Study Questions &
Essay Topics
Study Questions
1. Half of the
chapters in
The Grapes of Wrath focus on the dramatic
westward journey of the Joad family, while the others possess a
broader scope, providing a more general picture of the migration
of thousands of Dust Bowl farmers. Discuss this structure. Why might Steinbeck
have chosen it? How do the two kinds of chapters reinforce each
other?
2. What is Jim
Casy's role in the novel? How does his moral philosophy govern the
novel as a whole?
3. Many critics
have noted the sense of gritty, unflinching realism pervading
The
Grapes of Wrath. How does Steinbeck achieve this effect?
Do his character portrayals contribute, or his description of setting,
or both?
Suggested Essay Topics
1. Discuss the development of
Tom Joad as a character. How does he grow throughout the book? What
effects do Jim Casy's imprisonment and death have on his development?
2. Discuss the ending of the
novel. Does it fit aesthetically with the rest of the book? Is it
believable for Rose of Sharon to assume the role of a transcendent
giver of life? Does the ending effectively embody thematic trends
within the novel's development? Does it provide hope, or does it
leave the reader unsettled?
3. The third chapter of the novel
depicts a turtle crossing the Oklahoma highway. How does this chapter
symbolize the story of the migrants?
4. Think about the book in terms
of Steinbeck's intent for it. Do you think it successfully raises
sympathy for the plight of the Dust Bowl farmers, or does it seem
untrustworthy in some way?
