(H) Transcendentalism

          Transcendentalism, how we mostly see it is mostly due to a person's nonreligious knowledge thus far that they can use to get them through life on their own. They form the idea that you only need to know about their immidiate worldly connections is enough to live their life. Throughout The Grapes of Wrath, there are many biblical refrences, such refrences include symbolic gestures, names, and direct refrences.                               

          Steinbeck continuously argues throughout the book that you don't need religion or religiois ties to live life. As the Joads trek towards California, they face discrimination, scruteny, and tragic loss. Though the Joads remain religious, the aspect of god begins to disapate, all due to the numerous obsatcles that the Joads come up against. As the journey continues the Joads move farther and farther away from god, however the Joads remain determined, though being left behind by their god.

*(D) Family Unity

           Right as the embrakment to California, the Joads were excited to see what California had in store for them. It was almost to good to be true. The illusion of California was too great that the oppurtunity to go there was instantly a good one. The Joads, all in one piece, head on to California, hoping for the best and leaving everything behind.

           "In the evening a strange thing happened: the twenty families became one family, the children were the children of all. The loss of home became one loss, and the golden time in the west was one dream" (193).

Since embarking sadly, the journey has been less than satisfactory. The treatment of migrant farmer on the journey to California is a tough one, it damages the spirits of those looking for a fresh start. On the road it is very hit or miss with the other travelers. Now people are leavng the group, dying, and becoming discouraged. The idea of family and unity slowly dies out as the journey progresses and soon enough people get fed up and leave.

(D) An Impact

            "Movin' 'cause they got to. That's why folks always move. Movin' 'cause they want somepin better'n what they got. An that's the on'y way they'll ever get it. Wantin' it an' needin' it, they'll go out an' git it." (128)

            This quotes shows the uncertinty of the Depression. It altered people's lives in so many ways, it tore them apart from their enviorment and known surroundings. During this time your furture wasn't set, it moved around and many didn't know where they would end up next. This quote is significant to me becuase, my best friend, once like my sister, moved unexpetedly in the 8th grade. Her dad lost his job and the family had nowhere to go. Her father ended up finding a job in Vermont. Great news!...except Vermont isn't anywhere close to California. At first we did everything we could to stay close, but the distance really created a strain on us. But her dad had to do what he had to. This meant that for the family to strive, they had to make sacrifices and big decisions. They made the decision to move in order to live, no matter how hard it was. In order to have a future, they had to move. And it was hard. But it was harder for ther family, who had next to nothing since the job loss, the economy was bad at this time, and as a result they had to move across the country. In connection to the Depression, this was a daily occurence for people. There wasn't a sense of security or furtue because of the ecomony. People were always moving to find better opputunities, just as the Joads are right now in The Grapes of Wrath.

*Postcard

Route 66 

             For the Joad's, and most other migrant famrer families, Route 66 was a way to salvation from the dreadful Oklahoma. On the road, the Joads come into contact with cruelty, discrimination, and kindness. The road is hope for a better future and it is a long journey for the Joads, and a hard one at that. When starting the journey the Joads realize how many other families were heading the same way they were, all looking for the same thing as well. Though, the Joads do enounter some negatives aspects on their way. They hear that California has nothing to offer them, the further they have come along on the raod the worse things look for the family. All the negatives make the trip that much more worht it to get to California, for a better life and hope restored.

End of Route 66 in Calfronia 

 http://www.route66hotrodhigh.com/images/Logo/Route66Map.jpg
http://www.cardelmar.com/blog/travel-destinations/route-66-highlights/

(D) Vehicle Research

Two Jalopies

Chapter 7 is all about cars.

