Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men: Comparison & Contrast

Griselda Casillas
Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck

Read and Post by Oct. 28

Hey Julianna,

Comparison: Both books had to do with the characters making a journey for a better life and having dreams that were sometimes crushed on the way. For example, in Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie went to the farm to earn enough money to make their dream come true. Their dream was to own their own farm and have a lot of animals. Both guys were really close friends and George looked at Lennie like his own brother and sometimes in an annoying and regretful way because Lennie usually got him into trouble. Their dreams didn’t come true because Lennie got killed by George, and I think that George would not follow his dream on his own. I’m pretty sure he would feel guilty for the rest of his life and wouldn’t really care if he had a better life or not. Likewise, in Grapes of Wrath, the Joad family had a dream that they would also own their own farm and they would harvest their own food. But, it didn’t really come true because their life was really hard in California. They were usually starving. Also, their families had spread apart because many of them had died. Tom had gone somewhere else so the police wouldn't find him (he killed another men). Both books talked about how the main characters met many nice and mean people throughout their journey.

Contrast: Both books had a different sad ending because in Of Mice and Men, George killed Lennie because he didn’t want to see Lennie suffer. However, there were many deaths in Grapes of Wrath, but none of the character’s killed their loved ones. It was usually against the enemies and the people who treated them badly. Also, in Of Mice and Men, there seemed to be a really strong relationship between George and Lennie, even though they weren’t related. But in Grapes of Wrath, there seemed to be a bond between Tom and Casy and Tom and Ma. Also, George and Lennie didn’ travel much, but the Joad’s family traveled a lot because they were looking for an improvement in another place than the place they had recently been.

          

post 10 of 10 (ch. 28-30) - Griselda

Griselda Casillas
Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck

Read and Post by Oct. 28

Hey Julianna, It is sad that this is our last book together, but we worked great! :)

Chapter twenty-eight- I agree with you that it’s sad that Tom has to leave California because he has killed two men. I’m pretty sure that Ruthie didn’t mean to give his brother’s secret away, but she just wanted the girl who was bothering her to stay away because she could defend herself just like her brother did. I think Ma feels really feels unhappy because there hasn’t been anything but trouble since they were traveling to California and arrived there. I think Tom might be thinking of becoming a preacher because he wants to follow Casy’s steps and thinks that everything that Casy said was correct. At least Al is happy in this chapter because he is getting married to a girl names Agnes Wainright, whom he just met a the cotton fields.

Chapter twenty-nine- It seems like things are really going wrong for the poor farmers because the rainstorm is flooding the land and everything. It’s getting out of control because the migrants have to steal food to give it to their families. It’s funny how Steinbeck describes the relationship between the women and husband. For example, the women believe that the men will break, but then it is always the opposite. The men become angrier than ever.

Chapter thirty- this was a very awkward and gloomy ending for the book because the boxcar (where the Joad’s family has been living) has been flooded. The other tragic and heartbroken part is that Rose of Sharon’s baby dies. Also, the Joads don’t have enough food, so they go to a nearby farm where they find a small boy and almost dead dad. I think Rose of Sharon was pleased that she could help a dying person, but I have a feeling that Rose of Sharon’s heart will have an empty gap because her son died and her husband was not with her.

post 9 of 10 (ch. 25-27) - Griselda

Griselda Casillas
Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck

Read and Post by Oct. 28

Hey Julianna,

Chapter twenty-five- I agree with you that people have more hope of finding a job. But, they kind of doubt it when the landowners are not paying them enough money. I think the farmers fear that they won’t have enough money to harvest their own land. They are also very angry with the landowners because their debts are rising and their crops are dying.

Chapter twenty-six- I actually don’t think this chapter started off nice, but it does get very sad and depressing towards the end because the food was running low in the camp. So the Joad’s went thirty miles away and found a peach picking farm where they only get paid five cents per box. The Joad’s family is getting hungrier everytime because they are not getting enough money for food. I think that they don’t realize that the owner is cheating them and that he is not paying them enough to satisfy their hunger. I think it was very sad when Casy got killed because he hadn’t done anything bad and Tom really liked him as a friend. Therefore, Tom killed the person who murdered him. I’m pretty sure that if someone finds out that Tom killed someone, the whole family will be at risk. They might not get a job and they might lose Tom again.

