The Grapes of Wrath Summary
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Here you will find a The Grapes of Wrath summary (John Steinbeck's book).
We begin with a summary of the entire book, and then you can read each individual chapter's summary by visiting the links on the "Chapters" section.
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Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024
Chapters
- Book Summary
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 14
- Chapter 15
- Chapter 16
- Chapter 17
- Chapter 18
- Chapter 19
- Chapter 20
- Chapter 21
- Chapter 22
- Chapter 23
- Chapter 24
- Chapter 25
- Chapter 26
- Chapter 27
- Chapter 28
- Chapter 29
- Chapter 30
Chapters
- Book Summary
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 14
- Chapter 15
- Chapter 16
- Chapter 17
- Chapter 18
- Chapter 19
- Chapter 20
- Chapter 21
- Chapter 22
- Chapter 23
- Chapter 24
- Chapter 25
- Chapter 26
- Chapter 27
- Chapter 28
- Chapter 29
- Chapter 30
The Grapes of Wrath Summary Overview
After serving a four-year prison sentence for manslaughter, Tom Joad returns to his family's Oklahoma farm accompanied by Jim Casy, a disenchanted former preacher. They find the farm and neighboring properties deserted, as many have been forced off their land. A wandering neighbor informs them that most, including his family, have migrated to California in search of work. After meeting with his family at his Uncle John's place, who are preparing to depart, Tom joins them in their quest for a better life in California, inspired by advertisements for fruit-picking jobs. The journey to California is fraught with hardship and death, as the aging Grampa Joad passes away en route. The highways are flooded with families seeking the same refuge in California. The Joads extend their kinship to a couple they meet on the road, Ivy and Sairy Wilson, who are plagued with car troubles. As they approach California, they hear unsettling rumors of a saturated job market and are met with tragedy as Granma Joad passes away. Their initial time in California is a futile search for work, as family members leave and tensions rise. The Joads face rampant hostility in California, where the camps are overcrowded with starving migrants and locals who look down on the influx of "Okies." Work is scarce and low-paying, making it hard to afford even a decent meal. While in a camp known as "Hooverville," an argument with a deputy sheriff leads to a violent altercation and the subsequent arrest of Jim Casy. Later, they find limited work picking fruit, only to realize they're scabs undermining a workers' strike. When the police kill Casy, who has been organizing workers, Tom retaliates, killing a police officer. Forced into hiding, Tom resolves to continue Casy's work in organizing the workers. Despite the harsh conditions, the Joad family demonstrates resilience and profound humanity, as seen when Rose of Sharon, who recently gave birth to a stillborn, offers her milk to a starving man.
chapter 1
Oklahoma's cornfields wither under a prolonged summer drought. Dust clouds blanket the sky, leading farmers to cover their noses and mouths. At night, the dust obscures the stars and infiltrates the farmhouses. In the daytime, the farmers can only gaze at their wilting crops, pondering their family's survival. Their wives and children anxiously observe them, dreading the catastrophe might shatter the men, leaving the families in sheer poverty. They hold onto hope, aware that no adversity will be unbearable while their men stay “whole.”
chapter 2
The parched landscape is interrupted by Tom Joad's presence, freshly out of McAlester State Penitentiary after serving a manslaughter term. He's garbed in a low-priced suit and hitches a lift from a truck driver he encounters at a wayside diner. Despite his "No Riders" sign, the driver abides by Tom's request to be a "good guy" and not abide by the rules set by "some rich bastard." They hit the road, and the driver curiously inquires about Tom. Tom reveals he's heading back to his family's farm. The driver, taken aback, questions whether the Joads still own their land given the relentless onslaught of 'cats', massive tractors deployed by landowners and financiers to displace impoverished farmers. The driver informs Tom of the changing times - countless families have been ousted from their modest farms. Fearing his probing might upset Tom, the driver clarifies his intentions - he's not one to meddle in others' affairs. He opens up to Tom about the solitary life on the road, admitting it's taxing. Spotting the driver examining him and his attire, Tom discloses his recent parole. The driver brushes it off, unbothered by Tom's criminal past. Tom jests that the driver now has a captivating tale to regale "in every joint from here to Texola." They reach the turn-off for the Joads' homestead, where Tom disembarks.
chapter 3
During a sweltering summer, a tortoise steadily trudges across a scorching road. A lady swerves her automobile to prevent striking it, but a young man deliberately aims his truck at the tortoise, attempting to squash it. He grazes the rim of the tortoise's shell, which tosses it off the road and onto its shell. With its legs flailing in the air, the tortoise battles to right itself. Finally, it manages to do so and resumes its slow journey.
