Week 7- 12/12/07

This chapter starts to explain how Nick feels alone now that Gatsby is gone. He tries to phone Tom and Daisy but the person who answered at their house said they left. Gatsby's father told them to postpone the funeral until he could arrive. What about Gatsby's mother, why doesn't she come? Gatsby's father was proud of him and believed he was a great man. Klipspringer called and Nick told him about the funeral and he said he couldn't come because he had to be somewhere else, and all he called for was his tennis shoes. Why was Klipspringer acting so weird over the phone? Nick decided to go up to Mr. Wolfshiems office where a lady said he wasn't in, even though Nick knew he was and could hear him. Why was she saying he wasn't in? He finally said who he was and why he was there and then Mr. Wolfshiem came out. Then Nick went back to Gatsby's and Mr. Gatz showed him one of Gatsby's books and it showed how organized and precise Gatsby was about his day. Then the funeral was supposed to start, but they waited awhile because no one was there yet, but it was no use because no one showed up. When they went out to bury him, owl-eyes showed up and told Nick how he couldn't get to the funeral. Owl eyes finds out no one else went either and he was surprised. I was very surprised, you would think there would be alot of people there because he always had the parties and he was well known. Then he went and told Jordan something, but I'm not exactly sure what you would say he told her. It was kind of like it's over type thing. Nick runs into Tom in the city and Nick doesn't really want to talk to him because he was mad about what he did to Gatsby. We find out that Tom was the one who gave Gatsby's name to Wilson. Nick had to spend his Saturday nights in New York because he could almost hear the music and people of the parties that used to be there. The book ends and it says " So we beat on, boats against the current, bourne back ceaselessly into the past." I think this is saying that we always remember the past and want to keep going back, when in reality you can't because time is pushing us forward.

Week 6- 12/5/07

Nick and Gatsby are at Gatsby's house and they are sitting around talking about Daisy. Gatsby was reminiscing about the past and how he was sort of stuck in Oxford and Daisy didn't understand why, and she decided to move on with her life and marry Tom. Then Gatsby's gardener was going to drain his pool, but Gatsby told him to wait because he hadn't even been in it yet. Then Nick went to the city to work, fell asleep and then the phone woke him up. It was Jordan and they got into a fight. Then he tried calling Gatsby like he said he would. Then he goes back to tell us about what happened the later that night of Myrtle's death. Michaelis and Wilson sat talking and then Michaelis went home to sleep for 4 hours and when he came back Wilson was gone. He had gone to find who killed his wife. By 2:30 he was in West Egg and asked someone where Gatsby lived. Nick, the chauffeur, gardener, and the butler heard a gun shot and hurried to the pool. There lay Gatsby, surrounded by blood and leaves. When they were carrying him to the house, the gardener saw Wilson's body a little way off in the grass.

Week 5- 11/28/07

Something weird is going on, Gatsby fired his servants and hasn't talked to Nick in awhile. Gatsby said he fired his servants because he didn't want any gossip. Daisy then wondered if Nick would go to lunch at her place the next day. Gatsby and Nick went over there the next day, in the scorching heat. Daisy had Tom go get drinks so she could kiss Gatsby. Isn't she afraid he'll catch her and Gatsby? Then Gatsby and Nick saw Daisy's child for the first time. Tom realized Daisy loved Gatsby. Why did Tom want to drive Gatsby's car and Gatsby drive his when they decided to go to town? Tom, Jordan, and Nick took Gatsby's car and Daisy and Gatsby took Tom's car. Why does Daisy make it so obvious that she loves Gatsby? Tom had to stop and get gas and it just happened to be at Wilson's. He finds out Myrtle and Wilson are going west because Wilson "wised up to something funny"- obviously he found out she was cheating on him and not realizing it was with Tom. you can tell Tom got a little antsy and wanted to leave before Wilson could realize it was him who Myrtle was with. Tom Told him he'd give Wilson the car tomorrow afternoon. Myrtle was watching all this and she thought Jordan was Daisy, so she watched with a jealous glare of terror. The truth is starting to unravel piece by piece. Tom was starting to panic, both his wife and mistress were "leaving or drifting from" him. When they talked of Biloxi, it reminded me of Wedding Crashers. Tom kept asking Gatsby rude, insulting, nosey questions. Tom came out and asked Gatsby pretty much why he was fooling around with his wife. You can tell Tom is jealous and mad at Gatsby, but he's not realizing he did the same thing to Daisy. Gatsby told Tom that Daisy didn't love Tom, she loved him. They keep arguing, why not just ask her who she loves? Daisy finally admitted she never loved Tom, but then says she did love Tom, I'm a little confused right now. Then she said she was leaving Tom. We find out Gatsby is a bootlegger. Daisy was getting confused because I don't think she knew Gatsby was a bootlegger. Why did Tom send Gatsby and Daisy back home together? It was Nick's birthday on this day. I think this resembles a new life for someone, not just like a baby receiving a life, but a new road to travel their life. Nick says "so we drove on toward death through the cooling twilight"-I'm not sure exactly what this means yet.
Wilson told how he locked his wife upstairs until when they left. Myrtle ran away, but was hit by a car, and died. On their way home, Tom, Nick, and Jordan stopped at the accident. They said it was a yellow car. It's ironic because Tom told Wilson that the yellow car he was driving was his earlier that day, but in reality it was Gatsby's. Tom was sad that his mistress died and cried, and was enraged at Gatsby for not even stopping. We find out that Daisy was actually driving the car. Myrtle thought it was Daisy and Tom in the car I think, when she was running toward it. Gatsby stayed outside Daisy's house to make sure she was okay.

