redone Chapters 14-16: "This is the beginning - from 'I' to 'we.'"

Steinbeck is saying that the people are starting to run low on fuel to life. The people are starting to come together in hopes that working together will give them a better chance to get their lives back on track. The longer and longer they wait the more and more they lose. The people that say their pride gets in their way of working with others or moving out west are the ones that fall first. The journey western must be a slow and hard one, but because of the difficulties they face on the way their they will be stronger and able to handle their new life in California

There are two truck drivers at a restaurant. One of them is new. He is learning that working with others is the easiest way to make it through hard times. They were talking and mentioning that there are more and more people driving west. I think Steinbeck made sure to say that the one car that was speeding to get out west was the one that crashed. He wanted to re-amp his earlier argument that slow and steady wins the race. "They don't see a chance till we get rid of that fellow in the White House." (pg. 156).This shows that even though the people are not alike they still have a common dislike that brings them together. Working with others and doing it slowly might not be what the people want to do, but it is what they have to do. The Joad family is already working with another family, the Wilkins. They thought the more the merrier. That is why that let Casy come with them as well. It seems to me that the Joads are helping the Wilkins out more than the Wilkins helping the Joads, but it does not matter as long as they get their. Casy was talking about the Wilkin's broken car and said “ funny how you fellas can fix a car. Jus' light right in an' fix her. I couldn't fix no car, not even now when I seen you do it.” (pg 185) This shows that everyone has their advantages. That is why working with others on the journey will help in the long run.

Chapters 7-13: Personal Connections

This book is okay. It mainly is talking about how people traveled out west when they could not longer afford to live any where else. That seems like if everyone is moving that is poor then how will there be any money were they are going. You need capital no matter where you are at. East or west, north or south. Money makes the world go round. These people do not realize this, because they have lived no where near where the money is at. They worked on farms while the money has been in the cities. Now they are trying to reinvent themselfs with no one to back them up except their family. This can be very difficult for anyone. They are still looking for similar work, but they do not understand that they will not be making anymore money than they were before. Life in California is not always better. It is talked about like how America was talked about to the people of Europe. They think the streets are paved with gold. The only reason why it is successful is because of the people on top. It still has many people that live worse than most people in the rest of the country.

I am starting to know the characters in the Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck because it talks about the stuggles they have to go through in order to keep on living. An example of what I mean is on page 142.  "Ma she said "I got to ask" "scared again?" Ma asked " Why, you can't get through nine months without sorrow" "
I think this is horrible because It shows how bad they have it. That every day is a struggle.
So far, the theme in the Grapes of Wrath reminds me of something important in my life. For me it shows how the lower class will always get pushed down by the more educated. I might be well educated, but I need to learn how to stop this from happening. This is a major issue for our government right now. That is what makes me think it will be a major event for me as well.
I am not looking forward to reading the rest of this book because it seems to me like when they get to California there will be no work. I think when the grandpa died it was a sign that they should have never left. That means this book is on its way to be a tragedy and I do not want to get my hopes up only to have them crushed.

Chapters 3-6: Economic and Political Pressures

The banks had a major role in the farmers' lifes. The bank gave loans to the farmers and when the men could not pay the loans the bank took the farms. The farmers did not want to leave, so they worked as tenet farmers. The bank did not care about the farmers and just wanted the biggest profits possible. Since the bank did not care about the future for the farmers. They dried the land out by only planting cotton every year. Some of the farmers were no longer needed, so the bank kicked them off their previously owned land. The bank forced farmers in the area to kick the people off, because they owed the bank money. The farmers did not want to do this, but it meant they could keep on providing for their families.

This separated families and friends. It made the farmers fight for themselves and everything they got. They were trying to protect no just their families, but their hopes and dreams. If they lost their lively hood they could no longer strive for the American dream. The American dream was the only reason why they did what they did. It brought hope to the poor and happiness to the rich. This is what drove every American to fight even when they had nothing. Just the thought that they could make life better for the people they care about was enough. They would do anything to achieve this goal. If that meant betraying your friends and taking advantage of others it did not matter. The only thing that mattered was that you and your family was happy.

Chapters 1-2: Meeting Tom Joad

The hitch hiker brings up the idea that the driver does not control his own life. Most people from the Dust Bowl era had to give up everything. Including their hopes and dreams. The hitch hiker plays on these dreams by giving the driver a chance to take control over his life again. That chance might just be rebelling against the man who pays his checks, but if the driver rebels it puts the driver and his boss on the same level. No longer will his rich boss have control over him. His life is up to him to decide and no one can take that away from him.

The hitch hiker knows that anyone who is not rich thinks that the rich believe they are better than them just because they have more money. He also knows that most people around the area have lost almost everything. These people are just looking for a way to get back what they once had. Especially their pride. They see the rich as people who could be them. They have great resentment to the rich, because the rich have nothing to be shameful about. The rich have succeed were the poor failed and now the people who once worked for themselves now work for the people who were their equals.

The driver weighted out his pros and cons for driving the hitch hiker. He decided that there was not really any cons, because he was already at the bottom. On the other hand the pros were that he would disobey his boss and that he would be helping someone in need of help. This would make him feel like he regained some of his once lost pride. Which meant that he is still the same person he once was in his past.