SteinbeckOutsideReadingProjectReadingLog

Passages610

MynovelfortheORPis:
TheGrapesofWrath

Instructions:
Divideyourbookintotenequalparts(totalpagesdividedby10),andforeachpart,pickoutone
PASSAGE
ofat
leastfivelines,copyandcommentonthisselection.Ultimately,youwillhaveatotalof
TENPASSAGESWITH
COMMENTARY.
Yourcommentsshouldreflectyourunderstandingofthereading.DONOTmerelysummarizeor
explainthepassage.UseyourAPStyleAnalysisGuideandthefollowingsuggestionstorespondinavarietyofways
toeachpassage.Forexample:
Discusstheauthorsimagery,wordchoice,andwritingstyle(diction/syntax/figurativelanguage).
Explaintheauthorsuseand/ordevelopmentofaliteraryelementortechnique:character,setting,plot,theme,
suspense,foreshadowing,irony,symbolism,allusion,etc.
Relatethechosenpassagetoanotherscene,setting,orcharacterinthesamenovel.
Relatethepassagetoanothernovel,film,oranyotherworkofart.
Discusshowthispassageremindsyouofsomeoneorsomethingorsomeeventfromyourownlife.

YoushouldusethesampleORPpassagesprovidedwiththeassignmentinGoogleClassroomasaguideforyour
responses.

Usethisdocumenttorecordyour
second
FIVEpassages,withpagenumberscitedasaparentheticalreference,along
withyoursecondsetofFIVEresponses.Labelthemclearly.ThesecondsetoffivewillbesubmittedinGoogle
ClassroomANDtoturnitin.combyFriday,February19.

6.Nomatterhowclever,howlovingamanmightbewithearthandgrowingthings,hecouldnotsurviveifhewere
notalsoagoodshopkeeper.Andastimewenton,thebusinessmenhadthefarms,andthefarmsgrewlarger,butthere
werefewerofthem.
Nowfarmingbecameindustry,andtheownersfollowedRome,althoughtheydidnotknowit.Theyimportedslaves,
althoughtheydidnotcallthemslaves:Chinese,Japanese,Mexicans,Filipinos.Theyliveonriceandbeans,the
businessmensaid.Theydon'tneedmuch.Theywouldn'tknowwhattodowithgoodwages.Why,lookhowtheylive.
Why,lookwhattheyeat.Andiftheygetfunnydeportthem.(Steinbeck316)
InthispassageSteinbecklooksathowthepoortreatmentofCaliforniasmigrantsstarted.Hecomparesthewaythey
treatedmigrantstohundredsofyearsbeforethistimewhenRomehadimportedslaves.Thisshockingcomparison
Steinbeckgivesletsthereaderknowtheseriousnessofthissubject.Healsogoesontoshowhowsmallfarmsbecame
ruledbythelargebanks.Thisishowmanyoftheinhumanetreatmentstowardsworkersstarted.Throughthecreative
talkingofabigbankinCaliforniayoulearntheprocesstowardsCalifornia'streatmentoftheforeignworkers.
ObviouslythesamethingappliedwhenCaliforniastartedtreatingthedustbowlworkers.Steinbeckuseshismocking
languagetoprovidetheproblemintheUnitedStatesofpeoplebeingtreateddifferentlybecausetheyaredifferent.
WhilethispassagefocusesonmigrantworkersSteinbeckcouldalsobeusingitforalargerbattlecryforallpeople
thatarediscriminatedagainstintheworkplacebecauseoftheirdifferences.

7.Floydscrapedharderwithhischisel.Ibeenheresixmonths,hesaid.IbeenscrabblinoverthishereStatetryin
toworkhardenoughandfastenoughtogetmeanpotatoesformeanmywifeandmykids.I'verunmyselflikea
jackrabbitanIcan'tquitemakeher.Therejustain'tquiteenoughtoeatnomatterwhatIdo.I'mgettintired,that's
all.I'mgettintiredwaypastwheresleepwillrestme.AnIjusdonknowwhattodo.
Ain'ttherenosteadyworkforafella?Alasked.
Notheyain'tnotsteadywork.(Steinbeck349)
ThispassageshowsthemaincharacterTomJoadlearningtherealitiesoftheharshlivinginCalifornia.Thereisno
workandit'sexhausting.SteinbeckusesforeshadowingtohavethereaderhaveafeelingthattheJoad's,willjustlike

Floyd,struggletofindworkinCalifornia.ThereaderfeelsliketheJoad'smighteventuallyalsofeeltiredandstartto
runoutofgas.NotsurprisingmanyofthethingsthatFloydsaidappeartobeechoedintheactionsandmisfortunes
laterinthenovelbytheJoads.SteinbeckusesatoneofslightirritationbyFloydthatspeaksforthefeelingsofthe
migrantsthattheyareupsetofhowtheyarebeingtreatedbuttheydon'tfeelliketheyshouldtrytomakeagreateffort
intostoppingthewaytheyarebeingtreatedknowingtheirsituationandtheconsequencesofactingout.

