The Grapes of Wrath Critical Analysis Guide
Instructions: This guide is organized by literary elements or big ideas. Just as you consider
all elements every time you read, you should consider this guide in its entirety each time you
read. Add quotations and analysis in the di erent big ideas with each reading. Follow these
steps to complete your reading and this guide.
Step 1: Begin by breaking your reading into chunks, as the reminders in each lesson indicate.
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Reading #1: Read through Chapter Six.
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Reading #2: Read through Chapter Eleven.
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Reading #3: Read through Chapter Fi een.
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Reading #4: Read through Chapter Eighteen.
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Reading #5: Read through Chapter Twenty-One.
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Reading #6: Read through Chapter Twenty-Four.
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Reading #7: Read through Chapter Twenty-Seven.
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Reading #8: Finish reading the novel before The Grapes of Wrath: Analysis lesson.
Step 2: Annotate as you read. Consider using a speci c pen or sticky note color to track each
big idea. Upon completing a section, review your annotations and choose quotations to
include in your analysis in this guide.
Step 3: Record important quotations in their corresponding big idea, including the speaker if
applicable and the chapter and page number. Quotations should come from throughout the
novel.
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Step 4: Comment on the function of the text you have identi ed as signi cant. Do not merely
write, "This shows Ma Joad's character" or paraphrase the quotation. Instead, explain how the
selected lines function within the big idea you've selected; elaborate on the purpose and
e ect.
The Grapes of Wrath
Author: John Steinbeck
Publication Date: 1939
Format: (Please indicate the format of your reading, i.e. Kindle, Nook,
physical copy of the book, etc. If a publisher—such as Penguin Classics—
or edition is available, please indicate that as well.)
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Character
Choose quotations that reveal complexities in the character, develop a relationship
between characters, show how the character ts an archetype, or indicate a change
in that character. Aim for 2 entries each for Tom, Casy, Pa, Ma, and Rose of Sharon.
Chapter, Page #, Speaker if
applicable
Quotation
Commentary
Tom Joad, Chapter 28
“I ain’t sayin’ I’m like him; I
know he was a good man... I
ain’t gonna preach. I’m gonna
ght.”
Tom steps into Casy’s place
but in his own way. He’s done
talking — he’s ready to act.
This shows his shift from
thinking just about his family
to standing up for everyone
who's su ering. He’s
becoming a leader, not just a
survivor.
Tom Joad, Chapter 28
“I been thinking about us,
about people living together.”
Tom's thinking has changed
since the beginning. He’s no
longer just focused on
himself or revenge. He’s
starting to see how
everyone’s struggles are
connected. It shows growth
and a deeper understanding
of what Casy stood for.
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Jim Casy, Chapter 20
“Maybe all men got one big
soul ever’body’s a part of.”
Casy sees people as
spiritually connected. He’s
moving away from religion
and toward a kind of moral
unity. This idea shapes Tom
later and re ects the theme
that people are strongest
when they act together.
Jim Casy, Chapter 4
“There ain’t no sin and there
ain’t no virtue. There’s just
stu people do.”
This quote shows how Casy
is questioning old ideas. He
doesn’t judge people
anymore — he just wants to
understand them. It makes
him di erent from other
preachers and explains why
he leaves the church behind.
Pa Joad, Chapter 13
“Seems like women is all the
same way,” he said. “They’re
always a-thinkin’ things is
gonna change. They sort of
stew around.”
Pa feels like he’s lost control
of the family, and he's
frustrated. This quote shows
his confusion and hints at
how Ma starts to take over.
His traditional role as leader
is breaking down as the world
around him changes.
Pa Joad, Chapter 30
“I ain’t no good anymore.
Spen’ all my time a-thinkin’
how it use’ ta be.”
Pa is stuck in the past. He
doesn’t know how to move
forward, which shows his
struggle with change. As Ma
steps up, Pa fades more into
the background — his
identity as head of the family
no longer works in their new
life.
Ma Joad, Chapter 20
“Why, we’re the people—we
go on.”
Ma believes in survival and
sticking together. Even when
things fall apart, she keeps
moving forward. This line
shows her strength and how
she becomes the emotional
backbone of the family. She’s
hopeful, but also realistic.
Ma Joad, Chapter 8
“She seemed to know, to
accept, to welcome her
position, the citadel of the
family.”
Ma quietly takes control. The
word “citadel” makes her
sound like a fortress — calm
and steady. She accepts
responsibility without needing
power, and that makes her
one of the most important
characters in the novel.