              The car industry in 1929 was a record breaking year, seeling more than 5 million cars. Though after the stock market crash sales dropped dramatically, almost by 2 million. By 1932 car sales were a dissappointing 1.33 million, nearly a drop nof 4 million from 1929. Sometime after 1932 car sales began go up but went back down again during 1937 and 1938. For chapter 7, being only about cars, there are car sales and different models being thrown  in. The term jalopy, old kind of broke down car and a fixer upper, is used a lot. Most cars during the depression  were of the jalopy type, usually they were put together with different parts of other cars and made to be at the best of their ability. Usually abandoned, these cars were more available than most.

Fun Fact: Oklahoma City was the first to install parking meters!
   

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3468301097.html

http://www.reminisce.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/DavidHallberg01.jpg

Oaklahoma Postcard

(B) Postcard Assignment

State Flag

• The official state flag of Oklhoma was adopted on April 2, 1925. The flag waas chosen from entries in a Daughters of the American Revoltuin flag contest

Monument

• Oklahoma City, the capitol of the state

Animals

• State bird, Sisscor-Tailed Flycatcher
• State Insect, Honey Bee
• State Tree, Redbud

The postcard has all the state's accomplishments and speialties to advertise it of course :)

POSTCARD

    To: Oklahoma
From: Truck Driver

         

    Well it was great drivng through ya, Oklahoma! That hitch hiker I drove around for a while sure was weird. He had nice and new clothes but they didn't really fit, I asked him about himself and he didn't really like that. When he got out, he thanked me, but told me to not be so nosy :( that was pretty much the most fun I had while I was here. But it was great while it lasted! Until next time Oklahoma <3

 

                                              -Truck Driver 

Sources:

http://www.thepostcard.com/walt/state/ok/ok2.jpg

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/oklahoma/

http://internationalcinemaeducation.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/greetings-postcard.jpg

*(H) Repitition

          "Behind the harrows, the long seeders--twelve curved iron penes erected in the foundry,orgasms set by gears, raping methodically, raping without passion. The driver sat in his iron seat and he was proud of the straight lines he did not control. And when that crop grew, and was harvested, no man had crumbled a hot clod in  his fingers and let the earth sift past his  fingertips. No man had touched his seed or lusted for the growth....The land bore under iron, and under iron gradually died; for it was not loved or hated, it had no payers or curses." (36)
           
           The highlighted words above all have some sort of sexual, powerful, or emotional connotation. The words are somewhat repeated throughout the passage to really ingraine the depth of the it. The phallus imagery signafies that the jobs doen on the farm were somewhat smooth sailing and strong. Set to mimic a man and his abilities, different things seemed to look phallus. When "rape" is used it is used in the context of dominance and "without passion", proving that it is lacking and part of everyday life. The passage ends with a softer more loving effect using words such as "loved" and "lusted", not "rape". This proves that the love for land once was real and not just centered around money and perverse things. 

Oklahoma Child Wandering in Dust Storm

                                                             A Little About the 30's
           The 1930's as a whole, were definetly the worst time to live in American history. Only to add to the to the crippling effects of the Depression, the Dust Bowl hit the more agricultureral part of the U.S. The Dust Bowl made it impossilbe to grow anything in the once nourished soil, now piles of dust. It hit very hard to the farmers once suceeding at making a living along with their families. The once beautiful land that was plowed for miles and miles, now resembled a poor and depressing falt ground surrounded by heavy dust that carried disturction and disease in it's path. The Dust Bowl brought drought and "blizzards" of dark and harsh dust that became part of everyday life for farmers and made it increasingly difficult to farm and live. Forced to leave this dead area many farmers made their way to California. In relation to The Grapes of Wrath, the hitchhiker we meet in the second chapter is trying to make his way home after some tragic events, but as many of the farmers did when the storms hit was make their way out and try to fnd a new home that promised safer conditions. Relating to the first chapter, filled with dust and dirt, the people affected by the Dust Bowl, only knew thier surroundings, which were literally dust and dirt. In the midst of the Dust Bowl, what was once beautiful scnerey was niw dark and sad dust.                                                    


Sources:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/hard-times/ok_old_small.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_Bowl