chapter 4
Walking along a dusty pathway, Tom discovers a turtle and decides to carry it with him. He crosses paths with a ragged man under a tree, who identifies himself as Jim Casy, the preacher from Tom's childhood church. Casy reminds Tom of his baptism, though Tom was more interested in girls than in the ceremony. Tom shares his liquor flask with Casy, who reveals his decision to quit preaching due to his inability to balance his sexual desires with his spiritual duties. He used to feel guilty for seducing girls after prayer meetings, but he now believes that human actions, sinful or virtuous, are part of a larger plan. Casy has come to see the human spirit as divine. Casy inquires about Tom's father, to which Tom admits he hasn't been in touch with him for years. Tom shares his past troubles - a drunken dispute with another man that ended up with him committing murder. He speaks of his prison life where he was given regular meals and baths, however, the absence of women made it challenging. As Tom sets to continue his journey home, Casy requests to accompany him. Tom agrees, fondly remembering the reverend's standing with his family. Upon reaching their destination, they are surprised to find the farm abandoned.
chapter 5
Farmers are forced off their land by banks and landowners who can no longer profit from tenant farming. Regardless of whether the property owners show kindness or cruelty, the outcome is the same: the farmers are told to leave. The farmers resist, stating they have nowhere else to go. The suggestion from the owners is to move to California as there is work available there. Tractors soon appear, tasked with plowing over everything, even the farmhouse if necessary. Sadly, these tractors are often driven by the farmers' former neighbors, who argue that they have families to feed and the banks offer good pay. The evicted farmers, infuriated, want to retaliate, however, the banks are impersonal and inhuman, offering no tangible entity to fight against.
chapter 6
Discovering the Joad family property eerily intact, save for a damaged farmhouse section, Tom and Casy infer from the remaining tools and materials that neighboring farms are similarly abandoned. They encounter Muley Graves who informs them that the Joads have relocated to Uncle John's place, toiling at cotton picking with hopes of earning enough for a car to drive to California. Muley further reveals that a corporation has procured all local land, dispossessing tenant farmers to save on labor expenses. When Tom inquires about lodging at Muley's, he learns that Muley is also landless and his own family has left for California. Casy chides Muley for not joining his family, saying: "You shouldn’t of broke up the fambly." Hungry, they partake in the rabbit meat Muley hunted. Post-meal, police car headlights prompt them to hide for fear of trespassing charges, despite Tom's reluctance to hide on his own land. Muley escorts them to his sleeping cave. While Tom sleeps outside in the open, Casy remains awake, his thoughts weighed down by their grim discoveries.
chapter 7
An unethical second-hand car dealer instructs his team on how to swindle families looking to move westwards. The mass migration has stirred a high demand for cars, leading to a surge in shoddy car dealerships. These dishonest dealers peddle any dilapidated vehicles they can lay their hands on. They mask the sound of faulty transmissions with sawdust in the engines and swap out functional batteries with defective ones before handing over the cars to their unsuspecting customers. The tenant farmers, pressured by their need to relocate and their lack of car know-how, readily pay the inflated prices, to the unscrupulous dealers' satisfaction.
chapter 8
During their journey to Uncle John’s, Tom shares an account of his peculiar uncle. Long ago, John overlooked his wife's stomach pain and declined to hire a medical professional. After her death, John couldn't cope and started expressing random acts of kindness, like sharing candies with kids or giving a meal bag to a neighbor. These acts were his attempts to compensate for his previous negligence, but he remains inconsolable. Upon reaching Uncle John’s place, Tom reunites with his family. His parents, Pa and Ma Joad, initially fail to recognize him. They fear he has escaped from prison until he clarifies he's on parole. They share their plans to move to California. Ma Joad expresses her concern about Tom's mental state after prison, referring to "Purty Boy Floyd," who went "mean-mad" in jail. Tom reassures his mother, saying, “I let stuff run off’n me.” He also meets his grandfather, grandmother, and his introverted brother Noah. During breakfast, religious Granma asks Casy to pray, despite him not being a preacher anymore. Instead of a traditional prayer, he talks about the inherent holiness of humanity. However, the Joads only start eating after he says “amen.” Pa Joad exhibits the truck they bought for the family journey, mentioning that Al, Tom's younger brother, helped choose it. When Al, aged sixteen, arrives, his admiration for Tom is apparent. Tom finds out that his youngest siblings, Ruthie and Winfield, are in town with Uncle John. Additionally, Tom's sister, Rose of Sharon, is now married to Connie, a nearby farm boy, and is expecting a baby.
