The story opens with Tom Joad, the oldest son of Mr. And Mrs. Joad, being released from a four-year prison term. Tom murdered another man in what he claimed to be self-defense. Clearly, there are circumstances about this murder that the reader must try to understand without the help of the author. We are presented with only Tom Joad's interpretation of the event. This interpretation is certainly biased when one considers the final outcome. A murder in self-defense should not lead to a criminal conviction and a prison sentence. I believe there are two possibil

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While reading the book I found myself anxious to get to the end because I was sure that somehow that this family was going to make it. That never happened. Steinbeck concluded the story in a more realistic way. Once again the reader's

For the first time in the story the family realized that they were homeless, and they were going to remain homeless. Their dreams of finding a new life in California was shattered.

The family is not without a plan. A handbill was in circulation throughout the Midwest at this time. The handbill claimed that there were thousands of jobs in California in the fruit industry. The Joads were among the many thousands of families that gathered what little they owned and moved to California in search of a new life.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Tom Joad's, California Joad's, Grandpa Joad, John Steinbeck, Tom Joad, Grapes Wrath, Grandma Joad, Hooverville Hoovervilles, Al Tom's, Rose Sharon, joad family, tom joad, tom joad's, rose sharon, left family, homeless families, throughout midwest, families gathered, california search, grapes wrath,
Approximate Word count = 1387
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)