Week 4- 11/21/07

In chapter 6 we find out that Gatsby doesn't drink partially because he used to work for a man who drank quite a little and he inherited money from Cody (man he worked for with the yacht) but he never got the money because for some reason a woman named Ella Kaye got it all. Nick went to Gatsby's one Sunday and Tom, Sloane and another lady were there riding horseback. Did they just stop by for the heck of it? Why did the lady invite Gatsby and Tom to dinner, but when Tom declined and Gatsby agreed, the woman's husband urged them to hurry along while Gatsby was getting ready to go? Tom finds out Gatsby knows Daisy and sort of accuses her of cheating to Nick. Tom and Daisy went to Gatsby's party one night and Gatsby introduced them to everyone. Daisy loved it, but Tom was kind of irritated because Gatsby would introduce him as the polo player. Gatsby and Daisy dance, go sit together and eat together, why isn't Tom mad and wanting to leave? What was going on when that lady said something of her head being dunked into the pool? Did they just do that to sober her up? Daisy liked it, but Tom was sort of jealous of Gatsby it seemed like. Gatsby thought Daisy didn't have fun at the party, even though she did. Gatsby desperately wants to be with Daisy.

Week 3--11/14/07

Chapter 5 starts with Nick returning home from somewhere and Gatsby's house was lit up. It was lit up so much that Nick thought his house could possibly be on fire. Gatsby was outside and went over to talk with Nick, they set a date for tea with Daisy and Gatsby wanted to know if Nick needed or wanted a job, but what kind of job would he be doing that Gatsby got him? Daisy agreed to come to tea without Tom and Gatsby had to have everything perfect, he even had his gardener mow Nick's lawn. When Daisy arrived she asked "Are you in love with me?" which was odd to me, because aren't they related? Also, why does Nick ask if the gasoline affects Daisy's chauffeur's nose? Does Daisy not realize who Gatsby is, or do they just not know what to say to each other? Nick left the room and went outside to give them some alone time. Gatsby is being really shy/embarrassed right now, which is also odd to me because he seemed so self-confident before. Nick went back inside and Daisy was crying and Gatsby was back to normal. Nick, Daisy, and Gatsby went to Gatsby's house and Gatsby gave them a tour. Then Gatsby threw his shirts on the bed, but why did he do this? Then he had Klipspringer play the piano as him and Daisy sat together. I think Gatsby and Daisy have fallen in love again. I think Fitzgerald had this chapter with rain because it wasn't a good thing because Daisy is married and her and Gatsby fall in love again. So I think it symbolizes something bad is going to happen.

Week 2-11/7/07

In chapter three it talks about Gatsby and his house parties. There was many people, alot to drink and an orchestra playing music. They would party pretty much all night. Nick had gotten invited to Gatsby's party by a chauffeur that came to his house. When he got to the party, he didn't know anyone and couldn't find Gatsby. He finally recognized someone, it was Jordan Baker. They hung out most of the night. There is a bunch of rumors about Gatsby, I wonder which one is actually true? Jordan and Nick went to find Gatsby, they looked in the library but there was only a drunk man in there whom they talked to for awhile. Why was he so fascinated that the books were real? Then they went back out and sat down when a man recognized Nick. Nick didn't realize it, but it was Gatsby. Nick was a little embarrassed by the situation, but then again so was Gatsby for not remembering to introduce himself. Nick was then invited to go in his hydroplane with him the next day. A little later Gatsby requested to talk to Miss Baker in private. Why does Gatsby always get all those phone calls from Chicago and all the other places? Nick stayed to apologize to Gatsby and when he was leaving there was a man whose tire had fallen off his car and he was really drunk and trying to deal with it. He said Jordan was dishonest, but that didn't bother him at all.

In chapter 4, Nick talks of all the different people who come to Gatsby's house parties. Gatsby picked him up and told him they were going to have lunch together. They were driving along and Gatsby was telling Nick about his life. His wealthy family had died when he was young, and grew up in America but educated in Oxford because his whole family had been educated there and it was a tradition. Then he lived in Europe collecting jewels, hunting big game, and painting a little. After that he was in the war. They then got stopped or something, but why did they just let Gatsby go once he showed them a card? Then he went to lunch with Gatsby and met another man by the name of Mr. Wolfshiem. Mr.Wolfshiem said to Nick "I understand you're looking for a business gonnegtion." Why does he say this, and what is he really talking about because Gatsby says this wasn't that man. I don't get what Gatsby means when he says Mr. Wolfshiem "fixed the world series." Then Nick noticed Tom across the room and goes over to talk and starts to introduce one another, but Gatsby disappeared. Then it goes into Daisy talking about what happened the night of the party when Gatsby requested to talk with her. She told Nick of how Daisy and Gatsby were in the car together and Jordan went walking by and stopped to talk. Gatsby then had to go to war and Daisy was heartbroken. She never really got over it, but married Tom Buchanan. The day before her wedding she was drunk and wanted to call it off and all she did was hold her love letter. They put her in the bath to cool off where the letter got diminished. She married Tom the next day. Jordan said she had never seen a woman so mad about her husband. Tom had been caught cheating and it was even in the papers. Gatsby bought a house so he could be just across the bay from her. She doesn't know he's there. He wants Nick to invite her over for tea and then he could see her.

