ENGLISH III
The Grapes of Wrath, chapter 18
Reading questions
(Page numbers are from the Penguin Classics edition)
***Please, do not write on this sheet. Write all answers on your own notebook paper. ***
1. What decision does Noah make in this chapter and why?
2. According to the men sharing the river with the Joads, what is the reality of what the Okies will
find in California? Be specific.
3. What negative connotation does the word Okie have when Californians use it?
4. What are Casy’s definitions of the words rich and poor in this chapter? (p. 207)
5. On pages 209-210, what point is Ma trying to make when talking to Rose of Sharon about how
the concepts of birth and death eventually change over time?
6. Why do you think Ma so stubbornly refuses to allow the “Jehovites” to pray for Granma in the
Joads’ tent?
7. Even though Casy again claims that he is no longer a preacher, why does Sairy Wilson really
want him to pray for her?
8. What final act of kindness (sense of community) do the Joads perform for the Wilsons before
they leave them behind?
9. What comments do the service station attendants make to reflect the negative connotation of the
word Okie?
10. What does Casy say to Uncle John about sin, guilt, and luck in this chapter? (pages 224-25)
11. When does Granma finally die, and how does Ma show her strength and determination in getting
to California when dealing with the border guards and what she has to do all night to withhold the
truth about Granma?
12. According to Tom, why would Granma and Grandpa not have truly seen California, even if they
had survived the trip?