Podcast
Questions and Answers
What allowed the Americans to seize California from the Mexicans in chapter 19?
What allowed the Americans to seize California from the Mexicans in chapter 19?
Their hunger for the land overpowered any desire that the comfortable Mexicans felt.
What happens to landowners as time passes?
What happens to landowners as time passes?
Farms expand, and laborers are imported from overseas to aid the harvest.
What are Hoovervilles?
What are Hoovervilles?
Shantytowns built by unemployed and destitute people during the Great Depression.
What happens when greedy businesses develop?
What happens when greedy businesses develop?
What is ownership in chapter 19?
What is ownership in chapter 19?
What happens to Hoovervilles?
What happens to Hoovervilles?
How are the owners actually hurting themselves?
How are the owners actually hurting themselves?
Where do the Joads end up?
Where do the Joads end up?
What does Ma decide regarding the starving children?
What does Ma decide regarding the starving children?
What has Connie done?
What has Connie done?
What do the Joads encounter after they leave Hooverville?
What do the Joads encounter after they leave Hooverville?
What do Ma and Tom discuss about 'the people'?
What do Ma and Tom discuss about 'the people'?
Why do the rich/owners hate migrants?
Why do the rich/owners hate migrants?
How do the banks work against themselves?
How do the banks work against themselves?
What are stoop crops?
What are stoop crops?
What does 'secret gardening' refer to?
What does 'secret gardening' refer to?
What does Jim Casy take blame for?
What does Jim Casy take blame for?
What is the entire camp preparing for in chapter 24?
What is the entire camp preparing for in chapter 24?
What is the central committee concerned about?
What is the central committee concerned about?
Describe the government camp.
Describe the government camp.
Who scares Rosasharn?
Who scares Rosasharn?
Flashcards
Nativism
Nativism
A belief that favors the interests of native-born people over immigrants. In the context of the Great Depression, it led to the seizure of California from Mexicans, driven by Americans' hunger for land.
Hoovervilles
Hoovervilles
Shantytowns made of cardboard and other makeshift materials, they housed the unemployed during the Great Depression. These settlements were named after President Herbert Hoover, who was blamed for the economic hardship.
Labor Exploitation
Labor Exploitation
The unjust treatment of workers, often involving low wages, unsafe working conditions, and the denial of basic rights. This was prevalent during the Great Depression as businesses, driven by greed, hired more workers, leading to wage decreases due to an oversupply of desperate workers.
Mechanization
Mechanization
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Land Ownership
Land Ownership
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Community Spirit
Community Spirit
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Government Camp
Government Camp
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Migrant Experience
Migrant Experience
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Music in Community
Music in Community
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Central Committee
Central Committee
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Oppression
Oppression
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Resilience
Resilience
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Floyd Knowles
Floyd Knowles
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Jim Casy
Jim Casy
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Ezra Huston and Willie Eaton
Ezra Huston and Willie Eaton
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Societal Commentary
Societal Commentary
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Hoovervilles as Symbol
Hoovervilles as Symbol
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Mechanization as Symbol
Mechanization as Symbol
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Community as Theme
Community as Theme
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Study Notes
Chapter 19 Highlights
- Nativism leads to the seizure of California from Mexicans, driven by Americans' hunger for land.
- Descendants of American squatters eventually become landowners over time.
- Landowners import laborers from overseas as their farms expand, becoming abusive and disconnected from farming’s natural harmony.
Chapter 20: Hoovervilles and Labor Dynamics
- Hoovervilles are shantytowns made of cardboard, housing the unemployed during the Great Depression.
- As business greed increases, more laborers are hired, resulting in wages decreasing due to an oversupply of desperate workers.
- Businesses use mechanization to replace workers, undermining their need to pay fair rates.
Chapter 21: Economic Impacts and Community Struggles
- Owners grow crops on land, asserting ownership and barring others from utilizing it.
- Hoovervilles face government raids, leading to further displacement of families.
- Greedy businesses inadvertently create a powerful, unrestful population of migrants ready to revolt against oppression.
Chapter 22: Government Camp and Community Spirit
- The Joad family settles in a government camp characterized by self-governance and mutual assistance.
- Elected committees maintain order and provide basic services without outside police interference.
- A sense of community emerges as sharing and cooperation become essential for survival.
Chapter 23: Migrant Experiences and Desires
- Migrants seek pleasure amidst the hardship, engaging in drinking, dancing, and socializing.
- The chapter recounts stories of violence and hardship faced by migrants, illustrating their resilience.
- Music plays a significant role in community bonding, with instruments like harmonicas and fiddles enriching their social interactions.
Chapter 24: Tensions and Anticipation of Change
- The entire camp prepares for a dance, conscious of potential riots due to rising tensions with local authorities.
- Ezra Huston and Willie Eaton lead the Central Committee, strategizing to prevent unrest.
- The chapter explores themes of oppression, resilience, and the deepening divide between migrants and local authorities, symbolizing broader societal conflicts.
Key Figures
- Floyd Knowles: Provides insights on labor exploitation and advises caution around police.
- Jim Casy: Takes blame for Tom's actions, showcasing selflessness and impacting Uncle John's emotional state.
- Ezra Huston and Willie Eaton: Central figures in camp organization, reflecting the migrants' struggle for dignity and control.
Societal Commentary
- Encourages reflection on the nature of power and the role of community in resisting oppression.
- Depicts the detrimental effects of mechanization on human labor and dignity.
- Highlights the struggles of the working class against wealth accumulation and corporate greed.
Symbols and Themes
- Hoovervilles: Represent desperation and the vulnerability of the migrant population.
- Mechanization: Symbolizes industrial exploitation and the loss of traditional farming practices.
- Community: Emerges as a critical theme, with cooperation seen as essential for survival against societal forces.
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