Week 1- 10/31/07

In chapter one, the narrator is describing himself and why he acts the way he does. His dad told him "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had." I think this is going to be an important quote that comes up more in the text. The narrator is telling how he has used his father's advice and learned alot from it. He mentions a man named Gatsby, which he admires greatly, but something has happened to him. He explains of his family and he graduated from New Haven in 1915. He was in the Great War. Then he decided to go east and learn the bond business. He lives in New York on the West Egg right next to Gatsby. He went over to supper at the Buchanan's house. He knew Tom from college and Daisy was a second cousin once removed. You could tell they had a lot of money. Tom is very arrogant, and Daisy is sort of energetic and caring. They went into the house and Daisy and Miss Baker were in there. Miss Baker seems stuck up also. I wonder how Miss Baker knows Gatsby? The butler left the room and Daisy asked if he wanted to know about the butler's nose and the narrator said that was why he came and the story was the butler used to be a silver polisher in New York. He polished from morning until night until finally it began to affect his nose. I'm not sure why this is important to the story yet. Miss Baker informs the narrator Tom has another woman. The narrator is introduced as Nick Carraway. Miss Baker's first name is Jordan. Why is Nick going to look after Miss Baker? He encounters Gatsby at the end of the chapter, but doesn't get to talk to him. Right now Gatsby is still very mysterious.

In chapter two, I don't understand what he is talking about at the beginning. What is this Dr. Eckleburg with big blue eyes and the enormous yellow spectacles? Nick went with Tom to meet Tom's other girl. They also talked to Wilson, Mrs. Wilson's husband. Mrs. Wilson is Tom's other woman. They agreed to meet secretively while Mr. Wilson was out of the room. I think this is horrible because they are both married. Tom, Nick, and Mrs.Wilson went to New York. They were driving along and Mrs. Wilson saw some dogs she wanted and Tom bought her one. Then they all went up to Tom and Mrs. Wilson's apartment. Nick met Myrtle's (Mrs. Wilson) sister, Catherine, Mr.McKee and his wife. They said the reason Myrtle and Tom don't get married is because Daisy is Catholic and Catholics don't believe in divorces. But Daisy is not Catholic, so why do they lie about this? Questions and stories spill from the mouths of everyone. Later that night Tom and Myrtle were arguing of speaking of Daisy's name in their earlier conversations with everyone. Tom hit her and broke her nose. The end of the chapter confuses me, is that all he remembers of the rest of the night or what?

Compare and Contrast Essay: Shopping Online and in Stores

Shopping Online and In Stores
Heidi Mehlberg


“Yup, this is the one,” she said as she clicked the purchase button for the size 7, red, stiletto heel. “This is going to look great with my little black dress I’m going to wear in two weeks. Wait, what? Can’t read my credit card number?” She questioned as she re-typed it. “There, now it should work. What? Can’t find the page? Why not? Oh, there we go.” She said with a sigh of relief when it finally worked.
A week later, she got the shoes in the mail. She put on her dress and ripped open the shoe box. She held the shiny red shoe out in front of her like they were a gift from God. They looked just like she thought they would. “They are beautiful,” she whispered as she slid them on, her toes hitting the front of the shoe, and her heel hanging over the back.
There are positives, negatives, similarities and differences about shopping online and in stores that I am going to explain. The first difference is when shopping online, there can be computer complications. People should usually have an abundant amount of time to go shopping online because complications can take a while. Technology is not only used while shopping online, it is also used in stores at the check out counter which may also have complications too, since technology is not perfect.
While shopping online, people cannot try on the accessories they pick out. One disadvantage to not being able to try on clothing or shoes online, like the girl purchasing the red stilettos, may result in items not fitting when it arrives in the mail. Another disadvantage of shopping online is that the texture and exact color is unknown for certain, as opposed to being able to pick up the clothing and feeling the texture and seeing minute patterns. One example of this would be when I purchased a swimming suit and when it arrived at my house, it wasn’t the right color or texture. The swimming suit turned out to be tan with ruffles instead of a white, smooth texture.
When shopping at a store, a sales person can come and assist shoppers in finding different colors and different sizes that will look and feel the best on that particular person. For online shopping, people have to make guesses on size and color.
In stores, there is a wider variety of sizes and particular designs. Sometimes the online stores are sold out of specific designs, but sometimes they have more.
Although both shopping online and shopping in stores uses money, only a credit card can be used online, in contrast to being able to use cash, check, or credit cards while purchasing items in stores. Purchasing products online has an additional fee added to the total. This additional charge is for shipping, while shopping in stores does not have this additional charge.
Both ways of either shopping online or shopping in stores have positives, negatives, similarities and differences about them. No matter which way a person chooses to shop, it all comes down to spending money on clothes that were chosen because of personal taste.

