At the start of chapter 20 the Joads have just left Grandma with the coroner. Ma is sad because Grandma always wanted a nice funeral but they didn't have the money to give her one. They then move into a Hooverville and set up camp for the night. Tom makes friends with another man in the camp and this man tells Tom that he has heard there is work up north. Meanwhile nobody has seen Connie for awhile, and while Rose of Sharon thinks he will come back, everyone else knows that he won't. Once the family has ate and has begun to settle in a car pulls into the camp with two men inside. The man that was driving steps out and asks a group of men if they want any work. Of course the men say they need work, but Floyd, the man that Tom has made friends with, asks the contractor how much he is going to pay. The man says he's not sure, and Floyd starts to get angry. He starts to get angry because he knows that the man isn't a real contractor. He knows that he is just going to get as many guys as he can to come and show up for work so that he can pay them hardly anything. Floyd then asks him to show his liscence if he is a contractor, and the man starts to get angry and calls for the other man in the car. The other man steps out of the car, and everyone can see he is a deputy. The contractor asks the deputy if he has every seen Floyd before and the deputy says that he is the same guy that robbed a used-car lot last week, which isn't true. When the deputy orders Floyd to get in the car Tom steps in and says that the deputy has nothing on Floyd, which only aggrivated the deputy enough to tell the rest of the camp that they all better go work for this contractor because they are going to have to burn down the camp the next day anyways. As they turn to leave the deputy grabs Floyds arm to escort him into the car, but instead Floyd punches him and as he staggers around Tom trips him and Floyd takes off. As the deputy lies on the ground he starts shooting at Floyd running between the tents, but instead shoots a ladie's fingers right off her hand. As the deputy attempts to get up Reverand Casey steps up and kicks him in the neck. Casey tells Tom to run, he will take the blame for it. Tom hesistates, and then realizes that he has to, considering that he is on parole. When more deputies arrive they take Casey away and probably to jail.
After this whole incident, the Joads decide that they should get out before they come to burn the camp down. They decide to try to go north to where they heard there was some work. They don't get far before they are stopped by a handful of men who won't let them enter their town because they don't wan't "Okies" taking over. So instead of giving up, they decide to go around the towns and find the government camp that they have heard so many good things about. They arrive at the camp in the middle of the night to find that there is a spot that has just opened. They don't even unpack, they set up their tent, and they all fall asleep.
In the morning Tom is the first one up and he meets the Wallaces. They say they have had work for 12 days straight and tell Tom that they can probably get him work too. Tom agrees to go with them to work. They have to walk about a mile and when they get there the boss agrees to let Tom work for 25 cents an hour. This man, the boss, also tells them though that there is going to be a fight at the next Saturday night dance at the camp. He continues to tell them that the reason for this fight is because then the cops can come in and shut down the camp. I think this bit of information will come into play in the next few chapters.
While Tom is working the rest of the family is trying to get used to their new home. The government camp is the nicest place they have stayed at since they left Oklahoma. It has wash tubs, toilets, and even showers. They also start to learn how this camp is run. The people in the camp elect officers to run the camp. There are even seperate officers for the women and the men. Ma is given a tour of the camp by the women officers and ma thinks that this is the greatest camp ever. Rose of Sharon is starting to go a little crazy though. She believes that she is going to lose her baby if she sins just because this one crazy lady told her so. Meanwhile, the rest of the men go looking for work and find none. Ma doesn't seem to care though, she seems so happy to be in such a nice place with people that are just like her. At the end of the chapter she tells Tom and Al to go to the store and get something good to eat. I think she wants to have a celebration, even if they don't have any money, because they have found such a nice place.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
The Grapes of Wrath - Chapters 17 - 19
In Chapter seventeen the book describes how all these people that are moving to California form a sort of "community" every night. It tells how there are certain rules that everyone know they must follow, even though nobody has ever actually said them. It also shows that these people are very helpful to each other. Whever someone dies or needs some extra money all the people in the camp spare a few coins and leave them at their tent.