chapter 9
This section focuses on the plight of the tenant farmers as they gear up for their journey to California. The narrator, echoing the sentiments of a typical farmer, highlights the emotional significance of their belongings and homesteads. Plagued by necessity, the farmers must sell the majority of their possessions to fund their travels and due to the practicalities of the journey. Amid the chaotic trading, they're stuck with brokers who exploit their desperate condition to offer ridiculously low prices. The farmers, feeling let down, relay to their wives that they've parted with almost all their assets for a mere pittance. Despite their emotional attachment to certain items, the wives understand that everything must either be disposed of or sold before setting off for California.
chapter 10
Tom and Ma Joad converse about California. Ma expresses concern about their prospects but remains hopeful due to the employment advertisement she saw. Grampa is excited about his future in California, dreaming of eating grapes. Pa Joad returns from town, disheartened after only making eighteen dollars from selling their belongings. The Joads decide that Casy will join them on their journey during a family meeting, and they start getting ready to depart. Casy assists Ma Joad in salting meat, dismissing her argument that it's a woman's task due to the amount of work they have to do. Rose of Sharon and Connie join them, and everyone gets onto the truck. When they're about to set off, Muley Graves bids them farewell, but Grampa suddenly decides to stay behind. He aspires to live off the land like Muley, and continues to protest until the Joads put sleeping medicine in his coffee. Once he's asleep, they put him on the truck and embark on their long trip to the west.
chapter 11
Once the landowners abandon their farms, the lands fall into disuse. Workers, devoid of a significant bond with the soil, mechanically till the fields without any emotional investment. Lacking expertise, these hired hands just operate the tractors and then retreat to their homes. This disconnect from their job and the earth leads to a loss of appreciation for their labor and the land. The profound comprehension of the earth and the farmer's bond with it are lost. The deserted homes soon become havens for wild animals and start deteriorating under the impact of the wind and dust.
chapter 12
Countless vehicles, filled with tenant farmers, slowly traverse Highway 66 towards California. The narrative captures the farmers' anxieties regarding their cars and journey's risks. They encounter deceitful salesmen when needing vehicle parts and endure hardships traveling from one service station to the next, escaping their former desolate lives. Their appearance sparks suspicion and hostility, with locals questioning their intentions, doubting the country's capacity to accommodate everyone, and suggesting they return home. However, amidst the challenges, occasional glimmers of hope and beauty emerge, like a family devoid of a motor, relying on hitching rides, managing to reach California “in two jumps.” This shows that “strange things happen… some bitterly cruel and some so beautiful that faith is refired forever.”
chapter 13
Al adeptly maneuvers the Joads' truck down Route 66, attentively listening to the engine for potential issues. When he queries Ma about her thoughts on California, she replies that she only deals with the present, not what might happen in the future. The family halts at a gas station where Al quarrels with an attendant implying they can't afford fuel. The gas station worker discusses the plight of his penniless customers who often resort to begging for gas, while wealthier ones fill up at the flashy town stations. Despite his attempt to mimic these stations by painting his pumps yellow, his station remains visibly run-down. As the family rests and hydrates, their dog is tragically hit by a car. This upsets Rose of Sharon who fears the trauma might affect her unborn child. The attendant offers to bury their dog, and the Joads resume their journey. They traverse Oklahoma City, the largest city the family has ever witnessed. The spectacle of the city disconcerts Ruthie and Winfield, whereas Rose of Sharon and Connie are amused by the unfamiliar fashion trends. After a long day, they set up camp and encounter Ivy Wilson and his wife, Sairy, stranded due to their busted car. When Grampa falls ill, the Wilsons offer their tent. However, Grampa soon has a stroke and passes away. The Joads hold an improvised, albeit illegal, funeral and burial for him. Later, they persuade the Wilsons to accompany them to California, suggesting it would benefit both families, to which the Wilsons consent.
chapter 14
The Western residents are oblivious to the turmoil that has engulfed Oklahoma and the Midwest. What initially started as a minor influx of migrant farmers has escalated into a massive wave. Families are forced to set up camps by the roadside, with every available ditch transforming into makeshift settlements. This sudden surge of impoverished farmers has resulted in a state of fear and uneasiness among the locals of the western states. They are apprehensive that the displaced farmers might unite, and the perceived weak could potentially gain strength—enough strength to possibly ignite a rebellion.
