Introduction to Grapes of Wrath forum

Hi guys! We're going to try something new for Grapes of Wrath: an on-line discussion forum. The first question you must answer (YOU CANNOT REPEAT ANYONE ELSE'S ANSWER) is Tell me one fact about the Dust Bowl. Answers must all be posted by January 22. Your first quiz will come from your postings so be sure to re-read everyone's responses before January 22. Have fun!

Open this Power Point about the Dust Bowl. Review all the pictures and return to this forum to respond to one or more pictures as they relate to Grapes of Wrath. You cannot repeat anyone else's answer.

John Steinbeck's life

List two facts about Steinbeck. Do not repeat anyone else's answer. We should end up with nearly 80 facts about Steinbeck's life after everyone has answered. Be sure to read each other's answers because YOUR facts will be on a quiz.

Chapter 1

Defend, refute, or qualify the following quote: "Women and children knew deep in themselves that no misfortune was too great to bear if their men were whole." For example, would this quote still be true in our modern world? Why or why not? Use textual support. Don't forget to sign your name!

Chapter 2

Is Tom Joad justified in acting distant to the truck driver? Justify your answer using textual support.

Chapter 3

What does the turtle symbolize? What do the car and truck symbolize? DIG DEEP, folks. Don't just parrot someone else's answer (and don't you dare copy off of Spark Notes or something similar). Use support from the text to justify your responses. Plagiarized responses will receive a zero and a referral. I know you can do it on your own! Wow me with your insights.

Chapter 4

How and why does Jim Casey's view of religion change? Use textual support. Each of you should list one point; don't just repeat someone else's answer. Analyze and synthesize, don't just write about surface ideas.

Also, the title of this novel comes from the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." Analyze the song and how it relates to the novel thus far. Be specific.


Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery Gospel writ in burnished rows of steel;
“As ye deal with My contemners, so with you My grace shall deal”;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with His heel,
Since God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Since God is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat;
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet;
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free;[originally …let us die to make men free]
While God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! While God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is wisdom to the mighty, He is honor to the brave;
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of wrong His slave,
Our God is marching on.Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.

Chapter 5

Compare the plight of the Oklahoma farmers in Grapes of Wrath with the plight of modern farmers. If you don't know what I'm talking about, search the internet for articles about the modern farmer. Use textual support. Dig deep.

Chapter 6

List one fact and one corresponding insight about life that we see through Muley and his life and relationships. Don't repeat someone else's answer. Keep digging below the surface for your analyses. Don't forget to sign your name.

Chapter 7

Choose one image/scene from this chapter and respond to it. Do not repeat anyone else's answer, but DO RESPOND to at least one other classmate's posting (please include their name) by defending, refuting, or qualifying what that classmate wrote. This means others should respond to what you wrote and you should respond to what others wrote. Brownie points for those who respond more than once.

Chapter 8

This chapter is full of examples of antithesis and parallelism. Choose an example of either antithesis or parallelism from the text and write about its significance to the chapter. Do not repeat anyone else's answer.

Chapter 9

In this chapter, Pa must try to sell as many things as possible in order to get money for the trip to California. They are also faced with what to keep and what to leave behind. Answer both of the following quetions:

1. Choose one item from Chapter 9 and tell why you agree that it was vital to take this item to California.

2. If you were in the position of the Joad's what ONE item would you hate to have to leave behind and why.

Be sure to read everyone else's answers!

Chapter 10

The Joad family finally packs up everything they can to head to California. Choose one of the following characters and write a diary entry as if you were that character showing how they feel about leaving home. Be sure to use their tone, their diction, etc. Dig deep and use the context of Grapes of Wrath to include in your answer.

There are 12 characters to choose from and 28 AP students so only a few characters may be chosen by more than one student (be sure to see whom your classmates have already chosen before you write your own response):

Tom, Pa, Ma, Grandma, Grandpa, Al, Ruthie, Winfield, Rose of Sharon, Connie, Jim Casey, Uncle John, and Noah.

