Chapter 1

1. Chapter 1 • P. 3 • Para. 1-2 • Diction—disappear, went away, crusted, sky became pale, earth became pale. • Builds imagery of a desolate setting abandoned of people • Sharp sun struck, strength grew weak. • Sun shone more fiercely

2. Chapter 1 • Setting is brutal • Harsh environment has destroyed life or sent it away • No element of humanity in this chapter

3. P4 Para 1 Last 3 lines-top of p5 Imagery again is of desolation Setting with its dust has overwhelmed every element Chapter 1

4. Chapter 1 • The description of the beleaguered environment creates an apocalyptic tone that suggests the environmental impact has devastated people beyond point that they can continue to live in this environment.

5. P5 2nd full para. Personification: the sun appeared; red circle gave little light, wind cried and whimpered Chapter 1

6. Chapter 1 • Notice the role of diction and imagery in the personification. • Use of this figurative creates a more immediately tragic impact.

7. P7 The people are described in general and broad terms But they are characterized with strength Chapter 1

8. Chapter 1 • We see a sense of determination within the imagery of the overwhelmed families • This suggests that in spite of the hardship they will find a way to survive after their “thinking and figuring.”

9. P11, mid page Tom asks for a ride Tom is characterized as coercive and self-interested Chapter 2

10. Chapter 2 • Chapter describes Tom’s truck ride • He shares some cursory tidbits about himself • He taunts the driver by telling him he was in for homicide, which isn’t fully true

11. P20-21—description of a land turtle that is making its way across the road with difficulty It is depicted as ancient—last 7 lines Chapter is a symbolic representation of the Joads’ experiences of hardship. Chapter 3

12. P22, Last paragraph Notice that the truck “swerved to hit it,” not miss it. This suggests hostile forces will sometimes make an effort to destroy the Joads Like the turtle they will survive in one form or another. Chapter 3

13. P25 Tom meets Jim Casy (JC) who is symbolically wandering through the desert. P25, bottom He is described in physically weak terms P26—turns out Casy and Tom knew each other in the past. Chapter 4

14. Chapter 4 • Grapes is structured in parallel with the Book of Exodus. • Where the Israelites were led through the desert to the promised land of Canaan. • Tom and Casy meet when Casy is ‘lost’ • He will become a role model for Tom

15. P27 Casy describes himself as having lost the faith Casy is characterized as simple, but his ideas are solid. Casy simply thinks that he has lost the faith Has he ??? Chapter 4

16. P29, 2nd half More thoughts from Casy on being lost He regrets being a hypocrite on account of lust for the ladies. Casy says he doesn’t know where he is going. This suggests that he is looking for something and that he will likely find it. Chapter 4

17. P32, center para, middle Casy says he loves people and he preached b/c he thought that would make them happy Casy is characterized as fully selfless Concerned only with others, the good of the whole Keep an eye on how this develops and how it culminates. Chapter 4

18. P32, last line-first 5 lines on p33 “maybe it’s all men an’ all women we love… “one big soul” This emphasizes the idea of the human collective w/o divisions It suggest the inherent wrong of exploitation if we are all one “human sperit.” We will refer to this passage later. Keep not of it. Chapter 4

19. P35—the real story about Tom’s crime P41—last 3 lines Tom has no understanding of what has happened during his absence. Chap 5 will explore the nature of the impact while 6+7 will reveal the impact on his family. Chapter 4

20. P42—We see the impact on families as well as the owner men The nature of the effect of the dust bowl on the farmers and the banks is beyond their control and understanding. Chapter 5

21. P43, top 6 lines Diction—bank is describes as a monster and ‘machines’ “Well, it’s too late, bottom half The bank is described in inhuman terms—it doesn’t eat, etc It is beyond their control—it is “stronger than they were.” Chapter 5

22. Continued Passage shows conflict b/w man and social setting / env. It shows that neither side understands what is going on and what is being done. Discuss Chapter 5

23. P44-middle of 46 This is a dialogue –like exchange b/w farmers and bankers but w/o specific characters What is the effect of this??? Chapter 5

24. Chapter 5 • Shows the helplessness of the farmers • b/c the bank is a monster—middle para • Last 7 lines show the inhumanity of the bank of men