chapter 15
At a coffee shop on Route 66, Mae, the waitress, and Al, the cook, make their living. Mae constantly looks out for truckers passing by, given they usually leave generous tips. One day, two familiar truckers stop by for some pie and talk about the ongoing migration westward, with Mae suggesting that the migrating farmers have a reputation for theft. During this conversation, a ragged man and his two sons walk in, hoping to buy a loaf of bread for ten cents. At first, Mae dismisses them, stating she isn't operating a grocery store and if she were, she would charge them fifteen cents for a loaf. Al, overhearing this from the kitchen, insists that Mae sell them the bread. After reluctantly agreeing, Mae notices the boys eyeing some cheap candy and sells the father two pieces for only a cent. Witnessing Mae's unexpected kindness, the truckers leave a larger tip than usual.
chapter 16
As the Joads and Wilsons continue their journey, the highway morphs into their home and their progression becomes their mode of communication. Rose of Sharon discloses her plans to settle in a town in California with Connie, alarming Ma Joad who fears the separation of the family. When the Wilson's car fails again, Tom and Casy are willing to stay back to fix it, but Ma insists on the family sticking together, so they all wait while Al and Tom fetch parts from a nearby town. They find what they need and converse with a resentful, monocular lot attendant who laments his job's injustices. That evening, at the congested camp, Pa Joad reveals his intentions to find work in California, only for a stranger to mock him, claiming California has no jobs, despite the handbills claims. He explains that affluent farmers who require 800 workers will distribute 5,000 handbills, attracting 20,000 hopefuls. The stranger recounts his tragic experience of losing his family to starvation after moving to California in search of work. This revelation discourages Pa Joad, but Casy reassures him that their experience could be different.
chapter 17
The influx of vehicles on the road results in small societies developing among the roaming agricultural workers. Now, "twenty families became one family," as they establish their own behavioral norms and methods of upholding them. The transformation in the farmers' lives is substantial, as they transition from their original identities to becoming "migrant men."
chapter 18
The Joads and Wilsons, having traversed New Mexico's mountains and the Arizona desert, reach California. But the desert still separates them from the verdant valleys they long for. The men discover a river where they encounter a father and son duo returning from California, unsuccessful in their efforts to earn a living. The father warns the Joads about the local hostility towards them, dubbed as “Okies”, and the profligacy of the ranchers who own “a million acres.” Ignoring the warnings, the Joads choose to complete their journey overnight. Noah, however, opts to stay, planning to live off river fish. He argues that his departure wouldn’t affect the family as they don’t love him deeply, despite being kind to him. Tom unsuccessfully attempts to persuade him. Granma, whose health has been declining since Grampa’s demise, hallucinates on a mattress. An oversized woman visits the Joads’ tent to pray for Granma's soul, but Ma dismisses her, citing Granma's exhaustion. Shortly after, a policeman enters the tent, brusquely ordering the family to leave. When Tom comes back to camp and shares the news of Noah's departure, Ma grieves the disintegration of the family. The Joads are compelled to leave the Wilsons behind due to Sairy's deteriorating health, and Ivy's insistence that they proceed without his family. That night, the truck is halted by police for an agricultural inspection. Ma, desperate to get Granma medical help, begs the officer to let them pass. Once they cross into the valley, she discloses that Granma had died prior to the inspection and she had spent the night with the corpse in the truck.
chapter 19
The tale recounts how the United States took California from Mexico through the actions of ambitious American settlers who claimed ownership of the land due to their cultivation of it. Today, the rich farmers, descendants of these settlers, protect their vested interests with security guards and sustain their wealth through underpaying their workers. They harbor resentment for the swarms of “Okies” arriving in their state, recognizing the potential instability these desperate, poor individuals could bring to their land ownership. The Okies, on the other hand, seek only fair pay and freedom from the risk of famine. They make homes in laborers’ camps while seeking employment. At times, one endeavors to cultivate a hidden garden in an unused field, only for local law enforcement to discover and ruin it.