Rose of Sharon, Chapter 16
“You got to have patience.
Why, Tom’ll be back. An’ then
we’ll get a place, an’ we’ll
have a baby... a house an’
stu .”
At rst, Rose of Sharon is
focused on her own small
dreams. She’s scared and
uncertain. This quote shows
how young she is and how
much she wants things to feel
normal and safe — like before
everything fell apart.
Rose of Sharon, Chapter 30
She looked up and across the
barn, and her lips came
together and smiled
mysteriously.
In the nal scene, Rose of
Sharon silently chooses to
help a starving man. She
becomes strong and sel ess,
even though she’s lost so
much. Her smile shows she’s
changed — now she
understands what it means to
give life, not just carry it.
Setting
Chapter, Page #, Speaker if
applicable
Quotation
Commentary
Chapter 1
“The last rains lifted the corn
quickly and scattered weed
colonies and grass along the
sides of the roads so that the
earth appeared rich again; the
full green hills were round and
soft as breasts.”
The novel begins with a
fertile, hopeful image — but
we know it’s not going to last.
The land seems full of life, but
it will soon dry out. This sets
up a contrast between
promise and loss.
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Choose quotations that reveal the setting, show the relationship between setting and
character, or portray the setting functioning as an archetype or symbol. Aim for 5
entries that span the entire length of the novel.
“The dust- lled air mu ed
sound more completely than
fog does.”
The Dust Bowl setting is like
a blanket of silence. It’s not
just physically damaging — it
changes how people feel. The
land is no longer something
they can depend on. It's
dead, and it’s making them
quiet too.
Chapter 12
“66 is the mother road, the
road of ight.”
Route 66 represents escape
and hope, but also fear. It’s
where people leave
everything behind. The road
becomes a symbol of both
survival and uncertainty,
stretching across the whole
country and story.
Chapter 12
“And then the dispossessed
were drawn west... drawn by
a magnet, drawn by the
westward movement of a
people.”
California feels like a promise,
something pulling people
toward it. The land becomes
an idea — something better
— but it's also a trap.
Steinbeck uses this line to
show that the setting is
emotional, not just physical.
Chapter 30
“The rain poured down, and
the water rose... and the cars
were gone and the mud was
deep.”
The ood at the end is one
nal disaster. Nature doesn’t
o er comfort — it just keeps
pushing. But even here, the
characters nd a way to act
with kindness. The setting
feels like it’s testing them one
last time.
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Chapter 1
Figurative Language
Choose quotations that contain diction that contributes to tone, conveys recurring
symbols and imagery that contribute to the larger meaning of the work, and uses
simile, metaphor, personi cation, and allusion for particular e ects. Aim for one entry
for each of the following:
Diction
Tone shift
Symbol
Imagery
Figurative Language
Chapter 5
“Tractors came over the
roads and into the elds,
great crawlers moving like
insects.”
Words like “crawlers” and
“insects” make the tractors
sound creepy and unnatural.
The diction here creates a
cold, lifeless mood. Machines
are replacing people, and
Steinbeck wants us to feel
how wrong that is.
Chapter 14
“This you may say of man—
when theories change and
crash... man reaches,
stumbles forward... but
always reaching.”
The tone shifts here from
sadness to hope. Even
though people fail, they keep
trying. It feels like Steinbeck
is rooting for the human spirit.
It’s a break from the
harshness of other chapters
and o ers something
uplifting.
Chapter 25
“In the souls of the people
the grapes of wrath are lling
and growing heavy.”
The grapes of wrath
represent the anger building
up in people. They’re ready to
burst. Steinbeck is saying
that all this unfairness isn’t
going to last — something
big is coming. It’s a warning,
but also a call to action.
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Commentary
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Quotation
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Chapter, Page #, Speaker if
applicable
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Chapter 1
“A large red drop of sun
lingered on the horizon and
then dropped. A cloud of dust
hung over the land.”
The sunset and dust create a
picture of fading light and
coming darkness. It’s
peaceful, but also heavy with
meaning. This imagery makes
the land feel tired, like it’s
falling asleep — or giving up.
Chapter 5
“The houses were left vacant
on the land, and the land was
vacant because of this. And
this was the great ownership,
the great fact; the property
was taken.”
Steinbeck uses repetition and
metaphor to show how
deeply connected the people
and land are. Once people
leave, the land dies too. It’s
not just dirt — it’s part of the
family. Losing it is like losing
a piece of themselves.