Sairy Wilson Quotes

The tent flaps opened and a wizened woman came out – a face wrinkled as a dried leaf and eyes that seemed to flame in her face, black eyes that seemed to look out of a well of horror. She was small and shuddering. She held herself upright by a tent flap, and the hand holding onto the canvas was a skeleton covered with wrinkled skin.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 13. In this description of Sairy Wilson, there is foreshadowing of her death. This is suggested by a number of metaphors and death imagery. Her eyes look out of a "well of horror" and her hand is a "skeleton covered with wrinkled skin." A simile compares her face to a dried leaf.

Pa said, "We’re thankful to you folks."
"We’re proud to help," said Wilson.
"We’re beholden to you," said Pa.
"There’s no beholden in a time of dying," said Wilson, and Sairy echoed him, "Never no beholden."

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 13. Ivy and Sairy Wilson offer dignity and a deathbed to the dying Grampa Joad. The Wilsons are selfless and kind people who believe in supporting other families in a time of need. They take Grampa into their tent and lay him on a mattress as he suffers a stroke.

"We’re proud to help. I ain’t felt so – safe in a long time. People needs – to help."

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 13. We see the power of the community at work in Sairy Wilson’s words, as migrant families help one another in death. Here Grampa Joad has just died. Sairy and Ivy Wilson have provided a mattress in their tent for the dying Grampa, and when he dies they help with the funeral by allowing their quilt to be used as a shroud. Ma Joad promises to replace this for them. Sairy Wilson shows her humanity in a novel that has its fair share of inhumanity.

Ma said, "You won’t be no burden. Each’ll help each, an’ we’ll all git to California. Sairy Wilson he’ped lay Grampa out," and she stopped. The relationship was plain.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 13. When Ivy and Sairy Wilson express worry that they will be a "burden" on the Joads going to California, Ma Joad rejects this. The families have formed a bond of friendship, Sairy helping to lay Grampa out, and Ma says that they will help each other make it to the Golden State. Hope and the American dream remain alive for the Joads and Wilsons.

"I got no God," he said.
"You got a God. Don’t make no difference if you don’ know what he looks like." The preacher bowed his head. She watched him apprehensively. And when he raised his head again she looked relieved. "That’s good," she said. "That’s what I needed. Somebody close enough – to pray."

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 18. Sairy Wilson, whose health is deteriorating, has asked Casy for a prayer. He tells her that his prayers are no good and he has no god. But she knows that while Casy is not traditionally religious, he is very spiritual. After he says a silent prayer Sairy reveals that what she wanted was human closeness. Her desire to share a prayful moment with another human being while near the point of death echoes what Emerson called the "Over-Soul." This is the idea that all human beings are united as part of the one universal soul.
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