Grapes of Wrath ch. 29-30

Chapter 29 talks about a rain storm that effected the "oakies" tremendously. It led them to steal and lie to get food and many people died. It is sad that the coroners are the only ones that will go out and help them by taking the dead people away. It talks about how everyone is sick and cold.

In chapter 30 it talks of all the rain and the Joad's idea to build a bank so they don't get flooded out. Rose of Sharon went into labor. They built the bank, only for a willow tree to come down the creek and ruin it. Rose of Sharon finally fell asleep. She lost her baby, they said it never was alive. I find this sad because if they would have got to stay at their old house, the baby probably would have lived. The rain stopped and Al had an idea to put their stuff on a platform so when the boxcar got flooded, it wouldn't get their stuff wet. Uncle John was told to bury the baby, but instead he sent it down the river so it would end up on the town street for the people to realize what is actually happening and kind of make them feel bad. Rose of Sharon woke up and found out about her baby. They had breakfast and then made the platform to keep everything dry. They decided to leave, but they'd come back after the weather cleared up. Al stayed back with Aggie. Where are they going to go? Ruthie is getting meaner as the book goes on. She was rude to Winfield when he wanted a petal of a flower. They reached a barn and found hay and two other people in the barn. It was a boy and his father, who was starving to death. Then everyone left the room and Rose of Sharon let the old man drink the milk from her breast. I found this an odd, surprising ending. I think it shows how much people will do to help others in need.

Grapes of Wrath ch. 26-28

The beginning of chapter 26 starts where they've been there a month and Ma is putting her foot down because they need food and money. They decided to move up north so they'd be there when the cotton was ready to be picked, so that they could work. What is Ma and Pa talking about with a stick? Why was Rose of Sharon eating lime? Then Ma pierced Rose of Sharon's ears. Al has a girlfriend that he told they'd get married. They left and got a flat tire and then they patched it up with what they had and then a man came and told them of work. I wonder if it's too good to be true again? They arrived at their new work and it is all odd to them and me. I don't exactly know what's going on right now. They went straight to work for 5 cents a box of peaches, not bruised. Tom learned you have to be really careful with the fruit or you don't get the 5 cents per box if they're bruised. They finally made $1.00 the first day and Ma spent it all plus 10 cents on groceries for supper. They ate supper and Tom snuck out of the fence and found a tent and Casy was in there. I found that surprising how they ran into each other again. Men came and killed Casy and then Tom took the club and killed the man who killed Casy. Tom got hit and ran away to hide. The next morning Tom explained what had happened to his face. I think it's sad and gruesome how Casy died. I don't understand the "busting" of the strike and then them getting paid less? Rose of Sharon freaked out on Tom when everyone else was at work. Why did he go get the gun and put it by his bed? They came in from work and Winfield was really weak and they got him milk. They left that night and hid Tom in the back. Al told different people that they were going different places. What if they were to talk with one another about people leaving and found out the Joads' were lying? They were driving and found a possible job for the family. Tom decided to hide out in the bushes and Ma slip him food in the culvert until his face got better.

Chapter 27 talks about how the cotton picking job isn't any different than the picking peaches job because more and more people keep coming for work which means work will be done quicker, and less money. Winter is coming, I wonder what the Joads' are going to do for jobs, money, food, and shelter?

Chapter 28 starts explaining how they are doing in the cotton picking job. It sounds like they are doing really good. Why are they buying new clothes? Why not save their money that they'll need for winter? Ruthie told a girl about Tom killing two guys and that he was hiding out. Ma took food out to Tom. Ma went back to Tom's hiding place with him, and told him what Ruthie did and that he had to go away, which surprised me because she tried keeping them together so much before. Ma gave Tom $7.00 to take and she went back to the camp and met a guy with 20 acres of cotton to be picked, and looking for workers. Ma said they'd be there for work in the morning. Al and Aggie decided to get married and they had coffee and pancakes that night with the Wainwrights to celebrate. I wonder if they will really get married or not. When Rose of Sharon heard the news, I think it made her sad because it reminded her of Connie. The next day they went to work picking cotton on that other farm and there was so many people, they were done by 11:00. They got paid and went back to the boxcar. It was raining and Rose of Sharon got the chills. Why was she so concerned about going to help with the cotton picking?

Grapes of Wrath ch. 23-25

Chapter 23 starts talking about how people get together and tell stories. I think they do this because they can escape reality by telling stories. "Death was a friend, and sleep was death's brother" I think this was said because they weren't miserable if death or sleep prevailed. Then it compares musical instruments to different things and talked of a dance. I don't understand the end of the chapter when it talks of a preacher and sins.

