CHAPTER 21
1. What are the causes that contribute to the changes in the character of the migrant people?
The movement changed them; the highways, the camps along the road, the fear of hunger and the hunger itself, changed them. The children without dinner changed them, the endless moving changed them. They were migrants. And the hostility changed them, welded them, united them-hostility that made the little towns group and arm as though to repel an invader, squads with pick handles, clerks and storekeepers with shotguns, guarding the world against their own people.
2. As a result of the growing numbers of migrant people, what changes take place in the locals?
There was so many people, the locals started to panic. The people that owned land were scared for their property. Men who had never been hungry saw the eyes of hunger. Men who had never wanted anything very much saw the flare of want in the eyes of the migrants. The locals gathered together to defend themselves. They reassured themselves and each other that they were good and the invaders bad. The locals became cruel and formed units, squads, and armed themselves with clubs, gas, and guns.
3. How are the “little people” of California similar to the “Okies”?
Little people or farmers were those who did not own a cannery. Since they didn't, they lost their farms to the great owners, the banks, and the companies who also owned canneries. The little farmers moved into town for awhile and exhausted their credit, friends, and relatives. Then they too went on the highways where the road were crowded with men ready to kill for work.
Both little workers and okies are no longer property owners. Their life belongs to the road, not the land. They both are categorized as invaders to the locals of the west.
4. Explain this quote: “The great landowners were glad . . . And pretty soon now we’ll have serfs again.”
Owners of farms and land sent out thousands of handbills to attract people to come work. Most, needing money or food badly, would work for anything as long as it was something. Wages stayed down for workers and the prices of the businesses profits went up. The landowners were glad that the handbills intended purpose had worked for them and continued to not really help the ones in need (Okies, Little Farmers)
CHAPTER 22
5. What are the major differences between Weedpatch and the Hoovervilles?
Hooverville was a stop on the side of the road full of boxes and people that didn't want them there. Weedpatch is a fenced in, welcoming camp full of tents, and 5 sanitary buildings of toilets, showers, and washtubs. The cops there are elected by the people where in Hooverville they show up on their own and cause mayhem. Cops outside the camp aren't allowed in without a warrant. In Weedpatch, there's a camp committee that helps newcomers and sets the rules. A guard asked the Joads lots of needed questions, like if they had money. Since they had little left they were able to waver the price of a dollar a week and instead just work it out around the camp. Women take care of children and the sanitary units. Theres dances. The people in Weedpatch, unlike Hooverville, work as a family.
6. Is Weedpatch Steinbeck’s version of Paradise? Is there a serpent? Explain your answers.
Weedpatch is the best hope for life for people on the road. Since most can't get a job, you don't have to pay to stay there and instead work to be there. The people can continue to look for jobs with no one hassling them about it. It's the best they can do. The serpent of Weedpatch is everyone who lives their. Their all in charge of what goes on in the camp and the rules that govern it.
7. Timothy invites Tom to join Wilkie and him at work, even though it means fewer hours for the Wallaces. How does this action contribution to the “we” theme of the novel?
Timothy and Wilkie not only fee Tom breakfast, but invite him to come work with them. They did this without even knowing his name. The two men don't worry a whole lot about themselves, but about other people. They have work so they're going to help others find some too. It also contributes to the idea of extended family.
8. What is the connection between the Bank of the West and the Farmer’s Association? How does the landowner explain this to the men?
The Farmers Association is owned by the Bank of the West. Thomas, the one providing work, says that the bank owns most of his valley, and its got paper on everything it doesn't own. The wage the bank set for workers is 25 cents, and if Thomas was to go against that, it would cause unrest. He has to meet his paper to the bank. Tom found out that the association were the ones who sent the men to burn down Hooverville.
9. Why does the Association dislike the government camps?
They don't like the government camps because they can't get cops or a deputy in them. The people make their own laws, and they can't arrest anyone without a warrant. They're scared they'll organize themselves.
10. What does Ma mean when she says, “We come home to our own people . . . Why, I feel like people again,”?
She has found people that actually care about others. They think more about the 'we' than the 'I' and help each other when someone's in need. She found people that were like them who were getting along just fine.
11. Describe the atmosphere at Ma’s tent. What contributes to that atmosphere?
Theres a few different atmospheres: Ma seems to have a feeling that the family isn't good enough to be there. They're dirty and feel the need to make a good impression to the committee.
Pa doesn't believe that there's actually people that care in the camp. When he finds out that the manager stopped by for a cup of coffee, he accused him of snooping and wanted Ma to tell him what he actually wanted. He's not used to people being kind.
Their not wanted wherever they go, and they continue to move around. All of which contributes to the atmospheres in the tent.
12. What does the “sin-woman” represent? How does Rose of Sharon react? How does Ma deal with her when she appears again?
The sin woman represents sin itself or the devil. She turns things that can make a person happy, like dancing, into a sin. She make everyone in the camp out to be sinful. The happier a person is, the more sinful they are in her eyes. Rose of Sharon is afraid, and when she shows up again, Na gets angry and tells her to leave.
13. The members of the “committee” have a sense of self-importance. Is self-importance of value? Explain.
The women's committee takes turns being the chairman. Self-importance makes sure that the chairman of the week is the one doing her job. Also, being on the committee, you have to be elected by the people in the camp. If they worry too much about themselves they won't last on the committee for long. Self importance isn't of too much value.
14. How do the children handle adapting to their new environment?
Winfield adapts better than Ruthie. She always tries to impress Winfield, but when she charges in on the neighboring kids mallet game, she scares them. The kids don't want to play with someone that acted the way she did. Winfield watched Ruthie take over their game, scare away the children, play by herself, and then run away crying. Winfield, like he was asked to, waited until the start of the next game to play.
15. What do Pa, Al, and John discover about the availability of work?
They discovered there was no availability to work. No one was hiring.
16. After their emotionally torturous ordeal, what are Ma and Pa finally realizing?
They're realizing that they've finally found a nice place and the rest of the family that left will never see it. They won't know whether or not Connie or Noah died or survived. They wish they could have all stayed together to share the nice place they've found.
17. The family is temporarily happy. What events foreshadow the problems to come?
Pa and Ma talk about ducks, and pa says that he saw the ducks wedgin south. This means that winters coming early. He also talks about doves sitting close together on the wires - this could mean something - if you get too close to each other, the business will zap you.
