The Grapes Of Wrath Chapter 8 Summary

Tom reflects at the beginning of the chapter while his mom does the laundry. California looms in the distance a tempting eden. Yet… it could just be a scam. That doubt scares all of the family on some level. Talking more about prison, Tom says that the only way to stay sane is to take one day at a time. To not think of the future because it will make a man go crazy. Personally, I use this same method during school or else I would probably go bonkers as well. As for grandpa, he is in a different trance. The farm is his home. To be parted from it would probably kill him. Since he is set in his ways he also shows a sense of lightheartedness contrasting the rest of the family. Unlike Grampa, Casey feels the calling to go out West. Not to
The land feels like it is bleeding its last essence of life. The description of a ruddy landscape relates even more of a bloody feel to the whole event. When the family felt exploited when giving up the last of their belongings is truly punctuates the moment of finality. In the evening when a family meeting is called their decision to kill the pigs and set out in the morning accents the restlessness of their departure. They accept Casey into the affair and quickly/efficiently kill the pig. When Casey offers to salt the pig freeing Ma from doing the hard labor it shows that gender roles are not important compared the tying of loose ends. When Muley comes to say goodbye he promises to take care of the last of the livestock. Muley considers for those last few seconds to go out West but his fear and stubbornness keep him. He remains as a memory of the land behind. Grandpa also stubborn tries at the last minute to try and stay behind. When his family drugs him to get him on the truck it shows how desperate they are to keep the family together. As they depart the reader gets a sense of sadness as the family looks at the land for the last time in the reddening