Chapter eighteen was very long, but quite eventful. It stars out with the Joads traveling across New Mexico, and then they finally cross into California! Before they can get into the good part of California they must cross about three hundred miles of desert. They decide that the best time to do this would be at night so they decide to rest during the day alongside a big river where others had also chosen to stop. The men bathe in the water and finally have a little time to relax when they start talking to another man and his son who are on their way back from California. He says that they are on their way back to the pan handle because he couldnt make enough money in California and if he is going to die he wants to die with people who actually like him. After talking with this man for awhile I think the Joads kind of start to wonder if this may be true, since they have heard this same kind of story serveral tims now. But like Uncle John said, "We're going there ain't we? None of this talk can keep us from going. This talk ain't gonna do us no good."
While the men are relaxing Ma and Rose of Sharon are in a tent trying to get grandma to rest when a sheriff comes by and threatens that if they aren't gone by tomorrow he will have them run off. In this chapter Noah also decides that he wants to stay behind and live off this river. He only tells Tom though, and before Tom can stop him he is already making his way down the river. As Grandma comes to tell Tom about the sheriff, Tom tells Grandma about Noah and they decide that it is best for the family if they just take off across the desert now, instead of waiting for night.
The journey goes pretty well, the car doesnt break down, and they make it across the desert in good time. But as they are all standing on the side of the road admiring the beautiful valley full of orchards and fields of crops, Ma tells the rest of the family that Grandma died last night while they were crossing the desert. Nobody says much, but you can tell it affects them all greatly.
In Chapter nineteen it talks about the general population moving toward California. It describes these towns called Hoovervilles that are set up at the edge of every town and are a place that the Oakies can live. They are mainly camps that people set up by building houses out of tents or even paper they find in nearby landfills, but before long the sheriffs come and tell them they must go because they are a health hazard and they are going to burn them down. The chapter ends and the Joads are moving around through different Hoovervilles as they make their way towards what they think will be job opportunities and a better life.
Chapter eighteen was very long, but quite eventful. It stars out with the Joads traveling across New Mexico, and then they finally cross into California! Before they can get into the good part of California they must cross about three hundred miles of desert. They decide that the best time to do this would be at night so they decide to rest during the day alongside a big river where others had also chosen to stop. The men bathe in the water and finally have a little time to relax when they start talking to another man and his son who are on their way back from California. He says that they are on their way back to the pan handle because he couldnt make enough money in California and if he is going to die he wants to die with people who actually like him. After talking with this man for awhile I think the Joads kind of start to wonder if this may be true, since they have heard this same kind of story serveral tims now. But like Uncle John said, "We're going there ain't we? None of this talk can keep us from going. This talk ain't gonna do us no good."
While the men are relaxing Ma and Rose of Sharon are in a tent trying to get grandma to rest when a sheriff comes by and threatens that if they aren't gone by tomorrow he will have them run off. In this chapter Noah also decides that he wants to stay behind and live off this river. He only tells Tom though, and before Tom can stop him he is already making his way down the river. As Grandma comes to tell Tom about the sheriff, Tom tells Grandma about Noah and they decide that it is best for the family if they just take off across the desert now, instead of waiting for night.
The journey goes pretty well, the car doesnt break down, and they make it across the desert in good time. But as they are all standing on the side of the road admiring the beautiful valley full of orchards and fields of crops, Ma tells the rest of the family that Grandma died last night while they were crossing the desert. Nobody says much, but you can tell it affects them all greatly.
In Chapter nineteen it talks about the general population moving toward California. It describes these towns called Hoovervilles that are set up at the edge of every town and are a place that the Oakies can live. They are mainly camps that people set up by building houses out of tents or even paper they find in nearby landfills, but before long the sheriffs come and tell them they must go because they are a health hazard and they are going to burn them down. The chapter ends and the Joads are moving around through different Hoovervilles as they make their way towards what they think will be job opportunities and a better life.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Grapes of Wrath - Chapters 14 - 16
Chapter fourteen of The Grapes of Wrath was the most confusing chapter in the story yet. It kept repeating the phrase: "The Western States nervous under the beginning change." It would then go on and talk about "man" and how he would build things, but they would just be destroyed. It also talked about "I" becoming "we" and how it was a bad thing because "two men are not as lonely and perplexed as one." All in all I was quite confused throughout the chapter and was glad when I found that it was only three pages long! Hopefully my discussion group can help make this chapter a little clearer for me.
