8/7/2019 The Grapes of Wrath- Reading Log #3

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Eamon Barkhordarian1/6/11

IchikawaEnglish Honors

Reading Log #3- Grapes of WrathAnalytic

“ ‘We got the best dances in the country every Saturday night.

Well, for Christ’s sake! Why ain’t they more places like this?’The Watchman looked sullen. ‘You’ll have to find that out yourself. Go get some sleep.’‘good night,’ said Tom. ‘Ma’s gonna like this place. She ain’t been treated decent for along time.’ (288)”

In the last reading log, I explained how the Joad’s family journey to the West was

to be full of hardship and suffering. I predicted there was to be much more adversity

along the way in the following chapters, and I was later proven correct. Already four 

members of the family have departed as Connie left, and Grandma, Grandpa, and the dog

have died. Yet starting in chapter 22, the Joad family has their first glimpse of hope.

After leaving a camp the police were to set on fire, the Joads drive into the Weedpatch

camp. Shortly after, Tom is informed of the beauties and opportunity this camp has to

provide. In a sense, the Weedpatch camp has managed to turn the family’s luck around

for the first time.

The first morning after entering the camp, Tom is invited to have breakfast with

the neighbors. The strangers openly share their experience in the camp and how well they

have been treated here. The reader is hinted at the opportunities that will similarly be in

store for the Joad family. Later, Tom successfully finds a job, although not steady, with

good pay. In addition, in response to the recent respect Ma has received she says “Why, I

feel like people again.”

The Weedpatch camp can be seen as the farmer’s will to survive. Lacking corrupt

police investigations and heavy government involvement, the camp is solely supported by

the working migrants. The reader is shown that the farmer’s sense of civilization is

surprisingly strong, contrary to the inferior depiction the major business corporations put

8/7/2019 The Grapes of Wrath- Reading Log #3

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Eamon Barkhordarian1/6/11

IchikawaEnglish Honors

it to be. For the first time in the novel, we manage to come across an organized group of 

farmers on the same path. Unlike the overrun Hooverville, Weedpatch camp

demonstrates the strength and potential of struggling farmers when in great number.

Without the oppressive forces of police or the break-ups of workers unions, farmers have

shown to have great potential in redeeming themselves and reaching their goals. Maybe

in the end, my original hypothesis of hardship will be proven wrong!