McAlester, OK - Grapes of Wrath (sitios de interés)
Descripción del sitio
Chapter One: Steinbeck focuses on the destruction caused by the dustbowl.
Photo SourceA dust storm coming. See Smithonian video of Dust Storm
Count how many times Steinbeck repeats the word "dust" in this chapter. Find a description of the dust and it's affect that you can picture in your mind. What elements of this chapter might be important to understanding the major themes of the novel? Pay particular attention to the descriptions in the last few paragraphs.
Chapter Two: Tom Joad is returning home after doing prison time in McAlester, OK.
Photo SourceMcAlester Penitentiary, McAlester, Oklahoma
Steinbeck spends much time in this chapter describing very tiny details such as Tom's hat and bees buzzing around. Make a list of the "tiny" things that Steinbeck spends time describing. What might Steinbeck be trying to set up with these descriptions so early in the story?
If you were the truck driver, would you have obeyed your boss' rule to not pick up riders? How would you describe the personalities of the truck driver and the passenger in this chapter? Does Steinbeck want us to like either of them?
Chapter Three: A metaphorical story about a turtle trying to cross a road.
If this chapter is a metaphor, what elements of this chapter should we notice? What is Steinbeck's point when he mentions the two different drivers who pass by the turtle? The poor turtle spends the entire chapter struggling, pretty much to no avail. What role does the turtle's struggle play in the life of the wild oat seeds?
Chapter Four: Tom meets Jim Casey.
Both Tom and Jim have broken very serious rules. How does Steinbeck describe their "crimes" in ways that lead us to have or not have compassion for each man? Have you ever wondered why you believe what you have always believed? Or what makes something good or bad?