The Grapes of Wrath

Chapter 1 What state does the novel start in? What is Steinbeck describing at the beginning of this chapter? “The rain crust broke and the dust lifted up and out of the fields and drove gray plumes into the air like sluggish smoke” (2). Describe and quote what life was like during the dust bowl. What do you think the men are thinking about?

Chapter 2 What does the sign on the window of the red Oklahoma City Transport Company truck say? Describe the man sitting on the running board of the red truck. Why does the hitchhiker ask the truck driver for a ride even with the sticker in the window? Who is the hitchhiker? How does the truck driver “train his mind?” Where is Tom Joad from and why was he there?

Chapter 3 Why do you think the woman swerved to miss the turtle? Why did the truck driver move to hit the turtle? What do you think Steinbeck is trying to say with this chapter?

Chapter 4 Why is Joad taking the turtle with him?  Who does Joad meet under the willow tree?  Why does Reverend Casy say he isn’t a priest anymore?  Why does Joad say he picked up the turtle?  When and how did Joad kill a man?  How did Joad’s family get the farm?  What can you infer about the Joad family?  How did Tom find his family’s home?

Ch. 1-4 Pop Quiz What is the main character’s first and last name? What does the truck driver hit and why is it significant? Who does the main character meet after the truck driver? What was his last occupation? What do they find when they see the house?

Chapter 5 What do you think the men and the owners were talking about? Describe the different types of owners. Why do the owners blame the bank? What do the tenant farmers say makes the land theirs, and not the owners?  When the tractor comes, where is the tenant farmer and his family? How much does the tractor driver get paid? What happens if the tractor driver caves in the house with people in it? Describe the man driving the tractor. Specifically, what is he wearing and what does he look like?

Chapter 6 Describe the Joad house. How does Tom know his mother isn’t at the home? What has Tom decided is bothering him? What did Tom do with the turtle? Who is coming down the road? Where are Tom’s parents and what are they doing? Why does Rev. Casy say Muley shouldn’t have stayed? What did Rev. Casy do instead of church collection? Who does Muley say is coming down the road and why? Where do the men spend the night?

Chapter 7 Describe chapter 7, and what the tone of the speaker is.

Chapter 8 Who scared Tom and why? How does Tom say Uncle John’s wife died? What does Tom see out front when he gets near Uncle John’s home? Describe Ol’ Tom.  Describe Ma. Describe Grampa. Describe Granma. Describe Noah. What is the question everyone in Tom’s family has asked him? And what is Al’s reaction when he hears the answer?

Chapter 9 Where are the tenant farmers headed? What two things do the tenant farmers say people are buying? What can the family take with them and why? What happened to the things the family could not take with them?

Chapter 10 What is Tom doing at the beginning of chapter 10?  How long does Tom think it will take to get to California from Oklahoma?  When did Grampa’s brother leave for California? What does Casy say he will do in California?  Describe Tom’s sisters.  Describe Rose of Sharon's husband. Describe Uncle John. How much money did the family make selling their belongings?

Chapter 10 Continued What happens if Tom is caught out of state? Why did Al say buy the Hudson Super-Six?  Is Casy going with the Joad’s to California?  What does the family need to do before they leave?  Why does Ma not want Casy to salt the pork, and what is his response?  Who comes to see the Joad’s?  Why does Grampa say he isn’t going?  What is Tom’s solution to taking Grampa with them to California?