8.Hustonsaid,Idunno.Ijes'hopeWillie'sboysdon'tkillnobody.Whatthehellthe
deputieswanttohurtthecampfor?Whycan'ttheyletusbe?
ThesadboyfromUnitTwosaid,IlivedoutatSunlan'Lan'an'CattleCompany's
place.HonesttoGod,theygotacopforever'tenpeople.Gotonewaterfaucetfor'bouttwohundredpeople.
Thetubbymansaid,Jesus,God,Jeremy.Youain'tgottotellme.Iwasthere.Theygotablockofshacksthirtyfive
of'eminarow,an'fifteendeep.An'theygottencrappersforthewholeshebang.An',Christ,youcouldsmell'ema
mile.Oneofthemdeputiesgivemethelowdown.Wewassettin'aroun',an'hesays,'Themgoddamngov'ment
camps,'hesays.'Givepeoplehotwater,an'theygonnawanthotwater.Give'emflushtoilets,an'theygonnawant
'em.'Hesays,'YougivethemgoddamnOkiesstufflikethatan'they'llwant'em.'An'hesays,'Theyhol'redmeetin's
inthemgov'mentcamps.Allfiggerin'howtogitonrelief,'hesays.Hustonasked.Didn'nobodysockhim?
No.Theywasalittlefella,an'hesays,'Whatyoumean,relief?
Imeanreliefwhatustaxpayersputsinan'yougoddamnOkiestakesout.'
Wepaysalestaxan'gastaxan'tobaccotax,'thislittleguysays.An'hesay,'Farmersgetfourcentsacottonpoun'
fromthegov'mentain'tthatrelief?'An'hesays,'Railroadsan'shippin'companiesdrawsubsidiesain'tthatrelief?
They'redoin'stuffgottobedone,thisdeputysays.
Well,'thelittleguysays,'how'dyourgoddamncropsgetpickedifitwasn'tforus?Thetubbymanlookedaround.
What'dthedeputysay?Hustonasked.
Well,thedeputygotmad.An'hesays,'Yougoddamnredsisallthetimestirrin'uptrouble,'hesays.'Youbetter
comealongwithme.'Sohetakesthislittleguyin,an'theygivehimsixtydaysinjailforvagrancy.
How'dtheydothatifhehadajob?askedTimothyWallace.
Thetubbymanlaughed.Youknowbetter'nthat,hesaid.Youknowavagrantisanybodyacopdon'tlike.An'that's
whytheyhatethisherecamp.Nocopscangetin.Thishere'sUnitedStates,notCalifornia.(Steinbeck455)
ThispassageisagreatillustrationtotheoverallfeelingforthemigrantinCalifornia.Aconsensushasformedthat
theyshouldbetreatedlikeanimalsandiftheyaren'tsomethingiswrong.ThepeopleofCaliforniaaresoworried
abouttheseanimalsgettingoutofcontrolthattheyhavehundredsofpolicemantopolicetheanimalsandevenmore
policemanperanimalthanwaterfaucetperanimal.Notonlyisthistreatmenthorribleforthemigrantsitwouldeven
beconsideredinhumanebymostsensiblepeopleforactualanimals.ThisdescriptionthatSteinbeckprovidesusing
wordslikevagrantshowsthehorriblenessofhowthey'retreated.Thepassagealsotalksaboutgovernmentcamps.
Inthegovernmentcampsthemigrantsareactuallytreatedlikehumanbeingsnotanimals.Thelastsentenceaboutthe
governmentcampsbeingtheUnitedStatesnotCaliforniaisanimportantpoliticalpointthatSteinbeckmakes.He
showsthattheUnitedStatesstillbelievedindemocracyandeveryonebeingequalandthatthatismoreimportantthan
moneyandpower.That'swhythefederalgovernmentcreatedthesegovernmentcampsbecausetheyrealizedthey
neededsomethingtohelpthemigrantssonotallofthemhadtoliveintheirhorribleconditions.Howeverthestateof
Californiaonlycaresaboutitseconomyandhowit'soriginalcitizensaredoing.ForexampleCaliforniaknowshaving
someofthemigrantsisgoodbecausetheyprovideagoodeconomybypickingthecrops,ajobnobodyelsewantsto
do,butthegovernmentcampsourbadforthestateofCaliforniasinceCaliforniawouldpreferthemigrantstobe
treatedlikeanimals.ThatisbecauseCaliforniadoesn'tlikethemigrantsandthinksthattheywillworsentheeconomy
iftreatednormally.Alsothebigbanksthatcontrolboththefarmsandthegovernmentwouldlikethemigrantstobe
mistreatedbecausethatmakesthemmoredesperatetogetworkwhichmeansthebankscanlowertheworkingwages.
WhileSteinbeckactuallyonlyusesafewwordsheprovidesoneofthesolutionstohelpingendthedustbowlmigrant
crisis.Thesolutioniswithfederalinvolvementtheywilldowhat'sbestforthepeopleofthecountryinsteadofhaving
thestatemanagetheirownaffairsanddoingwhat'sbetterforthem.WhileSteinbeckonlyistalkingaboutthemigrant
crisisalargerargumentcouldbemadeformorefederalinvolvementinthegovernmentandlessinvolvementinthe
statesotheentirecountrygetsstrongernotjustonestatebeinggreedy.Thisisoneofmanylargerthanthebook