In Chapter fifteen we are introduced to the lifestyle of owning a cafe/gas station on Highway 66. We learn that in order to get business and to keep business the waitresses are always nicest to the truck drivers. They are the ones that will bring customers, stop again, and leave a good tip. We also see how poor the people in the time really are. Everyone that comes in is looking for a deal, or for something free. Yet even though the cafe owners are trying to make a living, they still have a soft spot in their heart for children. For instance, a family came in with two boys looking to buy a loaf of bread for fifteen cents, which they sold him, and they also game them two peppermint sticks for 1 cent, when they were suppose to be ten cents each.
In Chapter sixteen the story goes back to the Joad's journey west. They are presented a problem though when the Wilson's car's con-rod bearing goes out. In order to fix the problem they must travel back about 25 miles with the truck, retreave a new con-rod bearing from a junk yard, and then work in the dark to put the new one in. While Tom, Al, and Casey are doing this the rest of the family has paid a half dollar to spend the night at a camp ground a few miles ahead, but as soon as they fixed the car, they also drove to the camp ground. They find the rest of the family here along with many other families. At this time another man starts talking about how there really arent going to be any good paying jobs in California because of how the business men work. He says that if they have 800 jobs they will tell 2,000 people to come and work, so then when two thousand people show up for these 800 jobs, he can pay them dirt cheap to work. The Joads and the rest of the families arent sure what to believe anymore, but try to stay optimistic that California will really be as wonderful as they all imagine. During this chapter we also find out that Grandma is starting to go a little bit crazy. She starts having fits and is yelling at Grandpa like he is still alive. The only prediction I have for the upcoming chapters is that Grandma will have a stroke like Grandpa did because the heat and all the traveling is just too much for her to handle. Reflecting on these three chapters I have to say that they weren't the most exciting chapters of the book, but they weren't the worst chapters either. I think they are about half-way to California right now with still a long, rough half to go.
In Chapter fifteen we are introduced to the lifestyle of owning a cafe/gas station on Highway 66. We learn that in order to get business and to keep business the waitresses are always nicest to the truck drivers. They are the ones that will bring customers, stop again, and leave a good tip. We also see how poor the people in the time really are. Everyone that comes in is looking for a deal, or for something free. Yet even though the cafe owners are trying to make a living, they still have a soft spot in their heart for children. For instance, a family came in with two boys looking to buy a loaf of bread for fifteen cents, which they sold him, and they also game them two peppermint sticks for 1 cent, when they were suppose to be ten cents each.
In Chapter sixteen the story goes back to the Joad's journey west. They are presented a problem though when the Wilson's car's con-rod bearing goes out. In order to fix the problem they must travel back about 25 miles with the truck, retreave a new con-rod bearing from a junk yard, and then work in the dark to put the new one in. While Tom, Al, and Casey are doing this the rest of the family has paid a half dollar to spend the night at a camp ground a few miles ahead, but as soon as they fixed the car, they also drove to the camp ground. They find the rest of the family here along with many other families. At this time another man starts talking about how there really arent going to be any good paying jobs in California because of how the business men work. He says that if they have 800 jobs they will tell 2,000 people to come and work, so then when two thousand people show up for these 800 jobs, he can pay them dirt cheap to work. The Joads and the rest of the families arent sure what to believe anymore, but try to stay optimistic that California will really be as wonderful as they all imagine. During this chapter we also find out that Grandma is starting to go a little bit crazy. She starts having fits and is yelling at Grandpa like he is still alive. The only prediction I have for the upcoming chapters is that Grandma will have a stroke like Grandpa did because the heat and all the traveling is just too much for her to handle. Reflecting on these three chapters I have to say that they weren't the most exciting chapters of the book, but they weren't the worst chapters either. I think they are about half-way to California right now with still a long, rough half to go.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Grapes of Wrate - Chapters 9 - 13
Chapter nine was another chapter like the one about selling cars. There were no characters in it that we knew, just random people talking. This one was about all the families going through and selling their stuff. When they went to sell their belongings they never got as much as they asked for. For instance, the Joads only received $18 for all the belongings they sold.
