Our Grade

Mr. Paul this is the section were you can include our weekly grades and any other comments:

Grapes of Warth: Historical Background

The 1920’s was a decade often referred to ‘the roaring twenties’: a time when successful businessmen were national heroes, when land values were increasing and social traditions were being broken: such as women skirts. Suddenly, the 29 of October of 1929 also referred to as the Black Tuesday: the stock market crashed, triggering the Great Depression, the worst economic collapse in the history of the modern industrial world. It spread from the United States to the rest of the world, lasting from the end of 1929 until the early 1940s. The country fell into a depression (economically and psychologically), peaking in the winter of 1932, with citizens living on the streets in camps and surviving off government rations. Yet the depression was not the only disaster to arise; the Dust Bowl one of the most devastating weather events in American history happened. The drought hit first in the eastern part of the country in 1930, moving toward the west and affected most the farmlands of United States. Banks failed, businesses closed, and more than 15 million Americans (one-quarter of the workforce) became unemployed. In all, one-quarter of the population left, packing everything they owned into their cars, and headed west, which has been the largest migration in American history. By 1940, 2.5 million people had moved out of the plains states; and of those, 200 000 moved to California. (http://www.usq.edu.au/performancecentre/education/thegrapesofwrath/historical.htm)

Monologue: "Y'all's Situation"

"'ello again folks. I wanna talk to ya to try ta hel' ya, 'cause you listenin' to me an' we all deserve a shoulder and a reassuring voice. They a-say that you a-goin' through a diffucul' situation now. That my country is a again with many people with no work. They say it ain't that bad yet, but it is sompin to get worried 'bout. Well, let me tell you that I was in the worst situation of the country, or that's what I think. 'Cause I don't know much, but I know what I seen: an' I seen losts of homeless folks righ' along side with me, that had no house an' no job. I am a voice of experience an' let me tell ya it is possible. If ya have been affected by the situation currently, do not panic. Git ahol' of you an' ya famblies 'cause they what give ya strength. One person can survive, but a fambly can live. Also I'd like to tell ya what my dad onece tol' me: " Any man can fall, it takes a real man not to give in". You just hang in there. It ain't impossible to git back on track, just don;t give in to the desesperation, hold in there. Best of wishes"
----Ma Joad

Monologue: My self

"Well, 'ello folks. My name is Ma Joad an' I'm purty excited 'bout bein' able to share some time with ya. Well, the've asked me to tell ya who I am 'fore I start tellin' ya my story so... I'll do just that. I'm a simple mother. That should explain it all. I'm an aged woman already... no need to tell my age just yet,... but I tell ya this for ya to git the idea of my experience. I have always lived my life in the country side, and the sudden change has shocked me, but nothin' will devastate me. Why? I'll go back again to the fact that I'm a mother. There, there is my reason: I live to sustain my fambly. I know I ain't no woman of educaiton but I do want a bette' future for my kids, an' I know that comes from education. I know I need to feed my fambly, and I know the depen' on me to do so. I know the depen' on me to be strong an' I am strong for 'em, I will never let anything happen to 'em; I'll never stop working for them. They is my life an' we must always stay together. That is me... that's what I can say, at least."
--Ma Joad

Monologue: My Words

" There are several words that I pronounce differently, so I'll be glad to create a type of dictionary of words and expressions for you to understand:
fambly: family
'em: them
lef': left
fellas: guys
fightin': fighting
an': and
right off: right now
he'p: help
nothin': nothing
'bout: about
tryin': trying
folks: people
set: sit
aroun': around
cookin': cooking
git aholt on yaself: get ahold of yourself
han': hand
feelin': feeling
a-comin': is coming
gonna: going to
waitin': waiting
somepin: something
depen': depend
more'n: more than
---Ma Joad

Monologue Outline

The monologue will be made by Ma Joad represented by Alejandra Lopez, and Daniela Antillon will help with the creation of such and the props. Ma Joad will speak as if she were in actual times telling her story. She will start with a little introduction of her family and herself. She will describe each member briefly, as well as her relationship with them. Then she will explain their situation, and her perspective: her ideas about unity and family; as well as her views of the people in her same conditions and thoughts of the times that shall come. She will explain the depression the country had fallen into in a very simple way, for she was a simple woman of little education. Then she will explain her feelings towards the impotence and doubts she had; and how she had to control herself for her family. Then she will explain the trip to California, and the change it meant in her. (Her experiences through this trip: the police man, Granma's death, the children in Hooverville,...) Last she will comment on the current situation of United States and the stock market and to take this situation with strength and hope.
---Ale Lopez and Dani Antillon

