Miss Ramirez
English 11
The Grapes of Wrath
DIRECTIONS: Please reread your story annotations. Then answer the questions in proper
format. Number all responses and make certain I can easily follow the organization of your
responses.
THEMES
The theme of a story is some implication about human nature that goes beyond the literal story.
It is a statement the author is driving at. It is the meaning behind the story based on the
characters, their motivation, the setting and plot of the story, the trustworthiness of the narrator,
the author's writing style and symbolism, as well as the cultural, historical, and biographical
implications for the story.
ANSWER: These are the themes found in the story. Explain how these themes are presentuse evidence from the text to back up your responses- in the form of direct quotes. Your
responses should be 5-7 sentences in length FOR EACH THEME (NOT INCLUDING
QUOTE).
The Grapes of Wrath
1. Man’s Inhumanity to Man: (starting point) Steinbeck consistently and woefully points
to the fact that the migrants’ great suffering is caused not by terrible weather or mere
misfortune but by their fellow human beings.
2. The Saving Power of Family and Fellowship: (starting point) The Grapes of Wrath
chronicles the story of two “families”: the Joads and the collective body of migrant
workers.
3. The Dignity of Wrath: (starting point) The Joads stand as exemplary figures in their
refusal to be broken by the circumstances that conspire against them. At every turn,
Steinbeck seems intent on showing their dignity and honor; he emphasizes the
importance of maintaining self-respect in order to survive spiritually.
4. The Multiplying Effects of Selfishness and Altruism: (starting point) According to
Steinbeck, many of the evils that plague the Joad family and the migrants stem from
selfishness.
SYMBOLISM
Symbolism is key to understanding the deeper meaning of a story, play, or novel. Symbolism is
the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are
different from their literal sense.
Symbolism can take different forms. Generally, it is an object representing another to give it an
entirely different meaning that is much deeper and more significant. Sometimes, however, an
action, an event or a word spoken by someone may have a symbolic value. For instance, “smile”
is a symbol of friendship. Similarly, the action of someone smiling at you may stand as a symbol
of the feeling of affection which that person has for you.
Symbols do shift their meanings depending on the context they are used in. “A chain”, for
example, may stand for “union” as well as “imprisonment”. Thus, symbolic meaning of an object
or an action is understood by when, where and how it is used. It also depends on who reads them.
ANSWER: These are symbols from the stories. Write about what you think each symbol
may represent- use evidence from the text to back up your responses. Your responses
should be 5-7(complex) sentences in length FOR EACH SYMBOL- in the form of direct
quotes. Your responses should be 5-7 sentences in length FOR EACH THEME (NOT
INCLUDING QUOTE).
The Grapes of Wrath
1. Rose of Sharon’s pregnancy
2. The death of the Joad’s dog
3. The turtle