In Chapter ten Al and Tom come back from selling their belongings and they also bring back Ruthie, Winfield, Rose of Sharon, and Connie. They then had a family meeting in which they decided that there would be room for the preacher to go along with them to California. Their original plan was to pack up and leave the following morning, but Uncle John finally suggested that they pack up tonight and leave. They packed and loaded the truck throughout the night, and when morning came they were finally ready to go. Well, all but grandpa. When it came down to actually leaving Grandpa declared that he wasn't going. The Joads knew they couldn't just leave him there, so they drugged him with cough syrup, and when he fell asleep they put him in the truck with the rest of them and took off for California.
In the next two chapters it explains how empty everything is once everyone is gone. How the wildlife starts to inhabit the houses and how the wind was beginning to destroy them by tearing off the shingles one after another. It then explains how Al had to constantly be listening to the car to make sure it was going to make it to the next town. He would always be trying to figure out whether something was loose or broken, or whether it was just fine.
In Chapter 13 they make their first stop at a gas station to fill -up and let everyone out to stretch and drink water. This is when grandpa finally wakes up and realizes that they took him with after he had demanded to stay. The only dog they brought also gets out, but runs into the highway and is hit by a car. After a short stop they hit the road again. As soon as it is starting to get dark though, they stop next to another car and decide to make camp. Shortly after stopping Grandpa doesn't feel very well and is taken to lie down in the Wilson's tent. After a few moments the preacher comes out of the tent and announces that Grandpa has passed away due to a stroke. They have a burial for him and leave a note in a bottle explaining who he is and what happened. Finally, the Joads and the Wilsons decide that if they made the journey together they could really help each other out. The Joads would help out the Wilsons by keeping their car running, and the Wilsons could help out the Joads by taking some of their belongings and by having room for a few of the kids to ride in their car too.
In Chapter ten Al and Tom come back from selling their belongings and they also bring back Ruthie, Winfield, Rose of Sharon, and Connie. They then had a family meeting in which they decided that there would be room for the preacher to go along with them to California. Their original plan was to pack up and leave the following morning, but Uncle John finally suggested that they pack up tonight and leave. They packed and loaded the truck throughout the night, and when morning came they were finally ready to go. Well, all but grandpa. When it came down to actually leaving Grandpa declared that he wasn't going. The Joads knew they couldn't just leave him there, so they drugged him with cough syrup, and when he fell asleep they put him in the truck with the rest of them and took off for California.
In the next two chapters it explains how empty everything is once everyone is gone. How the wildlife starts to inhabit the houses and how the wind was beginning to destroy them by tearing off the shingles one after another. It then explains how Al had to constantly be listening to the car to make sure it was going to make it to the next town. He would always be trying to figure out whether something was loose or broken, or whether it was just fine.
In Chapter 13 they make their first stop at a gas station to fill -up and let everyone out to stretch and drink water. This is when grandpa finally wakes up and realizes that they took him with after he had demanded to stay. The only dog they brought also gets out, but runs into the highway and is hit by a car. After a short stop they hit the road again. As soon as it is starting to get dark though, they stop next to another car and decide to make camp. Shortly after stopping Grandpa doesn't feel very well and is taken to lie down in the Wilson's tent. After a few moments the preacher comes out of the tent and announces that Grandpa has passed away due to a stroke. They have a burial for him and leave a note in a bottle explaining who he is and what happened. Finally, the Joads and the Wilsons decide that if they made the journey together they could really help each other out. The Joads would help out the Wilsons by keeping their car running, and the Wilsons could help out the Joads by taking some of their belongings and by having room for a few of the kids to ride in their car too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)