Chapter twenty-seven- I agree with you that a theme in this chapter is happiness because cotton is finally growing on the farms. This will definitely mean that families will have enough food to take to their families. But, they have to work hard and carry stones in their sacks. It’s kind of sad because they probably didn’t have machines to do that kind of work and the landowners are letting the “migrant men” do the hard work.

Post 10 (28-30) -Julianna

Julianna Hale
John Steinbeck
Grapes of Wrath
Read and Post by Oct 28


Hi Griselda. This is our last post about the book. And it's our last book together :(

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Sadly, Tom has to leave California. His little sister starts bragging to the other children that her big brother killed two men. Ma freaks out and tells Tom that he has to leave and he agrees. First he says he has been thinking about Casy and everything he said. I think that when he says this, he's thinking about becoming a preacher. What do you think? At the end of the chapter, Rose of Sharon ends up feeling sick.


Chapter Twenty-Nine: A huge downpour of rain floods the city and everybody starts to worry. First all the floods make people fear for their safety, then the floods turn the fields into lakes so there is no work, and since there is no work, there is no money for food. People resort to begging and stealing which nobody likes. Finally the rain lets up and the men group together and figure out what they are going to do.


Chapter Thirty: I felt that this chapter and the whole book ended very awkwardly. Pa tells all the men in the camp to build a turret for the rain to pour into. During the work, Rose of Sharon has labor pains and goes into labor. Sadly, her baby is born dead because of malnourishment. The next day, everyone is afraid for their lives because of all the flooding so the Joad's find a barn to take cover in. There they see a young boy kneeling over his father. He says that his father is starving and can't keep anything solid down. Ma looks at Rose of Sharon and there is a silent agreement. Everybody leaves except Rose; she kneels down next to the man and gives him her breast mild and then a smile spreads over his face.

Post 9 (Ch. 25-27) -Julianna

Julianna Hale
John Steinbeck
Grapes of Wrath
Read and Post by Oct 28


Hi Griselda

Chapter Twenty-Five: Finally the crops are starting to grow and people think there is hope for jobs. They'll be able to cultivate the land and finally get some food. However, the land owners lower the prices and the farmers can't afford to harvest it. This means that they can take what they can grab but they can't throw anything away. If they do, the "Okies" will take it for free and everyone will be happy except the people who aren't making money. Instead, they have to watch as the crops are burned to the ground as their hunger rises slowly.

Chapter Twenty-Six: I thought that this chapter started off really nice but then got sad and depressing. The Joads find work on a peach farm where a bunch of angry looking people stand around. At the farm, you can earn $0.05 an hour. Ma is able to buy a little hamburger and coffee but she really needs sugar. She asks the shop owner to credit her but he says that won't work and just gives her the sugar. Tom wonders why everybody looked upset so he went back and saw Casy. He said that everybody was promised 5 cents but only got 2 1/2. A riot is started and police hit Casy over the head with a Pick Axe and he dies. Tom hits the guy back but he hurts his nose and freaks out because of his parole. Ma figures that he could stay by a little river until his face heals and she could bring him food. They see a sign for cotton pickers needed and head down the road.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The most obvious theme in the world portrays itself in this chapter; happiness. Cotton is growing and it needs to get picked. The "Okies" are reminded of home and they are making money. This means that they are getting food on the table for their families.

post 8 of 10 (ch. 22-24) - Griselda

Griselda Casillas
Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck

Read and Post by Oct. 28

Hey Julianna,

Chapter twenty-two: As you’ve said the Joad’s family goes into government based camp. I think why Mr.Wallace told Tom that they want to close down the camp is because they want to get a group of people who are willing to fight for a better wage. But, first they have to close the camp so that there will be enough money for everyone. Ma is relieved to find out that Mr. Thomas has hired Tom, this gives her a little bit of hope. I don’t think that Rose of Sharon will lose her baby because she might find out that what the women had said to them (women who do sinful acts will lose their babies) was just a myth.

