’ll take it.’ Wilkie said,” (Steinbeck 296).
How does this relate to a theme in the novel?
It relates to the theme “take what you can get”. This is because every penny is worth it when you are broke and can barely afford to feed your family.
“The girl kept to her work. Once she set the baby down and tied her braids together in back with the string , and the two braids jerked and swung as she worked,” (Steinbeck 290).
How did raising a child then compare to raising a child today?
In that time, it was much more difficult because mothers had to adapt to their situation. There were long car rides and sleeping in tents. Today, we can fly to travel and have access to hotels with water and beds.
“Tom’s eyes drew down. ‘Cops?’ he asked. The watchman laughed. ‘No cops. We got our own cops. Folks here elect their own cops. Come along,’” (Steinbeck 286).
Why did Steinbeck include this in the novel?
It shows the extreme fear surrounding cops at the time. All of the migrants were scared about cops coming to kick them out of their camps.
“Ma’s gonna like this place. She ain’t been treated decent for a long time,” (Steinbeck 288).
What does this quote say about Tom’s relationship with his mother?
This shows that Tom cares a lot about his mother. Also that him and his mother have a good relationship.
“‘I was worryin’,’ Ma said. ‘I didn’t know where you was,’” (Steinbeck 300).
How does this connect to the theme of family sticking together?
This connects to that theme because families were worried about staying close and making sure everyone was safe.
“Ma wiped the tin dishes and stacked them,” (Steinbeck 307).
How does this compare to the resources we have today?
Many people today don’t use tin dishes unless they’re camping. We use ceramic plates and sturdy metal pans.