argumentsthatSteinbeckprovidesintheGrapesofWrath.

9.Thisvineyardwillbelongtothebank.Onlythegreatownerscansurvive,fortheyownthecanneries,too.And
fourpearspeeledandcutinhalf,cookedandcanned,stillcostfifteencents.Andthecannedpearsdonotspoil.They
willlastforyears.
ThedecayspreadsovertheState,andthesweetsmellisagreatsorrowontheland.Menwhocangraftthetreesand
maketheseedfertileandbigcanfindnowaytoletthehungrypeopleeattheirproduce.Menwhohavecreatednew
fruitsintheworldcannotcreateasystemwherebytheirfruitsmaybeeaten.AndthefailurehangsovertheStatelikea
greatsorrow.
Theworksoftherootsofthevines,ofthetrees,mustbedestroyedtokeepuptheprice,andthisisthesaddest,
bitterestthingofall.Carloadsoforangesdumpedontheground.Thepeoplecameformilestotakethefruit,butthis
couldnotbe.Howwouldtheybuyorangesattwentycentsadozeniftheycoulddriveoutandpickthemup?And
menwithhosessquirtkeroseneontheoranges,andtheyareangryatthecrime,angryatthepeoplewhohavecometo
takethefruit.Amillionpeoplehungry,needingthefruitandkerosenesprayedoverthegoldenmountains.
Andthesmellofrotfillsthecountry.
Burncoffeeforfuelintheships.Burncorntokeepwarm,itmakesahotfire.Dumppotatoesintheriversandplace
guardsalongthebankstokeepthehungrypeoplefromfishingthemout.Slaughterthepigsandburythem,andletthe
putrescencedripdownintotheearth.
Thereisacrimeherethatgoesbeyonddenunciation.Thereisasorrowherethatweepingcannotsymbolize.Thereisa
failureherethattopplesalloursuccess.Thefertileearth,thestraighttreerows,thesturdytrunks,andtheripefruit.
Andchildrendyingofpellagramustdiebecauseaprofitcannotbetakenfromanorange.Andcoronersmustfillinthe
certificatediedofmalnutritionbecausethefoodmustrot,mustbeforcedtorot.
Thepeoplecomewithnetstofishforpotatoesintheriver,andtheguardsholdthembacktheycomeinrattlingcars
togetthedumpedoranges,butthekeroseneissprayed.Andtheystandstillandwatchthepotatoesfloatby,listento
thescreamingpigsbeingkilledinaditchandcoveredwithquicklime,watchthemountainsoforangesslopdownto
aputrefyingoozeandintheeyesofthepeoplethereisthefailureandintheeyesofthehungrythereisagrowing
wrath.Inthesoulsofthepeoplethegrapesofwratharefillingandgrowingheavy,growingheavyforthevintage.
(Steinbeck476477)
ThispassageistheessenceofSteinbecksbook.WhileSteinbeckfocusesononefamilyformuchofthebookand
theirstrugglesitisclearlyagreaterproblemthanonefamily.Whiletherearemanyargumentsofthisandthatamong
themigrantsthereisasimpleoneofpeopledyingandsuffering.Didyouhavecompassionornot?Itbecomesclearin
thispassagethebanksdonothavecompassion.Meanwhilethefarmersarebackedintoacorneranddecidethattheir
livesaremoreimportantthanthemigrants.Thatmeansthattheycan'tletthemigrantsgettheirspoiledfieldbecause
thatswhatthebigbankswhoownthemwant.Thefarmersareforcedtolettheirfoodrotforthechancethattheycan
keeptheirfarmandstayafloat.UnfortunatelythismeansthatthemigrantsdieandsufferanditkillstheAmerican
Dream.SteinbeckshowsthattheAmericanpeoplehaveranoutofcompassionfortheirneighborsandforgotabout
theprinciplesthatthiscountrywasbuilton.Thispassageelectspainforthereader.Steinbecksfabuloususeofword
choiceusingthemeaningfulwordsgrapesofwrathfortheonlytimeinthebookprovidesthefireinthebellyofthe
reader.Steinbecksharshandalmostmiserablesoundingtonegetstothecoreofyourheartandtearsatyouwanting
youtoscreamatthebigbanksandmakethemstopbecausetherearechildrendyingwiththegreedandmoneyand
power.WithSteinbecksuseoftone,horridimagerywithhiswordchoice,andhisuseoftheshortpowerfulsentences
itmakesthisSteinbecksmostpowerfulandgreatestpageintheentirenovel.Thissectiongoesfarenoughtoforce
thereadertocontemplatewhattheyaredoinginlifeandmakethemthinkthattheyshouldgooutandmakea
differenceintheworld.