Chapter 24 begins with everyone getting ready for the "big night." Then there was a meeting for the men committee so nothing bad would happen, like the cops getting in. Rose of Sharon is really sad and scared about everything right now and I feel bad for her because she misses Connie so much. Pa and Uncle John went to a meeting and told of getting a job for 20 cents, which would effect another man because he'd lose his job to Pa and John working for 20 cents. Tom and Jule spotted the men who were going to start a fight so they had guards watching the three men so they didn't start anything. They successfully stopped the fight before it happened. At the end of the chapter, a man has an idea to revolt against everything in California and get a "turkey-shooting club and have meetings every Sunday." This is exactly what the Californians were worried about. This is what they thought would happen, that's why they don't like the Oakies, or want them there.

Chapter 25 talks about all the jobs people have dealing with fruit and how it rots. It also talks of people having to throw fruit out so the price stays up. I think it's rude that they spray kerosene all over it so people don't just take it from the dumps. This is so ridiculous, why don't they just let the fruit go down in price? How can they do this to all the food when they know kids are starving to death? When I read what they do with the potatoes, oranges, and pigs, it makes me mad that they would and could do that.

Grapes of Wrath ch.20-22

In chapter 20, they got grandma a casket. Then they went to "Hooverville" to camp. Tom spoke with a neighbor who told him the blunt truth and told him to be "bull dumb". I don't understand what Tom means when he's talking to Casy. Connie is starting to worry and wishing he'd stayed in Oklahoma and studied tractors, which made Rose of Sharon kind of mad, or sad. I can't believe those little kids just stood there when Tom told them to go on and they were pretty much begging for food. I know they were hungry, but I couldn't have stayed there staring at the Joad's. You can tell Ma has a soft heart because she let them eat what was left, even though she knew there wasn't enough. Floyd told Tom and Al about work up north, but Tom was a little sceptical about it because it was so far away. Then a "contractor" came and told everyone he needed workers, but Floyd knew what was up and tried warning people and they made up a lie that he was stealing at a used car lot so they could take him in. When they about left the deputy grabbed Floyd and Floyd hit him and took off running. Then Tom tripped the deputy who tried running after him, and the deputy shot at Floyd from laying on the ground, but missed and hit a woman's hand. Then Casy kicked him in the neck which made him unconscious. Casy told Tom to go hide so he wouldn't get into trouble. Casy ended up taking the blame. It kind of seems like he wanted to go to jail. I don't know if it is because he thinks he'll be fed there like Tom told him, or if he is doing it to help the Joad family stay together and he kept saying he owed them. Uncle John had to get drunk, which I thought was selfish because they needed money and he was wasting it. They decided to keep moving since they were going to be burned out of there that night anyway. Tom went to find drunk Uncle John before they could leave. Tom had to hit uncle John in the chin a few times to make him weaker because he said he wasn't going with. Tom then carried him back to Hooverville. I can't believe Connie left and didn't say anything to anyone. I wonder if he did go to get books and was going to come back and surprise them? I feel bad for Rose of Sharon because they leave without him. Why did they get a wrench and a jack just in case someone would try to climb on when that never happened before? Tom is starting to have increasing anger all the time now. I think the whole family is getting sick of everything, but Tom is showing it the most.

Chapter 21 talks about how everyone is changing because of the tractors pushing them out of Oklahoma. It also talks how the Californians were scared of the oakies, so they became cruel. They are scared of losing their land and jobs to oakies, which work for less money. I think this chapter shows how everyone is actually being effected right now, not just the oakies.

In chapter 22, they went to the camp and actually got a camp site! I was really surprised they actually got one because it was said to be full. It is unreal how nice the town sounds. It's hard to believe. They went to bed and Tom awoke first and went to a neighbors place and had a good breakfast with them and they even offered him to go with them to see if he could get work. They arrived a mile down the road from camp and the man did hire Tom, but explained they only get 25 cents an hour now instead of 30 cents. Thomas (employer) told them of the plan to have a fight in the camp on Saturday so the cops could go in and break the camp up. Then Tom, Wilkie, and Timothy went to work. I thought it was funny how Ruthie wouldn't go into the bathrooms until Winfield was there and how they thought he broke the toilet when he flushed it. When Ma found out about the woman committee, she got excited and grew frantic. The manager came to the Joad's tent and had a cup of coffee and Ma wouldn't hardly believe that he was just being nice and Pa didn't believe it at all. The men went to look for work and Rose of Sharon was the first to take a shower and was impressed by it and then Ma went and took one. Then a very strange woman was talking to Rose of Sharon. Why did she think the dancing and acting was such a sin? Rose of Sharon was already freaking out about hurting the baby and that lady didn't help at all. Then the manager tried to calm her. The ladies committee came and showed Rose of Sharon and Ma around. There was 3 of them, who rotated chairperson. Ruthie and Winfield found children playing and Ruthie just wanted to play and a girl said she'd have to wait until next game and something came over Ruthie. I wonder why she got so angry at the girl? The crazy lady came back and I don't know for sure, but she had a type of seizure. Ma is realizing how depressed she really is about losing the family members and of missing their old home and the way things used to be.

