GOW Quotes

Question 1

“in the souls of the people, the grapes of wrath are filling and growing”

Answer 1

suggests that the grapes are food and could save lives, but the longer the banks keep them in a selfish manner, the more wrath builds inside the grapes

Question 2

“For the quality of owning freezes you forever in ….”

Answer 2

“I, and cuts you off forever from the “we” “

Steinbeck’s comment on social politics and the dangers of isolating oneself in selfishness

Question 3

“the bank is something more than men, I tell you. Its a monster….”

Answer 3

“Men made it, but they can’t control it”

Theme: Wealth

Question 4

“Three dollars a day. I got damn sick of creeping for my dinner – and not getting it. I got a wife and kids. We got to eat. Three dollars a day. Is that right?”

Answer 4

Theme: wealth and poverty

Question 5

When the monster stops growing, it dies. It can’t stay one size”

Answer 5

Theme: poverty and wealth

By referring to the economy as an inhumane thing - monster- the farmers are making it easier to do inhumane things as they don’t refer to it as themselves

Question 6

“Fella gets use’ to a place, it’s hard to go,” said Casy. “Fella gets use’ to a way of thinkin’ it’s hard to leave.”

Answer 6

Theme: humankind relationship with nature

holding onto the past

Question 7

“carloads of oranges dumped on the ground”

Answer 7

Theme: wealth and poverty, class divisions

Evidence of the unnecessary class division and unnecessary poverty

Question 8

“repression only works to strengthen…”

Answer 8

“and knit the repressed”

Theme: class injustice

Question 9

“How can we live without our lives? How will we “

Answer 9

” know it’s us without our past?”

Theme: holding onto the past

Question 10

“Death was a friend, and sleep was Death’s brother.”

Answer 10

Theme: death and suffering

Question 11

“Maybe all men got one big soul….”

Answer 11

“ever’body’s a part of”

Theme: community and family- the human spirit, strengthening the oppressed

Question 12

“if he’s poor in hisself, there ain’t no million acres gonna make him feel rich, an’ maybe he’s disappointed that ….’

Answer 12

“nothin’ he can do ‘ll make him feel rich.”

Theme:L wealth and poverty, dissatisfaction, the American dream

Question 13

“but it’s our land…We were born on it, and we got killed on it, died on it. Even if it’s no good, it’s still ours….”.

Answer 13

“That’s what makes ownership, not a paper with numbers on it”

Theme: mankind’s relationship with the land, holding onto the past

Question 14

“We’re sorry. It’s not us. It’s the monster. …..”

Answer 14

“The bank isn’t like a man.”

Theme: wealth and social injustice

Question 15

“Here is the node, you who hate change…..”

Answer 15

“and fear evolution”

Theme: class division and the fear of change, holding onto the past, class tension

the wealthy fear the change that all men can be equal and there won’t be pore and rich

Question 16

“This is the beginning–from “I” to “we.”

Answer 16

Theme: protest, community, family, working together

Question 17

“im jus’ pain covered ….”

Answer 17

“…with skin”

Theme: dissatisfaction, American dream, failure, grief

Question 18

“You got a God. Don’t make no difference if you don’ …….”

Answer 18

“know what he looks like.”

Theme: the American dream

This quote alludes to the concept of the American dream, of course, the belief can be there, but if you can’t see the success of the American dream, how can you ecpect one to believe forever

Question 19

“Man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up the stairs of …….”

Answer 19

“his concepts, and emerges ahead of his accomplishments.”

Theme: American dream, hope, ambition

Question 20

“There is a failure here that …..”

Answer 20

“topples all our success.”

Theme: American dream, failure, grief

Question 21

“i gotta go where the folks is goin, an maybe i’ll be happy”

Answer 21

Suggests that a man is no good and cannot be happy without his community