Monologue: Granma's Death

" I ain't gonna lie to ya, it has been one of the hardes' things I ever had to go through in my life. You got to understan', the fambly was fallin' apar' an' I couldn' let that. I knew that if shar'd Granma's death we would a-have to stop, an' we needed to git to California, I told her that. She was a-layin' a-stiff an' DEAD righ' there beside me an' I knew, an' I couldn' tell no one. I fel' so desolated, so shattered. Granma a-needed to die, she was a-very sick an' sufferin' too much. Not sayin' that I wesh she died but I didn' want her a-sufferin' no more. But what crushed me was havin' to deal with it all by my self. I don't regret it though, it was a-good an' the fambly needed it to git to California."
---Ma Joad
Quote to illustrate this: " Tom said, 'Jesus Christ! You layin' there with her all night long!' 'The fambly hadda get acrost,' Ma said miserably. Tome moved close to put his hand on her shoulder. 'Don't touch me, ' she said. 'I'll hol' up if you don' touch me. That'd get me.'" (Steinbeck, pg 229)
---Ale Lopez and Dani Antillon

Monologue: My Family

"Well, I ain' gonna talk so much... not to bore ya'll folks 'cause I must say I do get very much excited when it is my fambly I'm talking 'bout. It is actually quite simple: they is all to me. I find my strength in their needs and love; they are my reason to git ahol of my self an' be strong. I know they depen' on me; depen' on the food an' the reassurance. I can't live no more than for 'em. I love each and every one of 'em: Pa is my other half. With ou'im there'd be no fambly because ther'd be no head...although the head gits lost sometimes an' I have to knock 'im off. haha no no I'm just a-kiddin', he's a great fella. Granpa and Granma ain' here no more, but they is always with me. They were a part of the fambly an' fambly ain't never left behind. They were ol' and crazy but they were sweet. Tom ...oo Tom he's a nice fella. He come back an' all, and me afraid me never gonna a-see him again. He's smart and sweet, an' he is hel' to maintain the fambly together. Al is another that is a-good. He is still a-growin', but he's already important an' he knows about those a-trucks an' stuff. He'll grow up okey. Noah is nice. He a good boy. I don't know what's up with 'im, but I still love 'im. I was devaatate' when he lef', why he had to leave. Emm... oo well Rosharon is a love. Aw she my little gir', bu' she is a-growin' up and she got to git a-strong for her baby; even more now that that a-good for nothin' lef'. She is so beautiful, she'll do jus' fine, she just got to toughen up a little. And last Winfield and Ruthie: those two are two beautiful little fellas. They still very young, an' having to face so hard situations. But they okey, they handle it just fine, an' they still young an' happy. They still innocent. Well, I tol' ya I got excited... I love 'em all and that's all I a-know really."
---Ma Joad

Benevolent Actions

As it has been well explained, Ma Joad's main concerns are her family. Yet she is a living example of a true Samaritan: she believes in unity as a core necessity and thus commits herself entirely to the well being of others. She always puts her family first, but in several occasions it is seen that she is not exclusive and helps the people around her. She will never deny her help especially to those in need. Case one: The Wilsons: "Ma said, 'You won't be no burden. Each'll help each, an' we'll all git to California. Sairy Wilson he'ped lay Granpa out,' and she stopped. The relationship was plain." (Steinbeck, pg 148). - Ma knows that they will be more people to feed and take care of; yet they have been nice to her and so she is not willing to leave them behind. Case two: The Children at Hooverville: As Ma Joad is in Hooverville cooking for her family; a group of starving children set around her pot. She faces a serious issue, as she dwells with the necessities of her family and those of the children. As she finally gives in to her humility and generosity: as she feeds her family as little as necessary and leaves the rest to the children. (Steinbeck, pgs 256-257). This is a shocking image and experience for the entire family as well for the readers of the book.
----Dani Antillon and Alejandra Lopez

Ma as the Leader

Ma Joad's position in the Joad's family is that of a leader. She is the support for all the members of her family. She not only takes necessary and tiresome tasks such a: cooking, washing,... but has an immense auto control and security that reassures the entire family, and make the trip possible. She influences each and every one of the members of her family, especially as a position of power and support. She fights for her family's unity with all her strengths, and sets aside all her individual needs for her family. Since the beginning of the book Ma's position is one of strength and authority, yet as the story develops it is until Ma Joad confronts Pa Joad because he wants to separate the family that we truly see her position as a leader: "She brought out a jack handle and balanced it in her hand easily. 'i ain't a-gonna go,' she said. (...) She said softly, 'On'y way you gonna get me to go is whup me'. She moved the jack handle gently again' an' I'll shame you, Pa, i won't take no whuppin', cryin' an' a beggin'. I'll light into you. An' you ain't so sure you can whup me anyways. An' if ya do get me' I swear to God I'll wait till you got your back turned, or you're settin' down, an' I'll knock you belly-up with a bucket. I swear to holy Jesus' sake I will'. (Steinbeck, pgs. 168-169).
------Alejandra Lopez and Daniela Antillon.