The work:
Over the past fortnight we...have been surrounded by John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath. After going through nearly twelve chapters we've discovered and analyzed many themes such as survival...and reproduction...(SS) The book explores the circumstances of the great depression. Steinbeck takes a critical look at the government's role in the suffering of midwestern farmers...(MM) The class wrote imitations which mirrored the detail of chapters (3 and) 6 (AH). We focused on the zooming in of the turtle chapter...(KK) We have also set ourselves up for a character analysis on a character from Steinbeck's novel. We will continue to read and pluck evidence from the novel for our research (MF). We were shown captivating images of life during the Great Depression which were taken by Dorothea Lange (RH).
The workers:
"It would be a lesson the chipmunk would never forget." ~SC
Steve said that Ma was the leader of the Joad family--which makes it a matriarchy. (DM)
Andrew said that farmers love the land while banks just want to monopolize the industry (TR).
Ryan said that with all the descriptions of nature in the book, it is hard not to recognize the beauty even in time of hardship (AH).
Conor talked about the theme of the turtle (DG).
Eric pointed out that chapter 7 was generic (DC).
Mike believes that Ma burned the memories as a way to get rid of any physical memories of the farm (RH).
Words to live by:
"You're bound to get idears if you go thinkin' about stuff." ~Tom Joad
"Times are changed, don't ya know?" ~Driver
"Maybe all men got one big soul everybody's a part of." ~Jim Casy
"The women and children knew deep in themselves that no misfortune was too great to bear if their men were whole." ~Steinbeck
"Don't roust your faith bird-high an' you won't do no crawlin' with the worms." ~Tom Joad
