In the beginning of the book Tom, the second eldest son, is hitch hiking back home from McAlester, the prison. He was just paroled from a murder sentence after spending about four years in jail. When he gets off of the truck he runs into the preacher, Casy. The only thing different is that Casy is no longer a preacher and has not been around for a long time either. He left because of conflicts he had with his belief in God. After they sit and talk for quite a while they decide to walk to the Joads house together. Although Tom's parents have no idea that he has been paroled. But as they reach the house the two of them notice that it is unusually banged up and empty. When they step inside, the house is vacant except for a couple of things that were left behind. Some of them were important to the family.

Then they see a person coming towards them. It turns out to be Muley Graves, an old friend. The three of them star

t to talk for a long time about what is going on in the area. The banks and land companies had driven many of the farmers, including the Joads and Muleys family, of the land, and that tractors now plowed the earth instead of men. Then Muley tells Tom that his family is staying with his Uncle John. The next morning Tom and the preacher set out to Uncle John's house. When they get there Tom surprises his dad and whole family with his sudden arrival. Soon after Tom learns that the entire family is going to go west, to California. After little debate they decide to go the next day and bring Tom and the preacher. Also coming were grandpa and grandma, pa and ma, Toms older brother Noah, Toms younger siblings Al, Rose of Sharon (who is pregnant) and her husband Connie, Ruthie and Windfield, as well as Uncle Tom.

The Grapes of Wrath is clearly a classic book. I enjoyed the book a lot. It is very evident that it is one of the greatest books of this century. Altought the book is not very fast and exciting. It is not a book full of cover to cover intrigue like some. But it is a book that is easy to follow and relate to. Also John Steinbeck makes it easy and fun to get involved with the characters. I like the book because I could get inside of the characters and feel what they felt as well as see what the saw in their story. The only problem with the book is that it has too many chapters in which have nothing to do with the story.

Their money situation was starting to get grim as well. But soon they crossed the border into California. When they got across they stopped near a river to relax. They set up camp and the men went down to the river to swim and relax. When they were done Tom went on the bank to take a nap when Noah came up to him and told him that he was going to leave. After a little argument Noah turned and walked down the river, never returning. Later a cop came up to the camp and argued with ma and told her that she would have to get out. When Tom walk up she was distressed about being pushed around by the cop. Then Tom told them what Noah had done. Late that afternoon the Joad family left their friends behind, because the woman was sick, to cross the desert at night. When they crossed the desert they were stopped by the border control to check the cars for food. But ma swore there was none and that they needed to get grandma to a hospital quick. When the guard saw the old woman he let them through. But grandma had died on the trip

Some common words found in the essay are:
Rose Sharon's, Tom Al, Noah Late, Casy Tom, Rose Sharon, John Steinbeck, Uncle Tom, Casy Casy, Grapes Wrath, Soon Tom, rose sharon, family left, government camp, tom preacher, left family, food ma, tom family, desert stopped, al drove, joad family,
Approximate Word count = 1682
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)