Chapters 27-30: The Ghost of Tom Joad

Tom does not actually mean he will be there. He is saying that his believes and desires will carry on even after he dies. Tom is fighting for change. The change he is fighting for will happen, even if is not the one carrying it out. All he wants is for his legacy to be one that let’s everyone else have better lives. He is fighting for the poor and defeated. He knows he can’t do it alone. He is one of many and the many is weak, but all they need to be strong is a leader. Tom does not need to be this leader. He just wants the people to join forces, because right now the current living situation is unacceptable. In order to make not just one person’s life better, but many lives better the people need to stop fighting as individuals. Instead they must learn to put their own personal problems aside and think of the big picture.

All that is needed is a few of the stronger people in the society step up and fight for the big picture the rest will follow. They need to be leaders. When they start fighting the rich, others will sit back and watch. There only has to be one victory or a sign of hope and every the rich have made will crumble. The poor do not like their current situation, so this sign will unite the working force. Making it a more powerful group then the owners could stop.

Today the rich are still trying to stay on top and keeping the poor on the bottom. They keep what they have, while they give the poor just enough to get by in life. The poor do not riot, because without the rich they would not live. The game that is being played can turn out bad. If the people unite and revolt just like Tom Joad tried to do everything will change.

Chapters 21-26: What Jail Taught a Preacher

When Casy was in jail he realized that most the people he meant in jail were not real criminals. They were just trying to get by in life any way possible. The real criminals are the people who are not paying the thieves enough money to live. The owners are calling people from all over to come and work for them. When the people get there they realize that they still might not have a job. The people are so tired of traveling all around looking for work that they will work for almost anything. They also have gotten so sick of it that now they only look out for themselves. Casy is trying to change that. He wants everyone to learn if they stick together life will be better. The owners are greedy liars. That does not care about any of their workers. If the working class joins forces in order to fight the owners they will win. The people will no longer struggle to get food or find a place to sleep. Casy wants to form a workers union.

Unions are the secret to prosperity in the working class. It is just hard for the people in the working class to realize it. Unions have changed the way things are done in America. Now we are not just a country of the few having control over the many. Now the 99% have power. We are a democracy and unions made it that way.

Casy is trying to bring together all the average folks. People are fighting against each other when they should be fighting together. None of the regular people do things that are bad by choice. They do it, because they have to in order to survive. Good people do bad things when they are in bad situations. That is what Casy is trying to say.

Chapters 17-20: Life in Hooverville

The Hoovervilles are one of the main things that keep the Joads from falling apart. It makes them feel like they are part of something, and not just runaways. Ma still does not give up on her basic beliefs and because of that she is able to keep her head. This means that the whole family will be able to survive. No matter what happens. Even when the Joad family has hardly enough food to get by themselves Ma always gives some to the other people in the Hooverville. She decides that her morals are more important than one meal. If she gives up on staying off the bottom then she will never be able to get back up.

The quote “We're the people that live. They ain't gonna wipe us out. Why, we're the people - we go on” by Ma shows that she believes they can make it through anything as long as they are still a family. All they have to do is stick to their basic values in life and they will just keep going. Ma also shows that she is the heart and soul of this family. If she were to roll over the whole family would dissolve and go their separate ways. Ma clearly believes that alone they are weak, but together they are strong. Ma saying what she did was a little shocking. She usually keeps her emotions inside in order to keep everyone else calm. She knows that this is a critical time in their lives. If she doesn’t keep them together no one will.