Discussion Questions:
1. What would be your reaction to find out that your whole family is gone when you went back to look for them? What would you do? Put yourself in the situation of Tom Joad.
2. Why does the turtle continue to pop out in sections of the story (pgs. 56-57)? Why is it so persistent to go southwest? Explain further significance of the turtle.
3. Where has the Joad family headed to? What is their ultimate goal there?
4. In Chapter 7, why do you think the tenant farmers fall so easily in the traps of the salesmen and end up buying the so called "good condition cars" at high prices?
1.
ReplyDeleteTom Joad, after being released from jail, noticed that his folks have left him without as much as a letter. If I were in that condition, I would feel completely bewildered, because I wouldn't what sort of action to take next. Joad's plan was to meet up with his folks and continue from there, however, he did not have a plan B in case something went wrong. That is why I would feel lost and without direction. I, if in his position, would find someone familiar and then ask him for any advice or news on the situation.
2.
ReplyDeleteThe turtle symbolizes the average American farmer. The turtle symbolizes an abounding amount of agriculturalists because, as it plods forward dutifully, it is always met with challenges and hurdles. It is persistent to go westward, because like many farmers of the 1930s, it seeks greater opportunities and liberties that it cannot find in its present situation .
3.
ReplyDeleteThe Joad family is a family of tenant farmers that have been dislodged from their land by their landlords. The landlords doesn't find tenant farmers profitable anymore because of new technology that can get the same job done faster. Because of this, the Joad family wants to move westward to the promise land of California to seek greater economic opportunities. Once there, they want to work on land that is much more fertilized and profitable.
4.
ReplyDeleteMany disadvantaged farmers unfortunately sell their possessions in order to purchase a vehicle that will move them westward. Fast talking salesmen, interested in making capital off naive tenant farmers, use linguistic strategies and smoke and mirrors to sell them barely running cars at inflated prices. The tenant farmers realize that they are taken advantaged of, but they don't know whom else to trust. As a result, they bought a run down automobile at an expensive price.
1. I honestly would feel hopeless, unwanted and lost. I wouldn't know what to do but keep searching. I would probably do what Joad did and bring people along with me to keep me company because I know I would have a mental break down trying to look for my family by myself.
ReplyDelete2. I agree with Candida. The turtle does symbolize American farmers during that time, but I also think it symbolizes migrant workers. It's persistent to go southwest just like those farmers so they can find a better place to live at. The turtle also symbolizes a farmers' struggles and it keeps moving forward because it can't just stop in the middle of the road and give up, it has to keep moving, just like the farmers and migrant workers.
3. The Joad family wants to move west for greater opportunities.
4. They are manipulated by the salesmens words and price offerings. Little do they know, gas prices and insurance is involved as well. When I read chapter 7, I thought the prices were being offered at a low price to tenant farmers since they didn't have much money to begin with? Or did I just read it wrong? hmmmmm
That's how i read it as well Jessica! hmmm maybe we're wrong, i don't know!
Delete-If I were to find out that my whole family was gone as I went back to look for them, I would primarily be confused and worried. I feel like I would have a non-stop flood of questions regarding their whereabouts and whether or not they are safe. If I were in this situation I think I would do anything possible to reunite with them, similar to Tom Joad.
ReplyDelete-The turtle was first seen in chapter three; however, it has been popping up regularly throughout the book. For instance, the turtle appears in page 56-57 due to the fact that it symbolizes many aspects of the typical American worker. The turtle shows persistence as it is determined to go southwest. Additionally, I agree with Jessica’s interpretation of the turtle as she related the animal with the migrant workers overcoming adversity.
-The Joad family was headed to California. The family was in search of more opportunities, therefore their ultimate goal was to begin a new life and chase the American Dream, or the perception of an ideal way of living.
-As seen in Chapter 7, the tenant farmers fell easily for faulty sales on behalf of automobile salesmen. I think this happened due to the fact that people were caught up on the idea of leaving as fast as possible, and they did not pay attention to whether or not they were being manipulated into buying a defective vehicle.