This poem helps picture the beginning of chapter 17 when it was talking about everyone coming together and sharing about themselves. The all were unsure of what the future holds for them. I wanted to show the fear of the unknown they had.

The people here were all traveling
Headed towards a place with little information
Hoping for the best outcome

We all huddled up together
We all shared our stories and plans
We were all the same

No one knew the future
Everyone was unsure of what would happen
Everyone here feared the unknown.

An event  that hit me hard emotionally was the unfortunate death of the dog. "The dog dodge helplessly, and with a shriek, cut off in the middle, went under the wheels." (130). I thought this quote was sad because I can relate to it. My dog had a terrible habit of sprinting out of the house and running around the neighborhood. He would wait for us to catch up and whenever we got closer he would run until we were far enough and then proceed to wait again. This would go on until someone caught him. We would try to discipline him but this was the one thing he continued to do no matter what. One day about a year ago my dog ran into the streets and got ran over. It was a pretty mournful day but I was thankful it wasn't bloody and gruesome as described in Grapes of Wrath.

Route 66 was major route back in the 1930's. Highway 66 runs from Chicago to Los Angeles. This was a popular truck route as well since the road was mainly flat throughout its length. It was also popular to hundreds of thousands of depression era farmers mirating to California hoping for a better life and good jobs. Due to the highway's increased traffic small towns built up on the sides of it. These became popular rest stops for the migrating farmers.

Like the Joads and all the other farmers in "Grapes of Wrath", Route 66 was the most popular way to California. The book accurately describes Route 66 as being crowded with migrating farmers and lots of cars driving through Route 66. This road was important to them because it was a straight way to California.

  Dixie Truckers Home McClean, Illinois


 Sitgreaves Pass, Arizona

"...the monster that sent the tractor out, had somehow got into the driver's hands, into his brain and muscle, had goggled him and muzzled him, goggled his mind, muzzled his speech, goggled his perception, muzzled his protest." pg35

The repetition of the words "goggled" and "muzzled" help highlight what they feel towards the banks. These words are described as actions done the bank to make their lives worse. This makes them seem evil as if they are playing with there minds like they are toys or something. The use the words repetitively as if they were punches. Each punch making them more and more confused. The repetition help shows how the banks are metaphorically beating them up.

"The bank is something more than men, I tell you. It's the monster." pg33

"Well, there's a president of the bank. There's a board of directors. I'll fill up the magazine of the rifle and go to the bank." pg 38

The bank takes land away from them and they begin to despise the bank. These quotes show there is some conflict with the farmers and the bank. They believe that everything the bank does is intended to make their lives worse. They have this image of banks being extremely greedy monsters with the main intent it to soak them dry. The view the banks as monsters that need to be stopped. They believe that what the bank is doing wrong.

  

At the time the main companies in the automobile industry were General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. These companies were known as the "Big Three". The car industry began to plummet in the late 1920's early 1930's.  In 1929 the automobile industry set a record of over 5 million cars sold. Due to the market crash sales began to drop. In 1930 sales dropped by 2 million and in 1932 sales dropped by 4 million. At the time the main companies in the automobile industry was General Motors, Ford, Chrysler.These companies were known as the "Big Three". After 1932 car sales began to slowly revert itself.

 Information found here
 Picture found here

During the Great Depression dust bowl farmers had to move to the city because it was hard to be an independent farmer and make a steady income.  The Dust Bowl Era was a time of extreme weather conditions.  Droughts and dust storms became very common which prevented the farming industry from striving. The Dust Bowl Era was also know as the "Dirty Thirties". The income of an average family reduced 40% between 1929-1932. Many farmers migrated to California hoping for a better life. The most common route for farmers to take for their journey to California was Route 66. Since the economy was going down the drain the government set up acts that such as the Social Security Act and the Wagner Act. These were created by the presidents during the time, President Hoover and President Franklin D Roosevelt .


Info found here
Picture found here