Objectives
- Students will identify the motivations of the strike breakers and the “trouble makers.”
Overview
“Learnin’ it all a time, ever’ day. If you’re in trouble or hurt or need – go to poor people. They’re the only ones that’ll help – the only ones” (377).
A major theme throughout The Grapes of Wrath is the concept of “I to we.” The Joad family and other migrants struggle against two seemingly opposite goals: to care for themselves and to care for other poor people like themselves; to be both part of a larger group and to ensure their own survival.
In this activity, students will examine the conflicting motivations that poor migrant workers like the Joads endured.
Relevant Sections
- The “trouble makers:” Chapter 24 (331-345)
- The Joads cross the picket lines: Chapter 26 (364-405)
Materials Needed/Preparation
- The Grapes of Wrath
- Optional: Trouble Makers organizer
Estimated Time
2 class periods
Procedures
Day 1
Warm up
- Read 293-294
- ~From “Tom said, ‘You know, ‘fore we lef’ home…’” (293) to “Nice frien’ly fella to work for” (294)
- Journal
- ~Why should Timothy and Wilkie help Tom?
- ~Why should they not help Tom?
- ~Is Tom right? Are Timothy and Wilkie “…cuttin’ [their] own throat…” (293)?
- ~What would you do in Timothy and Wilkie’s place?
Activity
- Divide the class into two groups
- The two main groups can also be divided into smaller groups.
- Group A: The Trouble Makers
- ~Read/review 294-298 and chapter 24 (331-345).
- ~Why did the trouble makers try to help the Association and the police? What was their motivation?
- ~What was the purpose of the trouble they were trying to create in Weedpatch Camp?
- ~Did they betray they “own folks” as Houston said (344)? Explain.
- ~~Think about the concept of “I to we.” Are they thinking only of themselves? Or of the greater good?
- ~What do you think happens to them when they leave Weedpatch? Is there any retribution by the Association or the police?
- Group B: The Joads cross the picket line.
- ~Read/review pages 364-405
- ~Why did the Joad family cross the picket lines?
- ~Did they betray their “own folks” when they did so? Explain.
- ~Think about the concept of “I to we.” Are they thinking of themselves? Or of the greater good?
- ~Predict what happens to them after chapter 26. Do they focus on their own family more, or will they still help others as they did the Wilsons? Explain.
- ~Predict what will happen to Tom.
Day 2
- Option: present findings
- ~Each group presents their findings to the class.
- ~Discuss the findings. Ideally reference other scenes from the novel.
- Option: debate
- ~In their groups, students debate whether or not the trouble makers and the Joads betrayed their “own folk.”
Post Activity/Takeaways/Follow-up
Takeaways
- Students will look at these two seemingly different groups of people (the trouble makers and the Joad family) and understand that they were under the same pressures.
Follow-up
- Return to student predictions after the end of the novel.
- Did their predictions come true?
Post Activity
- Homework/writing assignment
- Option: write a scene where the trouble makers return to whoever paid them to cause a disturbance in Weedpatch Camp.
- ~How are the trouble makers treated?
- ~How do they react?
- Option: write a scene that predicts what will happen to Tom. Does he go into hiding? Does he become a labor leader? Does he take Casy’s place?
Extensions
- Read “The Raid” in The Long Valley
- How does this story compare to Casy’s group outside Hooper Ranch.
- Read Chapter 7 of The Harvest Gypsies
- After reading Steinbeck’s solutions to the problems faced by California and migrant workers, sketch out your own solutions.
Assessment
- Students should be assessed based on the evidence they provide from the novel.
- Students should demonstrate a clear understanding of the economic and social forces pushing the trouble makers and the Joad family to make difficult decisions.
Common Core State Standards Met
- Reading Standards for Literature 6-12
- ~Key Ideas and Details: 1, 2, 3
- ~Craft and Structure: 4, 5, 6
- ~Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: 7, 9
- ~Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: 10
- Reading Standards for Informational Text 6-12
- ~Key Ideas and Details: 1,2,3
- ~Craft and Structure: 4,5,6
- ~Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: 7,8
- ~Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: 10
- Writing Standards 6-12
- ~Text Types and Purposes: 2
- ~Range of Writing: 10
- Speaking and Listening Standards 6-12
- ~Comprehension and Collaboration: 1, 2, 3, 4
- ~Presentation and Knowledge of Ideas: 4
- Language Standards 6-12
- ~Conventions of Standard English: 1, 2, 3
- ~Knowledge of Language: 3
- ~Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: 6
- Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6-12
- ~Key Ideas and Details: 1, 2, 3
- ~Craft and Structure: 4, 6
- ~Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: 8, 9
- ~Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: 10
- Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6-12
- ~Text Types and Purposes: 2
- ~Production and Distribution of Writing: 4, 5
