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.