Grapes of Wrath ch.17-19

Chapter 17 talked about how people helped each other out in times of need. All families going west helped each other because that was all they had. They became families at night, helping and sharing stories. "And the camping place was ready for a new world in a new night." Meaning more and more families were going west and helping each other out in any possible way.

Chapter 18 they passed through Arizona, and finally arrived in California. They found a resting place with water and the men went swimming. There was a man and his son that also went swimming and they told the Joad's what California really was like. I don't understand why, after hearing about California being so horrible, the Joad's continue. I guess they would have nothing if they went back, but still I would be scared. Why not pick another state near California? They decided to leave that night so Tom went to go to sleep in some shade. That's when Noah told him he wasn't going to go on with them anymore. I found this odd, and that no one really went after him was weird too. They were kind of sad but they never went after him like they did grandpa. What was the purpose of Noah in the book anyway, if all he did was leave? Grandma is very sick and some lady arrived at the tent and asked to have a meeting with them, but ma said grandma was just tired from the drive, and didn't let them. I think she did this because she knew something was wrong, but was in denial. Then a policeman came and told ma that they had to leave before tomorrow or he was going to take them in to town. He called ma an Oakie and I think that shook her emotions. They decided to leave but the Wilson's decided to stay there because Sairy was dying. They had to stop at a agricultural check to make sure they didn't have any seeds or plants. Ma quickly got through by saying grandma was really sick and had to get her to a hospital and they took a look and decided to let them go on without a check. Grandma was really dead at this point. They arrived at the countryside of California where there was orange trees.

In chapter 19, I think it is talking about how people should pay more attention to their lives, and not let other people run them. They should take in the beauty of life and enjoy it, rather than hire people to do work, and not even know their land. They should have to work to produce their food, and they would appreciate it more. It also is saying how rich people don't need much because they have it all, but they won't even share with the poor, and the poor will actually help the poor, because they are good people. The Californians are scared that the people coming in will take their land because they took the land from other people and they know how easy it was. There is many more people coming in than landowners and the landowners realize this and are scared.

My Mentor

My Mentor
Heidi Mehlberg

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” – Robert Frost. This is one of my mom’s favorite quotes and it describes her personality, and how she views life.
My mom has always been there for me, teaching me a great deal and showing me how to do a variety of events that will lead to success. She has shown me that hard work will pay off in the end. There have been times when I wanted to give up on something, but she wouldn’t let me because nobody should ever give up on anything. “Your dreams and goals are a major part of your life,” she says, therefore she believes I should work my hardest. She teaches that being organized leads to everything becoming easier in life, and success will lead to even more success in life.
People’s actions show their attitudes toward their surroundings and life. One thing that stands out that she’s taught me is to never care what people think. Also, don’t let people boss me around and tell me what to do with my life. I get mad easily, therefore she has tried teaching me not to “blow up” at people and not to let them “push my buttons.” I live in a small town, and I’ve learned people are bound to gossip because they have nothing better to do, and I’ve learned to ignore it because of my mom’s advice. There are people out there who believe they are better than the rest, but my mom has taught me that we are all equally important in the world.
In high school, every kid is faced with difficult decisions and my mom has always taught me to think about what I am doing and if it’s the right decision. Of course, peer pressure is another thing, following the crowd doesn’t have to be done if it’s the wrong thing to do.
My mom is very smart. She hasn’t only taught me things about school, work, success, people and friends; she has also taught me how to do different things. There are many things she has taught me about: food, cooking and baking. I can make almost all of her home cooked meals. She has also taught me more elaborate ways of cooking, such as freezing sweet corn and making and canning salsa. Not only have I learned to cook from her, but I have learned how to do household chores such as cleaning and doing the laundry. She is very knowledgeable about different things such as: how to make crafts, how to save money, how to do almost anything on the computer, how to collect antiques, and how to take care of children. All these things that I know, I learned about them from her, some things more than others.
My mom has also taught me to love and care for people. The way that she loves and takes care of my sisters and me, I know we have all learned to be like her in many ways. She expresses great devotion to her family and it is easily recognized. I am thankful that she is a caring person; otherwise my family and friendship towards other people would not be what it is today. I look up to my mom because of all the wonderful things she has accomplished and because of how much she loves my family and me. I admire how we always come first to her.
Another wonderful quote by Robert Frost that sums up what my mom has taught me is, “Don’t ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.” That quote holds true to everything she has taught me in life.

Grapes of Wrath ch. 14-16

Chapter 14 talks about how they're moving and the land and people are changing. I think it symbolizes a new life for the people. The narrator kept saying how it was "our land" not just one person's land. And it is also saying how people need to think of each other, not just themselves. But a good quote that was in the book was "For the quality of owning freezes you forever into "I" and cuts you off forever from the "we." I think it means people become greedy and selfish at times when they own stuff. They keep repeating "The western states are nervous under the beginning change." I think they keep repeating this because the people moving to California aren't the only nervous ones.