Chapter 11

This chapter has been called "a requiem for the dead land." How do most Americans view land today? Why? Is land an expendable commodity or a precious resource? Do most of the world's citizens respect the land or abuse it? We still have vast areas of the world that are uninhabited; does this justify gobbling up land for condominiums and industry? Is land "dying" in Kansas?

Try to imitate Steinbeck's style of using repetition and poetic rhythm in your response.

Chapter 12

Choose one of the following and write a complete response. Be sure to write about the statement not only in context of the novel, but also in the context of today's world.

1. In this chapter, "the free enterprise system is taken to task, and business is characterized as a villainous spur to greed and indifference" (AP listserve). Defend, refute, or qualify this statement giving specific examples to support your response.

2. "Too many people confine their sense of responsibility to their private family and ignore their communal family" (AP listserve). Defend, refute, or qualify this statement giving specific examples to support your response.

Chapter 13

The gasoline attendant keeps asking, "What's the country coming to?" Discuss the changes in our country and in the migrant families taking place in this chapter. Use specific examples from the text to support your response. Try not to repeat anyone else's answer.

ALSO!!! Answer this question: What do YOU think America is coming to TODAY? What about how the war in Iraq is affecting us? What about morality or the lack of it in our country? How do other countries view America? You can address these or any other issues that would help you define your answer in response to the question. Use specific examples from real life issues to support your response.

Chapter 14

Steinbeck discusses the differences between the "haves" and the "have-nots" in this chapter. Use an example from the text and compare it to an example in our country today that illustrates this difference. Do not repeat anyone else's answer.

Chapter 15

The lyrics to a song state, "I can't buy me love." Using textual support from the novel as well as examples from modern day life, defend, refute, or qualify the statement that money can buy happiness.

Chapter 16

To Ma, the unity of the family is paramount to anything else.

1. Choose an example from the novel that illustrates this.

2. Discuss whether this unity is still paramount in our society today.

Do not repeat anyone else's answer.

Chapter 17

This chapter, along with the preceding ones, deals with the Joad's journey to California. This journey is often compared to the exodus from Egypt as written in the Old Testament. List and explain the significance of one other Biblical allusion from the first 20 chapters (you can do a goggle search to help you with this one if you need to but be sure to do the explanation in your OWN words). Do not repeat anyone else's answer. Be sure to include the chapter and page number where your allusion may be found.

Chapter 18

Steinbeck discusses several themes in this chapter:

1. Wealth is an artificial value,

2. Life and death are juxtaposed,

3. The Promised Land may not be all "milk and honey," and

4. Religion that is false or emotional is irrelevant.

Choose one of these themes and, using examples from the text to support your ideas, show how this theme was true not only in the novel, but also today. Do not repeat anyone else's examples.

Chapter 19

This chapter begins Part Two of the Novel (Part One ended at the end of chapter 11). The Joads have finally reached California, but it is nothing like they imagined. Steinbeck gives an overview of the history of California as well as exposing the living and working conditions of the migrants. He shows how the few oppress the many. Use an example from this chapter and compare it to another example from history or today. You may want to consider the workers in Fast Food Nation, the Iraqi people, women, African Americans, Indians, etc. Do not repeat anyone else's specific examples.

Chapter 20

This LONG chapter covers many topics including the following:

1. blaming the President for the woes of the country,

2. nonconformity leads to dangerous consequences,

3. the disintegration of the family,

4. and the slow death of the American Dream.

Choose one of these topics and show how this theme is true not only in the text (use textual support), but also in our modern times. Do not repeat anyone else's answer.

We're 2/3 of the way done. I hope you're seeing why this novel is one of the best in American literature. Steinbeck's style is amazing!

Chapter 21

Steinbeck discusses fear in this chapter. He explains that the animosity of the land owners towards the migrants stems from economic factors. He also shows that the policies of the land owners are actually self-destructive and can only bring about their own ruin. In addition, Steinbeck discusses the fear of the migrants over their desperate plight, a fear which leads to anger and will eventually lead to violence.