10.Heputhisshoveldown,andholdingtheboxinfrontofhim,heedgedthroughthebrushuntilhecametothe
edgeoftheswiftstream.Foratimehestoodwatchingitswirlby,leavingitsyellowfoamamongthewillowstems.
Heheldtheappleboxagainsthischest.Andthenheleanedoverandsettheboxinthestreamandsteadieditwithhis
hand.Hesaidfiercely,"Godownan'tell'em.Godowninthestreetan'rotan'tell'emthatway.That'sthewayyou
cantalk.Don'evenknowifyouwasaboyoragirl.Ain'tgonnafindout.Goondownnow,an'layinthestreet.

Maybethey'llknowthen."Heguidedtheboxgentlyoutintothecurrentandletitgo.Itsettledlowinthewater,edged
sideways,whirledaround,andturnedslowlyover.Thesackfloatedaway,andthebox,caughtintheswiftwater,
floatedquicklyaway,outofsight,behindthebrush.(Steinbeck609)
ThispassageistellingthestoryoftheuncleoftheJoadfamilytakingthebabyofRoseofSharonthatwasdeadat
birthtobeburied.HoweverUncleJohninsteaddecidestoplaceitinthewaterofafloodthathadswallowedupwhere
theJoadfamilywasliving.ThispassageisareenactmentofMosesinthebasketintheTorahandBible.The
similaritiesareimmensebetweenthatstoryintheTorahandthisscene.Ababyinabasket/sackbeingcarrieddowna
waterwaybecausethereismistreatmentofthebaby'sfamily.IntheTorahtheJewsbecomeslavesinEgyptsince
PharaohissoworriedabouttheJewsbecomingtoopowerfulbecausetheyhadrisengreatlysincetheysettledin
Egypt.HeissoworriedthattheymightovertaketheEgyptiansthatthePharaohorderedallJewishboynewbornsto
bekilled.ThebabyMosesisleftinabasketdowninariverbyhismominahopethatsomeonewillsavehimsohe
doesn'thavetobekilled.WhilethebabyintheGrapesofWrathisdeadbecauseRoseofSharonwasn'thealthy
enoughtogiveababythesimilarsceneisofthemigrantworkersmovingtoCalifornia.ThenjustliketheJewsthey
aremistreatedsinceCaliforniaisworriedaboutthemigrantworkersorganizingandtryingtogetpower.Withthisthe
migrantsarebeingtreatedlikeanimalsjustliketheJewsweretreatedbytheEgyptians.Thedeadbabyisbeingsent
downthewaterinhopethatsomeonewillseethetorturethemigrantworkersaregoingthrew.Thehopeisthatthe
peopleinCaliforniawillrealizewhatthemigrantworkersarereallygoingthruandthattheytrytosavethemigrant
workers.ThebabyMosesisrescuedbythePharaoh'sdaughterandsoonbecomestherescueroftheJewishpeople.
Clearly,Steinbeckwaslookingtocomparethesetwoscenariostoshowthatahorriblesceneofinjusticecouldstillbe
prevalentandlookverysimilartodiscriminationtoanothergroupofpeoplethousandsofyearsbefore.