Chapter twenty-three: I think that if the farmers continue to make their life seem fun and full of hopes, than It will get better for them. But, sooner or later they would get annoyed and desperate for food if they don’t find jobs. It depends on if they find better opportunities for their family and themselves. If they get to know each other, than maybe they can rebel against the government.

Chapter twenty-four: This chapter is full of hope because after the dance had occurred and were disturbed by three suspicious looking man. A guy told them a story. He said that there was a march between the townspeople and the workers. The workers led the strong march because they wanted to be treated fairly by the mean townspeople. This march helped maintain peace between the townspeople and the workers.  

post 7 of 10 (ch. 19-21) - Griselda

Griselda Casillas
Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck

Read and Post by Oct. 28

Hey Julianna,

Chapter nineteen- I agree that the narrator is talking and he is saying how California once belonged to California, but then rich farmer came in and took farmed their land in California. I think that even though the rich farmers have power over the land, they are still afraid of the poor farmers who might revolt against them and fight for their share of the land. I don’t think that the term “Okie” is racist, derogatory because it’s disrespectful, but it’s not like the “Okies are from a different country/culture.

Chapter twenty- I think the family is not happy with the way things are going in California, because they can’t even have a proper burial for Grandma.

Chapter twenty: I agree with you that a theme in this chapter is bravery, but can also be justice because Tom and Casy decided to attack the police officer who had attacked Floyd. I think the main reason they did this is because they’ve heard so many stories about how California land owners and police officers treat the “Okies” bad and I think they just wanted to get a little bit of revenge. Plus they knew that the officer shouldn’t have shot Floyd because he hadn’t done anything bad. I think it was very brave for Casy to take the blame of the “accident”. A theme Ma portrayed was caring because It was very sweet and kind of her to feed poor hungry children stew after she had fed her family.

            Chapter twenty-one- this chapter is full of hatred because the landowners dislike the fact that the “Okies” are invading their property. The farmers loathe the landowners because they are abolishing their small farms. I think it would be best if everyone had an equal opportunity to own a small amount of land. That way the incoming people will have enough jobs and some land to plant their food. But it doesn’t seem like the two sides are willing to cooperate.

post 6 of 10 (ch. 16-18) - Griselda

Griselda Casillas
Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck

Read and Post by Oct. 28

Hey Julianna,

          Chapter sixteen-I agree with you that a theme for this section is fear, but mostly it’s anxiety because the family knows that they can be left on the road any moment.  That’s exactly what happens to them because their car breaks down. I can see that Ma is a very overprotective because she doesn’t want anything to happen to her son, Tom. I think she doesn’t want to lose him again because they were separated four years. I think she was the one who suffered most. Do you think so. I think it’s depressing for the people who can’t find jobs and maintain their family. For example, the man who Tom and Al run into when they are buying the car part, says that it isn’t likely that they will find a job, even if the handbill says the opposite. I think if people keep telling them negative stories instead of happy ones, the Joad’s family will lack hope. Answering your question, I’m not quite sure why Steinbeck didn’t give Ma a name, but it might be because the characters in the story call her Ma.

          Chapter seventeen- I also think that this chapter is about the role the farmers (“migrant men”) play in the California society because the farmers who just got to California form one community when it used to be about twenty families. They also make their own laws which would apply to everyone in the community. I think this will work if they maintain peace and follow the rules/laws. But, there is a high possibility that one person would want to take over which would cause chaos.

          Chapter eighteen- I think that the family was relieved to get to California, but they soon meet a family and son who are going back to their home country because in California they call them “Okies”. I think this is insulting for people to be called like that because they are not doing anything wrong, they just want have a better life. When Noah says that he will stay and survive by eating fish In the lake Ma feels helpless and worried because she doesn’t want her family to isolate from each other. I don’t know who the women is who tried to make Grandma feel better. It’s really sorrowful when Grandma dies because they have lost a family member and a dog whom they loved a lot. I hate it how Ma was asking the police officer to let them take Grandma to a hospital, but the police officer rejected her.