Chapter 15 confused me, but usually on chapters like this the Joad's come into contact with the people. So I think the family with two boys, the cafe, or the two truck drivers will interact later on with the Joad family and the Wilson's. I think this chapter was mainly symbolizing how people help the needy like Mae and Al did by letting that family get cheap food and the truck drivers leaving more money than necessary. I don't get it when two more truck drivers come in and they have the same conversation. Maybe it is possibly meaning that everything is continually the same? I think it's unfair that Al watches the slot machines so he knows when they'll be winners. I think he should let the people win because some poor family might win.

Chapter 16 Rose of Sharon tells her mom about her and Connie's plans of getting a house and making a good life for themselves and Connie would study at night courses in radio. Ma was a little annoyed by this because she wanted to keep the family together. Then the car broke down and Tom and his father decided it would be best if they continued and then they would catch up later in California. I don't understand how they think they would be able to catch up with each other because California is so big and you could take any road in California and still not be able to find them. Ma realized this and put her foot down and said they weren't going to do that whatsoever. Then they decided to go camp further up the road where there was water, while Tom and Casey stayed and worked on the car until Al came back to pick them up to go get parts. They ended up meeting a guy working at the car place and he didn't have one eye and he kept saying stuff to make them feel bad for him but Tom just told him to stop complaining and do something about it. I felt bad for the guy but Tom had a point, but he was a little harsh. They got the part and put it in that night and drove to the family's resting place. They were surprised to see the men back as soon as they were. Then there was a man that tried warning them, and then Pa got a little worried about going, but they never told Ma. Grandma is starting to loose it. I think there will be a few more disasters before they get to California. And I also realized tension between the family is rising and anger comes with the snap of a finger sometimes.

Grapes of Wrath ch. 9-13

In chapter 9, it talks about them going to town and selling their stuff. They aren't very experienced sellers because the buyers pretty much stole their goods because they didn't get as much money as they were worth. I don't understand why they let the buyers get away with what they did because the Joad's knew that the stuff was worth more than what they were offered.

In chapter 10, Tom and his mom are talking about California and I don't understand the part that Tom seemed to know more about California than he was telling the family. If he knew something bad about California, why didn't he tell them? The preacher decided to go with the Joads', but how is there that much room in the vehicle for the whole family and their possessions? Then we met Rose of Sharon and Connie when the truck got back from selling their goods. They only got $18 on what they sold. I also wonder why it was all Al's responsibility for the maintenance of the truck. They had a meeting and decided when to go to California. Then after supper they changed their minds and wanted to leave the next morning at sunrise. There was a part in this chapter that talked about John always feeling guilty about stuff that he did and then he would buy the kids gum and do free deeds to people, I don't understand why he thinks that way. They salted the pig, and the preacher asked mom if she wanted him to do that while she got other stuff ready and that made her uneasy because it was a woman's job, but she let him. I thought it was sad when she went into the other room and pulled out a little box full of stuff that was meaningful to her and she had to pick only some things out of it and burn the rest. They packed the truck, but I have no idea how they fit everything in it. Then Muley showed up to say good bye, and then grandpa came up to the house and told everyone he wasn't going to go. He was so excited to go but then reality set in. I thought it was funny how they got the grandpa "drunk" and into the vehicle to go along. They left two dogs with Muley and everyone else loaded up and left for California. I don't understand why Tom is going if he is on parole and he knows he's not supposed to go.

In chapter 11, I like how it starts out. The way the horse is life when it's working and even when it's done and steps into the barn, it is still alive, but when a tractor is done working, it is simply turned off, dead. It shows how proud the people are of their land they once lived on and how much it meant to them. It then describes the empty house being taken over by nature. I think this symbolizes something but I am not sure what exactly.

In chapter 12, it starts off talking how everyone fleeing the country takes Highway 66 to California. It goes on explaining the hard times people faced just to get out to California. I would be scared if I were them because so many things could happen to the vehicle or the family. When they talked about the 12 people getting a ride from someone who drove them out to California and fed them along the way, was it talking about the Joads'? Maybe in the next chapter we will find out.

In chapter 13, I had some questions come up. One of them is why California, there are other places to go that have alot of job openings. The next one is why is Tom going if he knows he'll get into trouble if he's caught? Why is he taking such risks? The family stopped by a gas station and their dog got ran over. Then they kept going and they pulled up to an old car that people were camping by and they asked if they could camp along side them. The people turned out to be nice people and they let grandpa lay down on their bed. He then had a stroke and died. They decided to bury him there because of their money situation. I wonder what would happen to them if people found grandpa buried there? They put a note with him saying he wasn't murdered but no one can prove that. The preacher said how grandpa died with the land when he had to leave it and it was a good symbolization because it was their lives. They decided to help the Wilson's get to California and it also helped them out so the truck wouldn't be so full and it might actually make it now. Sairy Wilson is sick, and I am predicting she will die soon because at the end of the chapter it said how she wasn't sleeping she just braced her body firmly against the pain.

