Connie Rivers Quotes

For Rose of Sharon was pregnant and careful. Her hair, braided and wrapped around her head, made an ash-blond crown. Her round soft face, which had been voluptuous and inviting a few months ago, had already put on the barrier of pregnancy, the self-sufficient smile, the knowing perfection-look; and her plump body – full soft breasts and stomach, hard hips and buttocks that had swung so freely and provocatively as to invite slapping and stroking – her whole body had become demure and serious. Her whole thought and action were directed inward on the baby. She balanced on her toes now, for the baby’s sake. And the world was pregnant to her; she thought only in terms of reproduction and of motherhood.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 10. This describes Rose of Sharon and how pregnancy is affecting her. The passage emphasizes her maternal instincts and her strong desire to protect her unborn baby. There is also the suggestion that her young husband Connie is being deprived of sex by the baby, when Steinbeck writes about the "barrier of pregnancy."

Connie, her nineteen-year-old husband, who had married a plump, passionate hoyden, was still frightened and bewildered at the change in her; for there were no more cat fights in bed, biting and scratching with muffled giggles and final tears. There was a balanced, careful, wise creature who smiled shyly but very firmly at him. Connie was proud and fearful of Rose of Sharon. Whenever he could, he put a hand on her or stood close, so that his body touched her at hip and shoulder, and he felt that this kept a relation that might be departing.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 10. Connie Rivers’ reaction to his pregnant wife Rose of Sharon is a mixture of bewilderment, fear and regret that he is missing out on sex. At nineteen, he is very young and it is understandible that he may feel a bit intimidated that by his wife being transformed from a high-spirited, saucy girl to a wise and mysterious woman. In this passage we learn of his worry that her growing connection to their baby will weaken their relationship. He often touches her in order to preserve his relationship with her.

He was a sharp-faced, lean young man of a Texas strain, and his pale blue eyes were sometimes dangerous and sometimes kindly, and sometimes frightened. He was a good hard worker and would make a good husband. He drank enough, but not too much; fought when it was required of him; and never boasted. He sat quietly in a gathering and yet managed to be there and to be recognized.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 10. This is one of the novel’s best descriptions of Rose of Sharon’s young husband Connie. He is said to be a good husband and hard worker, can hold his liquor and lives up to his male role requirement of fighting when he is called upon.

The world had drawn close around them, and they were in the center of it, or rather Rose of Sharon was in the center of it with Connie making a small orbit about her.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 13. The pregnant Rose of Sharon and young husband Connie Rivers are in a world of their own. All their focus is on the pregnancy and taking care of Rose of Sharon’s needs. The fuller quote: "She looked at him and smiled secretly. She was all secrets now she was pregnant, secrets and little silences that seemed to have meanings. She was pleased with herself, and she complained about things that didn’t really matter. And she demanded services of Connie that were silly, and both of them knew they were silly. Connie was pleased with her too, and filled with wonder that she was pregnant. He liked to think he was in on the secrets she had. When she smiled slyly, he smiled slyly too, and they exchanged confidences in whispers. The world had drawn close around them, and they were in the center of it, or rather Rose of Sharon was in the center of it with Connie making a small orbit about her. Everything they said was a kind of secret."

"She went on excitedly. "Connie gonna get a job in a store or maybe a fact’ry. An’ he’s gonna study at home, maybe radio, so he can git to be a expert an’ maybe later have his own store…An’ we’ll gave a nice car, little car…An’ we’ll live in town, an’ go to pitchers whenever an’ – well, I’m gonna have a
‘lectric iron, an’ the baby’ll have all new stuff."

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 16. Rose of Sharon describes her version of the California dream to Ma Joad. She dreams up a house in town, going to the movies, husband Connie getting his own store, having a car, and buying everything new for the baby. There is a lot of over-expectation and air of self-deception in Rose of Sharon’s list of wishes. This is further strengthened by the reaction of Ma Joad, who changes the subject and "seemed to know it was all a dream," we are told.

"If I’d of knowed it would be like this I wouldn’ of came. I’d a studied nights ’bout tractors back home an’ got me a three-dollar job. Fella can live awful nice on three dollars a day, an’ go to the pitcher show ever’ night, too."
Rose of Sharon looked apprehensive. "You’re gonna study nights ’bout radios," she said. He was long in answering. "Ain’t you?" she demanded.
"Yeah, sure. Soon’s I get on my feet. Get a little money."
She rolled up on her elbow. "You ain’t givin’ it up!"
"No – no – ‘course not. But – I didn’ know they was places like this we got to live in."

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 20. Connie’s American Dream is not what he imagined it to be. In an argument with Rose of Sharon he says that if he had known that things would be as bad as they are in their quest for a better life in California, he would have taken a job as a tractor man for three dollars a day. This foreshadows Connie’s later departure.
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