Grapes of Wrath

Turtle: When the turtle crosses the road it could mean that he's looking for a new beginning. While he's crossing, he almost gets hit by two cars; one swerves to miss him and the other to swerved to hit him, so the turtle hid in his shell, which could symbolize safety and security. While he does so, a piece of wild oat head gets stuck between his leg and shell, and as the turtle carries on, he plants those new seeds. By this, he could be thought of as god by creating new life.

Jim Casey: He is a preacher who is questioning himself about what he believes in. He claims that he doesn't love Jesus, but he loves people. When he used to preach, he would get people full of spirit when he speaks, but he does questionable things for being a preacher such as going out in the grass and sleeping with women after a speech. Through Jim, we see the theme of 'We v. I'. I think Jim is a good guy, he's just questioning himself about his beliefs.

Tom Joad: He comes from a farming family in Oklahoma. One night he was out drinking and got caught up in a fight and someone stabbed a knife into him, so Tom killed that guy and was sent to jail for 4 years and is now on probation. Now that he has just got out of jail, he is lost and is going home to try and figure out what to do. I think Tom could be close to being an alcoholic because he was drunk when the fight happened, and he carries a flask.

The Grapes of Wrath: Chapters 1 & 2

Chapters one and two deal with the exposition. We learn that it is very dry and the corn isn't doing too well. The setting is in Oklahoma. A truck driver pulls up and eats in the restaurant. He visits with a waitress, and as he leaves he notices a man asking for a ride. He gives him one, even though the company says they aren't supposed to, and we learn that the truck driver is a very detailed man. He tries to notice the fine details in the fabric. The truck driver also minds his own business, but the hitchhiker, Joad, told him about himself anyway, that he went to jail and is now going to his uncle's to work.

Characters: The truck driver: He is a truck driver for the Oklahoma City Transport Company, who stopped at a local diner to eat. He talked with the waitress a little while, finished up his meal, put his two nickels in the slot machine, and left. 

Joad: A man younger than 30, Hitch hiker, killed a man and went to jail for 4 years, going to his uncle's to work. 

Works cited 2

Datz Todd, “Teen Obesity Linked With Premature Death in Adulthood”, Medical News Today, July 19, 2006, Web, March 12, 2010, 2.

McEntire Teresa, “Parenting advice: 10 Benefits of Playing Sports”, families.com, October 30, 2006, Web, March 11, 2010, 1.

Metzl Jordan, and Shookhoff Carol, “The Benefits of Youth Sports”, eNotAlone, 2002, Web, March 12, 2010, 11.

Torgan Carol, “Childhood Obesity on the Rise”, World on Health, June 2002, Web, March 11, 2010, 4.

works cited page

McEntire Teresa, Parenting advice: 10 Benefits of Playing Sports, families.com, October 30, 2006, Web, March 11, 2010, 1.

Torgan Carol, Childhood Obesity on the Rise, World on Health, June 2002, Web, March 11, 2010, 4.

Metzl Jordan, and Shookhoff Carol, The Benefits of Youth Sports, eNotAlone, 2002, Web, March 12, 2010, 11.

Datz Todd, Teen Obesity Linked With Premature Death in Adulthood, Medical News Today, July 19, 2006, Web, March 12, 2010, 2.