Understanding the Joad Family's Situation

In this section of 'The Grapes of Wrath', Reverend Casey and young Tom Joad return to the Joad family farm, only to find it abandoned and in disrepair. They explore the property, reflecting on the changes and the past. The house is empty, and the land is overgrown with cotton. The narrative captures the desolation and loss experienced by the characters as they come to terms with the reality of their situation.

Who are the two main characters introduced at the beginning of the chapter?

• Al Joad and Noah Joad

• Reverend Casey and young Tom

• Ma Joad and Pa Joad

• Rose of Sharon and Connie

What is the condition of the Joad house as described in the text?

• Newly painted and well-maintained

• Mashed at one corner and pushed off its foundations

• Surrounded by a lush garden

• Burned down to the ground

What has grown in the dooryard and against the house?

• Roses

• Cotton

• Corn

• Wheat

What do Tom and Casey find in the barn?

• A family of mice

• A herd of cattle

• A pile of hay

• A new tractor

What is missing from the tool shed?

• Tools

• A water pump

• A wagon

• A tractor

What does Casey speculate about the Joad family's absence?

• They are hiding in the barn

• They went on vacation

• The arm of the Lord had struck

• They moved to a new house

What does Tom notice about the well?

• It is overflowing with water

• It is dry and silent

• It is covered with a new cap

• It is filled with fish

What does Tom find unusual about the gate across the front door?

• It is missing entirely

• It is painted red

• It is open and unhooked

• It is locked tightly

What does Tom find inside the kitchen?

• A new set of furniture

• A feast laid out on the table

• Broken windows and rocks on the floor

• A family sitting around the stove

What does Tom remember about the woman's high button shoe?

• It was a new purchase

• It belonged to his mother

• It was his sister's favorite

• It was a gift from his father