GOW+Chapter+29

Focus questions 

In Chapter 29, Steinbeck uses extremely vivid descriptions to depict the harsh rainy months that the general population of migrants had to face. By doing so he created a universal theme to all that as long as there is a hopeful future one can get through the toughest times and situations. While doing so, he tends to use a variety of sentence structures, to enhance the readers overall understanding, and to grasp the readers attention on specific matters that he feels are important.

Chapter 29 Period 4 Commentary 1 

“They splashed out through the water, to the towns, to the country stores, to the relief offices, to beg for food, to cringe and beg for food, to beg for relief, to try to steal, to lie. And under the begging, and under the cringing, a hopeless anger began to smolder.” – Page 433

This quote demonstrates the following uses of language:
 * **__Descriptive Language__**- Especially appealing to visual imagery universal to many.
 * **__Emotional Appeal__**- Uses a persistent powerful choice of words to embrace the reader’s feelings and create a sense of knowledge, that leaves on in a contemplative state.
 * This quote contains the words “cringe” and “smolder”, which are both extremely affective in grasping ones attention and intensifying the situation.

"The rain began with gusty showers, pauses and downpours; and then gradually it settled to a single tempo, small drops and a steady beat, rain that was gray to see through, rain that cut midday light to evening.” –Page 432

This quote clearly demonstrates the following uses of language:
 * **__Personification__**- Gives human like qualities to the rain and its “motions”.
 * **__Complex Structure__**- Although there are a variety of structures throughout, the complexity of this sentence proves that Steinbeck is trying to emphasize every aspect of the situation in order to allow the reader to visualize the intensity of the situation.

“And when the puddles formed, the men went out in the rain with shovels and built little dikes around the tends.” -Page 432

This third quote clearly demonstrates the following uses of language: Chapter 29 Period 4 Commentary 2
 * **__Repetition and Symbolism:__** Steinbeck uses repetition of single words frequently throughout, but in this quote he mentions a puddle. This puddle is brought up several times throughout the chapter in order to symbolize the growing anxiety of the people and to create a contrast in the severity of the situation.

Steinbeck uses several colors to direct ones perception and to intensify the readers mood.

Chapter 29 Period 4 Commentary 3

The following are some examples found in this chapter:


 * **Black=** Death/ Desperation
 * “black stems” (Dried up cotton fields.)-Page 432
 * **Gray=** Depression/Hardship
 * “ gray clouds” -Page 432
 * “lakes, broad and gray” -Page 432
 * “gray tents”-Page 433
 * ** Pale Green= **   Hope
 * “hills were pale green with the beginning of the year.”-Page 434


 * Organization:**

The organization is in chronological order as well as reflective because Steinbeck keeps an ongoing description of the environment and then explains how the situation affects the people. This eventually ended the chapter with accordance between the two as times got better.

"The clouds came in brokenly..." -Page 432 "The rain began with gusty showers..."-Page 432 "For two days the earth drank the rain..."-Page 432 "The muddy lakes rose higher..."-Page 432 "The water poured over the highways..."-Page 432 "When the rain first started the migrant people..."-Page 433 "When the puddles formed..."-Page 433 "Then the sickness came...."-Page 433 "And the rain pattered relentlessly down...."-Page 434 "The rain stopped."-Page 434 "Tiny points of grass came up through the earth..."Page 435



                                   <span style="FONT-SIZE: 120%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> > <[|http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/Critical-vCommentaries-Chapter-Twelve-Commentary.id-117,pageNum-42.html <span]>>
 * Works Cited:**
 * Steinbeck, John. __The Grapes of Wrath__. New York: Penguin Group, 2002.
 * Steinbeck, John. //The Grapes of Wrath.// Centennial Edition: Penguin Books, 2002
 * "The Grapes of Wrath". // Cliffs Notes //. Wiley Publishing, Inc. 2008.

A. Aguilar K. Khan Period 3