Discuss an example from your own life or from history in which fear played a major role. Do not repeat anyone else's answer. Give sufficient details about the situation that "show" not "tell" how fear influenced that situation and what resulted from the fear.

Chapter 22

Steinbeck's Weedpatch is his view of the Garden of Eden. In the camp, group activity works for group benefits and thus creates individual self-esteem. Fear of the law is destroyed; social responsibility is encouraged along with the value of cooperation.

Discuss a situation in your own life where cooperation was essential for the good of all. How did your group handle dissent? How did the group's cooperation lead to individual self-esteem? Even if you discuss the same situation as another classmate, your own perspective should be unique, not a duplication of anyone else. Tie your situation to this chapter.

Chapter 23

In this chapter we see various "pleasures" the migrants enjoy to relieve their suffering. Choose one of these pleasures and discuss the benefits vs. the disadvantages of indulging in such. Also, how do people today try to alleviate suffering through pleasure? Try not to repeat anyone else's answer

Chapter 24

This chapter covers numerous issues. Choose one of the following and discuss it not only from the novel, but also in our current society:

1. Cops misuse their authority

2. "Jesus-lovers" are hard and contemptuous, always watching for sin.

3. Children should never shame their folks.

4. Only through cooperation can man overcome his hardship

5. No matter how desperate one is, one should never turn against his own people.

Chapter 25

As noted in a previous post, the title of this novel is from the song, "Battle Hymn of the Republic." For this chapter, look up the lyrics to this song and write your own verse. Be sure to follow the same rhyme and meter pattern of the original version. Make sure your verse clearly ties to the novel Grapes of Wrath. Look on my webpage for a sample from a past AP student.

Chapter 26

This long chapter takes us from the paradise of Weedpatch to the hell of Pixley camp. Ma is still desperately trying to keep the family together. Discuss the theme, "We can pull together or we will pull apart" as it relates to this novel as well as to a specific incident in your own life.

Chapter 27

This chapter discusses cotton picking as good work for good pay until there are too many workers and the pay is dropped. In our world today, we also have many jobs that are outsourced to other countries or to people here in America who are willing to work for less. Discuss why this is both good and bad for America. What do you think of the current minimum wage? Should it be raised or remain the same? Why? How does the economy drive wages? Post your own answer to all of these questions and then respond to one other classmate's answer. Dig deep, folks. You are the economic leaders of tomorrow. How will you lead?

Chapter 28

Steinbeck uses scripture from Ecclesiastes 4:8-12 to once again illustrate the need for working together. Read the following passage:

"There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment? This too is meaningless--a miserable business! Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Discuss a time in your own life when you have either helped a friend who has "fallen" or you have defended a friend who would have been "overpowered" without you. Note: it may have been a verbal defense, not a physical defense. Be sure to read each other's answers!

Chapter 29

Several famous musicians have written songs about the Dust Bowl era including Bruce Springsteen's "The Ghost of Tom Joad" and Woody Guthrie's "Talking Dust Bowl Blues" and "I'm a Dust Bowl Refugee." Look up one of these songs (check my webpage, too) and write your own "Dust Bowl Blues" or "The Ghost of ____" using another character from the novel.

Turn in a copy of your song on a separate sheet of paper as well as post it to this discussion forum. You need a minimum of 20 lines. Be creative!!! Check my webpage for a past example.

Chapter 30

This final chapter shows us death, desperation, and deluge along with the tenacity of the Joad family and others to survive no matter what. The Joad family's flight has parallels to the Old Testament book of Exodus with Plagues, The Exodus, and the Promised Land. Answer both of the following questions:

1. How does the Joad family symbolize the immigration movement to our nation today?

2. What is YOUR REACTION to this novel? Dig deep again. Don't give me a surface reaction. If you were to remember one scene from this novel five years from which scene do you think it would be and why?