chapter 20
Unable to afford a decent burial, Ma and Pa Joad deposit Granma's remains at a coroner's office, then head back to the overcrowded and squalid Hooverville camp. Floyd Knowles, a fellow camper, advises Tom to act foolish when confronted by law enforcement to appear harmless. Floyd also informs him that jobs are scarce and anyone who tries to unionize against the landowners is quickly blacklisted. Casy, troubled by the unfair conditions, considers ways to assist the suffering masses. Meanwhile, Rose of Sharon and Connie debate their decision to leave Oklahoma and the circumstances in which they will bring their child into the world. After Ma serves her family stew, she gives the little that remains to the starving children in the camp. A contractor looking for fruit pickers appears at the camp. When Floyd insists on a contract and fixed wage, the contractor calls for a police officer who arrests Floyd on a false accusation and starts threatening the others. A fight breaks out during which the officer fires a shot, injuring a woman. Tom tackles the officer and Casy knocks him out. Casy, realizing someone has to take responsibility, offers himself, reminding Tom about his parole violation. More officers arrive and arrest Casy, while the sheriff declares the camp will be razed. Uncle John is deeply upset by Casy's selfless act, further grieving a personal tragedy. He is given permission to buy alcohol to numb his pain. Rose of Sharon is inconsolable over Connie's disappearance, despite Pa's low opinion of him. Tom, sensing danger at the camp, manages to get a drunk Uncle John onto their truck and the family leaves. They send a message for Connie to the camp store. Upon reaching a nearby town, armed locals block their entrance. Angered, Tom is calmed by Ma Joad who predicts a "different time's comin'."
chapter 21
The animosity experienced by the migrants alters them, uniting them in their struggle. The landowners are haunted by the burgeoning desperation visible in the migrants' gaze. Locals in California organize armed groups to intimidate these "Okies" and maintain control. The proprietors of vast farms force the small-scale farmers to shut shop, thereby increasing the number of people who are impoverished, and unable to provide for their families.
chapter 22
Late in the evening, the Joad family stumbles upon the Weedpatch camp – a well-maintained, government-run refuge for migrants that shields them from the exploitative local law enforcement. The camp's self-governance ensures it's clean and functional with amenities like toilets and showers. Upon their first morning, Tom Joad meets Timothy and Wilkie Wallace who invite him for breakfast and offer to help him find work at their ranch. The ranch is managed by Mr. Thomas who informs them about the Farmers' Association that restricts him from paying his workers more than twenty-five cents an hour to prevent "unrest". Despite believing his workers deserve more, Thomas says he can't risk it. He also shares his concerns about the Weedpatch camp making the Farmers' Association uneasy due to their belief that it harbors communists or "red agitators". According to Mr. Thomas, the association plans to provoke a riot in the camp on Saturday, giving the police an excuse to arrest labor organizers and evict the migrants. Meanwhile, back at the camp, the other Joad men set off in search of work. The camp manager, Jim Rawley, visits Ma Joad, his kindness makes her feel human again. However, a visit from Mrs. Sandry, a religious zealot, brings disquiet. She warns Rose of Sharon against the sinful behaviors in the camp, claiming sinful women give birth to "dead and bloody" infants. Soon after, the Ladies Committee visits Ma and Rose of Sharon, acquainting them with the camp rules. Although Pa, Al, and Uncle John return empty-handed from their job hunt, there's a glimmer of hope as Tom lands a job.
chapter 23
People utilize their free time in playing music and sharing folklore when they aren't seeking or doing jobs. If they possess cash, they can purchase booze, which serves as a brief respite from their struggles, similar to music. Preachers deliver passionate sermons about wickedness and wrongdoing, prompting the individuals to prostrate themselves in penance, and perform collective baptisms. These are the diverse ways the migrants use to find both a distraction and redemption.
chapter 24
On the night of the camp dance, a riot schemed by the Farmers’ Association is expected to erupt, aiming to close the camp. Ezra Huston, the camp committee leader, employs twenty people to identify and intercept any instigators. Rose of Sharon attends the gathering but chooses not to participate in dancing, worried about its impact on her unborn child. As the celebration begins, Tom and the other men identify three suspicious individuals. They observe these men closely. When one of them incites a quarrel by intruding on another man's partner, the men seize the trio and eject them from the camp. Before their exit, Huston questions why they would betray their community, and they confess to being heavily compensated to incite a riot. Later, a man recounts a tale of mountain dwellers employed as low-cost workers by a rubber firm in Akron. After joining a union, the townspeople united to expel them. In retaliation, five thousand mountain men paraded through the town center, guns in hand, purportedly to hunt turkeys on the settlement's outskirts. This display held powerful significance. The narrative ends with the assertion that since this show of force, there's been no discord between the townsfolk and the workers.
chapter 25
The splendor of California's spring season is overshadowed by the plight of small farmers, akin to the struggles of the migrants. These farmers are on the brink of ruin due to the dominance of large landowners in the agricultural sector. The smaller farmers, incapable of keeping up with these powerful land magnates, are forced to see their crops die and their debts mount. The vineyards' wine turning sour metaphorically underscores the escalating bitterness and resentment across the region. The narrator astutely observes, “In the souls of the people, the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage.”