25. P46 “well—first the sheriff…” This shows the omnipotence of the bank One way or another, its will shall be done Chapter 5

26. P47, third line P48-50—The masked man on the bulldozer, Joe Davis’ boy. The monster does not care about the needs of people. One of the farmer men has sold out his people and become a goon for capitalism for $3 a day. Chapter 5

27. P51, “And That reminds me…” Last line of 51 and top of 52. For $3 a day he cares as much about them as the bank men do. This suggests that the bank’s power is endless. Chapter 5

28. P54-55 Imagery is ghostly and abandoned Tom and Casy try to piece together what happened to the old farm. Chapter 6

29. P62-64 Last 3 lines of 63, top of 64—Muley is defiant Muley fills in Tom and Casy Muley’s defiance is as futile as the men who questioned Joe Davis’ boy in Chap 5 Chapter 6

30. P71, 5th-6th lines P78-79—They all hide when a car from the bank arrives Their direct thoughts on the nature of capitalism This suggests the bank stripping power from the farmers. Chapter 6

31. P83, a used car sales man exploits those in need. Notice that the salesman is meeting his own need His job is not to meet the needs of his fellow man but is taking advantage of the needy for his own enrichment The nature of capitalism. Chapter 7

32. Chapter 7 • What is Capitalism?? • an economic system in which ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained by private individuals or corporations, • This as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth.

33. Capitalism, continued • In such a system, individuals and firms have the right to own and use wealth to earn income and to sell and purchase labor for wages with little or no government control. • The function of regulating the economy is achieved through the operation of market forces where prices and profit dictate how resources are used. • The U.S. is a capitalistic system.

34. P88—”Sure, we sold it…” Tone and character of man is of a simple man He represents an element of a hostile social setting Chapter 7

35. Chapter 7 • This man sees his job in simple terms • But his manner is as antagonistic as that of the bank. • Capitalistic exploitation is everywhere • Similar to bank scandal of ‘08

36. P97—Tom Returns P99, last 2 lines of 1st para. Ma is characterized as generous. Ma will emerge repeatedly throughout the novel as generous She will also emerge as point of strength and leadership for the Joads. Chapter 8

37. P108-109—Casy is asked to say grace, doesn’t want to b/c he “ain’t a preacher no more.” P109, bottom—”I been thinkin’… Here again Casy is depicted as a Christ-like figure He describes wandering through the wilderness , trying to figure things out Like Jesus in the Desert for 40 days Chapter 8

38. P110, top 1/3 He is humble, saying he is nothing like Jesus, but he says he “got tired like Him, an’ I got mixed up like Him,’ out in the wilderness Chapter 8

39. P110, last paragraph This echos bottom of p32-top of p33 Here we see what Casy discovered in the wilderness. He says the selfish ‘bust the holiness’ He says that when people work for the good of the whole ‘that’s holy’ Chapter 8

40. Chapter 8 • Continued from previous slide… • This raises the point about the inherent immorality of the selfish nature of what capitalism becomes • This foreshadows the abuse the Joads will suffer along the way by the capitalists • It also suggest that through unity people can save and help themselves

41. P117 Their farming possessions are useless now that the Dust Bowl and the Depressions has wrecked their opportunities to farm P118, first 8 lines Businessmen take advantage of the farmers in their hardship Chapter 9

42. p118, last 3 lines This largely suggests that eventually all or most people will be destroyed by the DB and GD And by then the rich will have destroyed the poor And the poor will not help the rich Revolution will follow Chapter 9

43. P119, 2nd para—”We’ll start over.” This suggests the tenacity and survivability of the Joads Like the Turtle, hardships will befall the Joads But they are hopeful Chapter 9

44. P122, last 6 lines—Foreshadowment This suggest that all might not turn out as well in CA as they naively believe. P124—The handbill and the Promised Land More foreshadowment This suggest the impending inhumane and exploitative experiences they will have. Chapter 10

45. P127, last 9 lines Casy says, “I got to go where the folks is goin’” Remember that Casy’s primary conern is people He doesn’t know what his purpose is But he will discover it P129— Here we are introduced to the various Joads Chapter 10

46. Last 2 lines of p147-148 A mournful tone predominates this passage As we see imagery of Ma observing a former home We see their empty house The nature of the impact of the circumstances is observed through the mournful tone Chapter 10