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.