chapter 26
The Joads realize that their stay in the government camp is unfeasible due to depleting supplies and lack of work. Led by Ma Joad's persuasion, they decide to depart the next day, bidding adieu to their friends. While repairing a flat tire, they are propositioned by a heavily jeweled man with a job offer to pick peaches nearby. Upon reaching, they encounter traffic congestion and hostile demonstrations. Despite the low pay of five cents per box, the family accepts the work out of hunger. However, their entire earnings are spent on a meal that barely satiates them. Later, Al sets off in search of girls, while Tom feels intrigued by the roadside chaos. Denied entry by the guards, Tom stealthily enters and finds Jim Casy amidst a gathering. Casy shares his experience with organizing the migrant farmers after prison. He reveals that the orchard owner had halved the wages, causing a strike and a subsequent hiring of new workers. He foresees that even these replacements would soon be paid the reduced wage. Their conversation is interrupted by two policemen who identify Casy as the leader and label him as a communist. Casy's defense of the workers is brutally silenced by a pick handle swing. Enraged, Tom retaliates and kills the officer before sustaining a head injury himself. He escapes and returns to his family. Upon discovering Tom's injuries and hearing his tale, Ma insists he stay with them, despite Tom's offer to leave to avoid any trouble for them. They quit the peach picking job and proceed to find cotton picking work. Tom, with his visibly injured face, conceals himself near the plantation to avoid drawing attention, with the family discreetly providing his meals.
chapter 27
Advertisements for jobs in the cotton farms are seen far and wide. They promise reasonable pay, however, laborers lacking cotton-picking bags must purchase them on loan. The high number of laborers results in some failing to earn enough to cover the cost of their bags. A few dishonest farm owners manipulate the cotton weighing scales. However, the migrants find ways to combat this, such as filling their bags with stones.
chapter 28
The Joads find residence in a boxcar, alongside the Wainwright family, at the cotton fields. They manage to earn for sustenance and even splurge on Cracker Jack for Ruthie and Winfield. Trouble brews when Ruthie, in a fight, reveals her brother's murderous past and his hiding. Ma rushes to alert Tom, urging him to flee. Tom, however, reveals his plan to honor Jim Casy's beliefs by unifying his soul with the collective and organizing people. He shrugs off Ma's reminder of Casy's deadly fate, assuring he'll dodge danger. On her return, Ma encounters a small farm owner in need of harvesters, and she shares the good news at the boxcar. Al reveals his marriage plans with Agnes Wainwright, leading to celebrations. Subsequently, the two families proceed to the plantation, but the ample workforce harvests the entire crop by midday. Disheartened, they retreat back to the boxcar, only to be welcomed by a rainfall.
chapter 29
The landscape is relentlessly pounded by rainfall, bringing all labor to a halt due to the downpour. Flooding rivers engulf automobiles, swallowed up by the muddy currents. Men find themselves resorting to pleading and thieving for sustenance. Their women, filled with worry, observe, fearing that they might witness their men shatter under the strain. However, they see their men's terror evolve into fury. The women understand that their men's strength will persist as long as their wrath does.
chapter 30
The relentless deluge persists. The heavens remain dark as Rose of Sharon falls ill and goes into labor on storm day three. Inundation has rendered the truck useless, leaving the family stranded in the boxcar. At Pa's insistence, efforts are made to construct a temporary barrier against the encroaching water to safeguard their lodging. Tragically, a dislodged tree crashes into the dam, annihilating it. Mrs. Wainwright breaks the news to a drenched and dispirited Pa Joad that Rose of Sharon's baby was stillborn. Uncle John is sent to conduct the infant's burial, setting the makeshift coffin adrift in the stream. The downpour continues unabated, forcing Pa to spend their last funds on provisions. On the inundation's sixth day, the rising water threatens the boxcar. Ma resolves to evacuate the family to safety. Al chooses to remain with the Wainwrights and Agnes. The remaining Joads, journeying on foot, sight a barn and make for it. Inside, they encounter a dying man and his young son. The boy reveals that his father, having sacrificed all food for him, hasn't eaten in six days. The man is so weak that he can't stomach solid food; he requires a liquid diet. Silent communication passes between Ma and Rose of Sharon, and the girl comprehends. Requesting everyone to vacate the barn, Rose of Sharon approaches the emaciated man. Overcoming his objections, she cradles him to her breast, nourishing him.
