of a migrant family of farmers in the western United States. The book opens with a

narrative chapter describing Oklahoma, and the overall setting. It sets the mood of an

area which has been ravished by harsh weather. "The sun flared down on the growing

corn day after day until a line of brown spread along the edge of each green bayonet.

The surface of the earth crusted, a thin hard crust, and as the sky became pale, so

the earth became pale, pink in the red country, and white in the gray country."

(Steinbeck pg.3) Steinbeck, in a detailed fashion described the area in great detail. Not

only was the area stricken by a drought and extreme temperatures, but to add to the

difficulties, the families of the area were bombarded by high winds and dust storms

which barraged their houses, crops, and moral. The idea was made clear, quite early,

that the farming plains of Oklahoma were a cruel and difficult place for a family to make

The reader is first introduced to a character by the name of Tom Joad, a man who has

been released early from the penitentiary on parole after serving four years

by personal loss, lack of income and food, in a period of dying (metaphorically

would be a "good" guy, and would prove that he was not one whom a rich boss could

not care, as the downfall of the migrant workers is their only concern.

Upon the arrival of Tom and Jim, they are quick to discover, through the knowledge of

experience the realities of life. Cruel police officers, cunning salesmen, and ignorant

concern), through the difficulties they faced. Ma Joad never showed pain, nor fear, and

Some common words found in the essay are:
Jim Casey, Grapes Wrath, Uncle Tom's, Tom Joad, Ma Joad, Grandpa Joad, Didn't Riders, Al Joad, Joad's Grandpa's, Tom Jim, migrant workers, ma joad, jim casey, tom joad, steinbeck trying, common ground, establishing common ground, life migrant, internal conflict, ignorant driver, tent cities, struggling internal conflict,
Approximate Word count = 2385
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)