... his mom he should leave so he doesn't bring more hardship to the family. On page 390 the books says, "Ma I have to go or you"ll all be in trouble cause of me. I"m sorry I dun" it ma I couldn't help myself." His mother came out to his hiding spot to give him food. And she found him ... almost crying because of all the trouble he is causing. On page 403 the book says "Ma, maybe I should just leave. I could make it on my own. I don't want to cause you any more trouble." He just said he was going to ... He regrets his mistake so much he decides to leave his family. Lastly, Tom reacts by tot...

• Word Count: 490
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... strong sacrifice and strength through the use of the characters Ma Joad and Rose of Sharon. These two characters represent the need for a feeling of unity and the desperation faced by so many people world-wide who struggle for survival. Throughout the novel, Ma Joad portrays the strength that many people fight to keep in ... hard times. Ma is seen as the foundation upon which the other family members stand and therefore, "if she swayed the family shook, ... gone" (p. 100). Her strength is so strong that it is dispersed throughout the rest of the family which in turn strengthens them as ...

• Word Count: 651
• Approx Pages: 3

... of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck; it tells a story about the struggles of migrant farmers during the Great Depression. The book tells a story about the Joad's, the main family in the book, struggle during these tough times. In the book many of the characters change due to the troubles that they experience. In the ... They have to sell all of their belongings to get money for the trip. Granpa gets second thoughts before they leave and decides he is going to stay. Ma drugs him and they carry him to the car. The first night they stay by the Wilson's. Their car has broken down and the ...

• Word Count: 988
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

John Steinbeck's classic novel, The Grapes of Wrath follows the trials and tribulations of Tom Joad and his family, along with a supporting cast of characters which includes members of Tom's family, as well as local people. When Tom is released from prison ... this book, Jim Casy, who is a former preacher who seems to value the importance of human contact as something quite holy. Tom and Jim together travel to the Joad's residence, only to learn that his family is at his Uncle John's house. There they are planning the long trip to California in search of jobs with high wages ... nearby strea...

• Word Count: 700
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... becomes short. Like most of the western farmers, they pack up and move to California. During the long, hard trip many members of the family begin to change. Ma is one of the first who changes. When the book began, she behaved like a traditional housewife, taking care of the children and cooking and keeping quiet while ... the family wants to split up, she revolts. She takes a jack handle and threatens Pa. Pa lets her have her way. Now through the rest of the book, Ma is the head of the family. She tells the Joads what is going to be done and where they're going. "Pa sniffled, " Seems lik...

• Word Count: 554
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... earthquake in 1989 for example. It took along time to stabilize Santa Cruz and the surrounding area. Today we are still rebuilding areas. So transforming the Joad's life proved to be an enduring task. Life is so reliant on the land that we have come so close to becoming it. Steinbeck uses description ... their situation. Any obstacle easily crushes what little hope resides in their pessimistic minds. The Parents and adults make up the core and the strong hold. Ma plays the strongest willed role in the novel and is focused on keeping the family together as much as she can. Like most plan...

• Word Count: 883
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... in The Grapes of Wrath however, is overt. "Too often, we feel him at our elbow, explaining, interpreting, interfering with our own independent impressions. And there are moments at which Ma Joad and Casy "otherwise such substantial figures "seem to fade into mere mouthpieces, as the author's voice comes through, like another station on the radio (Bloom's 28)."" This quote ... supporting details in his critical analysis. His points could have yielded more credibility if he had included critical details such as a quote from the novel proving his argument in which Ma Joad and Casy were no ...

• Word Count: 669
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography

... Joads and every other migrant family in the Midwest. In the Grapes of Wrath, many of the Joads" relationships grew, while many were torn apart, and several enemies evolved. The Joad family traveled thousands of miles together and their bonds strengthened as a result. The family had to work as one in order to survive the journey, but by the end of ... camp provided a roof over each family's head in a small boxcar. Lastly, the barn in the last chapter from the book provided refuge from the rain for Rose of Sharon and Ma. Whether luxurious or derisory, the Joads" adapted to their several d...

• Word Count: 787
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... be broken, however, and will maintain their self-respect. Using colorful, unpolished language, the protagonists reveal who they really are -down to earth people of integrity and good-will. Tom Joad is not ashamed to admit where he has been the past four years because he paid for his crime, which he characterizes as something he would do again if the ... with the earth rather than with an intangible spiritual source. The people are, nevertheless, spiritual in their endeavors to do what is right and to maintain their humanity and dignity. Ma is portrayed as a loving, strong, calm and very...

• Word Count: 659
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School