Grapes of Wrath ch. 5-8

In chapter 5, spokesmen for the land came to talk to the families about how they had to get off the land because it wasn't theirs, it was the banks. They kept saying how the "monster" was making this all happen. They were calling the bank the "monster." They were told to leave or their house would just be run over by a machine that was planting cotton. The tenants were kind of mad because the person who was planting the cotton grew up just like all the others have. The Joads' house actually got part of it knocked in by the machine. They were saying how they stole the land from the Indians, and now the bank was taking the land from them, so it is the same thing, but they cared when the bank took their land, but they didn't care when they stole the land from the Native Americans and I think alot of people have had this happen where they don't really care until it happens to them, then it is a horrible thing to do.

In chapter 6, the preacher and Tom went and looked around at the abandoned farm site. Tom thought it was weird that nobody was there, but all the doors, windows, and wood weren't stolen from the house. Then Muley Graves showed up, and he explained that Tom's family had gone to his Uncle John's house, until they had enough money to get to California. Muley told them how he just wanders around because his family left him to go to California and he didn't want to go because the people told him he had to. Why wouldn't he have just went with his family. I understand because he said he would have if they wouldn't have told him he had to, which reminds me of alot of people that I know. But wouldn't he want to keep his family together at a time like this? They were hungry and Muley had some rabbits that he had caught in a trap, so they skinned them and made a fire and cooked them while the sat around and talked. A car came Muley talked them into hiding in the cotton. I don't quite understand why Tom and the preacher went to hide, but I do understand why Muley did because they were after him. Then once the car came and put out the fire and spot lighted in the cotton for them, they decided to go to sleep. Muley showed them where he had been sleeping in a cave that Tom and his brother had made.

In chapter 7, it talked about the cars sales people ripping off ordinary people so they could get more money for their cars, which are bad. I thought that was rude because the ordinary people don't have much right now, and the cars salesmen knew that. So I think, this chapter is meaning they sold the Joads' a bad car. I don't know why the salesmen would try to rip all these people off so badly when they don't have hardly anything to begin with.

In chapter 8, Tom and the preacher took off to John's house. I predicted the family wouldn't be at John's. I thought they would already be gone, on their way to California by now. But they arrived at the house and everyone was glad Tom was back, but they all thought he broke out of prison at first. It sounded like they were going to say that Tom's grandpa or grandma died, but they were both still alive. They reconnected most of the chapter. They had breakfast and the preacher gave grace. Then they went out to get more stuff ready to sell in town. Then his brother Al came home and old Tom Joad told him that he had to haul more stuff to town that day to sell. I wonder why they just let Al run around when all this stuff is happening with their family. And I wonder why Al wouldn't want to stay around to help.

Grapes of Wrath- ch. 1-4

In chapter one its talking about the wet spring turning dry, and vegetation is emerging. They were hoping for rain but only got a few drops. There was a bad wind/dirt storm that occurred, leaving day seem night, with a red sun as the wind blew. It blew the corn so it leaned sideways. They had to wear handkerchiefs over their noses when they went out and goggles for their eyes. The wind finally died down and it took two days for the dust to settle on the Earth like a blanket. Families gathered outside, but the fathers said they'd be alright, so the children went back to playing and the women went back into their houses while the men sat on the porch with sticks and little rocks thinking and figuring about what to do next.

In chapter two there is a truck driver at a cafe talking with a waitress. There is a man across the street sitting on the truck drivers running board, waiting for him to come out. It seems like the waitress and truck driver date by the way they talk and act around each other. I can't tell if the man outside is poor, or if he needs a ride from the driver. He is a hitch-hiker that kind of tricked the truck driver into lending him a ride. He isn't supposed to let anyone ride with him because of company rules. I wonder where the hitch-hiker is going and why. I wonder how he's dressed so nice if he doesn't even have enough money for a type of transportation. The hitch-hiker grew up on a farm and his name is Tom Joad and so is his fathers name. He is very open and has nothing to hide so far. The truck driver learns that Joad was in prison for killing a guy, right before he dropped him off at his corner, which made the truck driver a little uneasy. Joad got out early for good behavior.

In chapter three it talked of a turtle. I think it did this metaphorically. I think is symbolizes the lives of people, how they need other people and how bad things can come their way when they mean no harm. I think it also means that even life's little journeys can be hard but effect the lives of many people/things you come into contact with.

In chapter four Joad started walking and he spotted a turtle that he picked up and took with him. It was a very hot day, and when he was walking along he saw a tree producing shade, when he got closer there was a man underneath and it turns out it was his old preacher. They sat talking and the preacher admitted his new belief which was "it's all men an' all women we love; maybe that's the Holy Sperit- the human sperit- the whole shebang. Maybe all men got one big soul ever'body's a part of." He killed a guy with a shovel when they were drunk at a dance after the guy stabbed him with a knife. Joad explained that he missed the jail a little because of the regular food, a place to sleep, and the people. Joad explained how they cut a house in half and stole one half and drug it with twelve horses and two mules to the land they live on now and they were going to take both, but another guy stole the other half before they could get it. Joad told stories of his uncle John and his father to pass the time also. When they reached his house, he said something wasn't the same, they think nobody's there anymore.