character sketch

Tom Joad

· “ever’body’s goin’ west, I got me a parole to keep. Can’t leave the state.” – That he is trying to be a good person and stay out of trouble, by not breaking parole.

· “I figgered her out. They’s lots a fellas out on parole an’ they’s more goin’ in all the time. If I get caught for anything else out west, well, then they got my pitcher an’ my prints in Washington. They’ll sen’ me back. But if I don’t do no crimes, they won’t give a damn.” – His plan is to leave but then not make any trouble, he is slowly going downhill and breaking his parole at the same time.

· “never seen so many guys with guns. Don’ know if they’ll even let a fella talk. An folks don’ pass no time of day. They jus’ hang down their heads an’ won’t even give a fella a howdy.” – This clearly explains how the other people in california are feeling, they are worn out and are just trying to get money to keep moving.

· “they killed ‘im. Busted his head. I was sandin’ there. I went nuts. Grabbed the pick handle. I-I clubbed a guy.” – He broke his parole. If Tom gets caught he will go back to jail for injuring a cop.

· “he says it makes him feel lonesome out there in the open having to think what to do next.”-toms not sure what he is going to do after he gets out of jail, so he went to find his family in oklahoma.

· “ever’body knowed it wasn’t no fault of yours, ol’ man turnbull said he was gonna get you when ya come out. Sayd nobody can kill one a his boys.”-when the guy that tom killed, his dad is gonna go after tom if he gets the chance.

· “’we aint gonna have no goddamn Okies in this town’…Toms shoulders and arms were rigid and a shiver went through him. Ma clung to his arm.”-Tom had a temper but Ma can control him, he gets mad easily.

Physical appearance:

· Is muscular and well built-has good strength to pick crops in California.

· Wears overalls-make from anything easy to keep clean, and easy to patch if ripped.

· Has short cropped hair, usually messy-shows lack of cleanliness and not very many baths in his routine.

· Has a short temper-reason why he went to jail in the first place, he was drunk and got riled up.

Significant moment-he was talking to Casy and some patrol men walked in on them, one clubbed casy and killed him. Tom smashed him with a pick ax and knocked him out; if he gets caught he will go back to jail.

My ideas about Tom:

· He is a strong family guy; he likes to keep them together and help bring income to the family.

· He really does try hard to not fight, but he gets riled up.

· Likes to be good for is ma. Tries to stay out of trouble to please her.

Ma Joad

· “We don’t know yet. Go out and play. But don’t go near your father. He might whale you if you go near him. “– she is protective about the children but at the same time understands the father, and knows when not to bother him when he is under stress.

· “ma’s eyes passed Rose of Sharon’s eyes, and then came back to them. And the two women looked deep into each other. The girl’s breath came short and gasping.”-the woman can have conversations just by looking at each other.

· “you could use your stick, an’ women folks’d sniffle their nose an’ creep-mouse aroun’. But you jus get you a stick now an’ you ain’t lickin’ no women; you’re a-fightin’, ‘cause I got a stick all laid out too.”-she can be a fighter when needed to protect her family.

· The committee, theys a committee-a ladies’ committee a-comin’ to visit. Git up now, an git washed. An’ while we was a-sleepin’ an’ a-snorin’, tom’s went out an got work. Git up, now.”-she takes pride in her family and wants to show them off to the ladies committee.

· “The shadow of a buzzard slid across the earth, and the family all looked up at the sailing black bird.” The buzzard represents their luck in finding jobs, they hasn’t had much luck. Buzzards live on dead animals; the Joad family sees this as dying hope.

· “I wisht I could wait and not tell you. I wisht it could be all-nice”-Ma is trying to protect them from reality and does not want to tell the family that the second family member had died.

· “he headed back the way he had come. Ma released his[Tom] arm and patted it softly. And tom tried to restrain his hard smothered sobbing.”-Ma can keep tom under control and is trying to make sure he doesn’t get sent back to jail.

Physical Appearance:

· She is a good woman in the kitchen and has good strong hand so do cooking and cleaning for the family-can keep everyone in line and doing work and chores.

· Wears an apron-she is good in the kitchen and takes care of the family.

· Usually has her hair up in a bun-a working woman, does not want her hair in her way.

· Her eyes are weary and she looks tired-tired from taking care of everyone, and always moving around trying to settle.

Significant moment-they were driving to California and she was lying in the back with grandma. Grandpa had died so grandma was slowly becoming dysfunctional. The car got to the boarder and they needed to be checked but ma lied and said that grandma was sick when she was already dead. She tried to protect her family and was getting them across the border faster.

My ideas about Ma Joad:

· She is all about family, does not want anyone to split up.

· Tries to keep everyone together no matter what.

· Loves her family, especially Tom.

· Takes care of everything, cooking, cleaning, packing, and children.

Rose of Sharon

· “Ma, Connies gonna study an get to be sompin.”-Rose of Sharon relies on Connie way too much, she puts complete trust in him to get her through this.

· “Connie was no good I seen that a long time. Didn’t have no guts just too big for his overalls”-pa is trying to explain to Rose of Sharon why Connie left in the first place.

· “Maybe he went to get them books to study up, maybe he was a-gonna surprise us.”-she is still holding on to the hope that Connie will come back and they will get a house to live in.

· “Wasn’t new, but they give it a coat a pink paint, an’ it was jus’ like new. An’ they give the baby a name, an’ had a cake. Oh, Lord!”-she is really excited to have this baby, especially in the government camp.

· “No-no-‘course not. But-I didn’ know they was places like this we got to live in…got to get on my feet. Get a little money.”-Connie is making excuses so that rose of Sharon won’t worry and so he doesn’t have to start work right away,

· “He went out of the tent…Rose of Sharon rolled on her back and stared at the top of the tent. And then she put her thumb in her mouth for a gag and she cried silently”-Rose of Sharons pregnancy is finally getting to her, and she is becoming emotional and weak without Connie by her side.

Physical details:

· Is pregnant-makes her weaker than the other characters.

· Connie left her-she is going through a tough time in her life without a husband.

· Is very pretty-all the guys wanted to dance with her.

· Wears a dress and apron-similar to Ma Joad, she is always ready to help unless she does not feel good.

Significant moment-rose of Sharon was pregnant and she was getting sick so I think that made her go into labor faster and when she had the baby it was dead already, so they had to bury it. Since she was pregnant she had milk so she was able to save a man who was dying of hunger with the milk meant for the baby.

My ideas about Rose of Sharon:

· She is pregnant for most of the book, and seems weak with the burden of a baby.

· She does not seem like a good person for Connie he is always whispering in her ear about running away, and then he leaves her.

· Can’t really think for herself, she has to have someone else decide things for her.