The driver is surprised that the Joads have not been driven off their property by a “cat,” a large tractor sent by landowners and bankers to force poor farmers off the land . The driver reports that much has changed during Tom's absence: great numbers of families have been “tractored out” of their small farms.
Why is there animosity between Tom and the truck driver?
The driver fears that Tom has taken offense at his questions and assures him that he's not a man to stick his nose in other folks' business. The loneliness of life on the road, he confides in Tom, can wear a man down.
What is ironic about Tom's reaction to the arrival of the men who are trying to keep people off the land?
What is ironic about Tom's reaction to the arrival of the men who are trying to keep people off the land? At the end of this chapter, Casy cannot sleep; he says he has too much to think about . ... The intercepters are not part of the plot; they instead reinforce what happens in the narrative chapters.
Where does Tom Joad tell the truck driver he has been for a few years?
When Tom tells the truck driver to pull over and let him out, he thanks him for his generosity, but tells him not to be so nosy. He also tells the truck driver that he's just gotten out of prison , where he's been for the past four years after being convicted of killing a man. Dum-dum-dummm.
What is the significance of the No Riders sticker on the truck?
It simply means that the truck cannot carry anyone other than the driver . It's for insurance purposes. To make it clear the driver is forbidden to pick up hitchhikers, so don't even ask.
What is a truck Skinner?
truck skinner a skinner is a mule driver ; here refers to a truck driver. tunics short coats worn by soldiers, policemen, and so on.
How did the Joads get their house?
Tom reveals that he and his family are squatters, saying that he expects his house to be in the same place as he left it, “'less somebody stole it, like Pa [Joad] stole it.” Tom explains that the Joads first got their land when Tom's father, along with his father, Grampa Joad, and son, Noah Joad, used a team of horses ...
What scares Tom about the Hoovervilles?
What does Tom afraid to happen in Hoovervilles? ... They see a rebuilt Hooverville where lives people who have been burned out for dozen of times . After a long time, the people living in Hooverville just get used of it. Ma wants to get a house before the rain and winter.
What do Muley Tom and Casy have for dinner?
Casy admonishes Muley for breaking up the family. Muley shares his supper of cooked rabbit , while telling them how out of touch he's become from living alone. ... Tom, meanwhile, realizes that he will be breaking his parole if he leaves the state with his family.
Who killed Casy in Grapes of Wrath?
One of them calls Casy a communist and takes a pick handle to Casy's head, killing him. Tom grabs the pick handle and clubs Casy's killer. In the struggle, Tom takes a blow to the head, ending up with a broken nose. He escapes and returns to the family.
What does Tom do with the turtle he finds on the road?
As Tom plods along the dusty road, he notices a turtle. He picks it up, wraps it in his coat , and takes it with him. Continuing on, he notices a tattered man sitting under a tree.
What is the role of the truck driver in Grapes of Wrath?
The driver symbolizes the unity of the poor in the face of the unfeeling rich. The truck driver represents the need for “random acts of kindness” in a setting as bad as the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression .
Why did the fruit described in Chapter 25 have to rot?
During the California spring, the weather is beautiful and the produce is bountiful . However, there is too much produce to pick and distribute without lowering the prices. So the big farms decide to leave mountains of fruit out to spoil.
What did the migrant man want to buy from Mae?
A migrant farmer and his two shabbily-dressed sons enter the restaurant and ask for water. Mae seems irritated by their presence, but lets them drink. The man then asks to buy a loaf of bread .
What happens when the car breaks down Grapes of Wrath?
In Chapter 16 of The Grapes of Wrath, the Wilson's car breaks down again, and Tom suggests that he and Casy stay behind to fix it (it needs a bearing, which they will have to wait to buy on Monday). So, the truck will go ahead to California while the car stays behind a couple of days.
Who does the tractor driver represent in Grapes of Wrath?
The tractor driver prioritizes the feeding his own family over the economic tragedy of his fellow farmers. His contribution to the economic decline of his community is in contrast to Casy's theory that all must help each other because they are all part of the same being.
