The Grapes of Wrath Quotes

66 is the path of a people in flight, refugees from dust and shrinking land, from the thunder of tractors and invasion, from the twisting winds that howl up out of Texas, from floods that bring no richness to the land and steal what little richness is there.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 12. The famous highway Route 66 is the main thoroughfare from Oklahoma to California. It becomes the path of hope for desperate refugees fleeing from the Dust Bowl states and the invading tractors.

Listen to the motor. Listen to the wheels. Listen with your ears and with your hands on the steering wheel; listen with the palm of your hand on the gear-shift lever; listen with your feet on the floor boards. Listen to the pounding old jalopy with all your senses, for a change of tone, a variation of rhythm may mean – a week here?

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 12. Steinbeck pitches us right into the story by speaking directly to the reader and using rhythmic repetition of the word "listen." The monotony of the migrants’ long and tiring motor trip west is conveyed. We feel that we are with the Joads and the thousands of other migrant families who have spent their savings buying a used car. The desperation of the migrants and dehumanizing effect of the long journey also comes across.

That rattle – that’s tappets. Don’t hurt a bit. Tappets can rattle till Jesus comes again without no harm. But that thudding as the car moves along – can’t hear that – just kind of feel it. Maybe oil isn’t gettin’ someplace. Maybe a bearing’s startin’ to go. Jesus, if it’s a bearing, what’ll we do? Money’s goin’ fast.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 12. This quote conveys the migrants’ desperation as they journey in their old and delapidated cars. The deception and lies of the salesmen who sold them the cars comes into play. The families listen for defects in the sub-standard vehicles. They worry that a car rattle means something wrong and with dwindling finances they wonder how they will survive.

‘F we can on’y get to California where the oranges grow before this here ol’ jug blows up.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 12. This quote conveys the desperation of migrants as they soldier on in overheating and malfunctioning jalopies they bought from crooked car salesmen. It is a desperate race against time. Despite the mechanical difficulties, many still tenaciously cling onto the slim hope of a better future at the end of the road in California – if their jalopy doesn’t blow up before then!

Well, California’s a big State.
It ain’t that big. The whole United States ain’t that big. It ain’t that big. It ain’t big enough. There ain’t room enough for you an’ me, for your kind an’ my kind, for rich and poor together all in one country, for thieves and honest men. For hunger and fat.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 12. A migrant claims that California is a big state that can support everyone, including migrants. A cynical car parts salesman responds. The quote speaks to the deep divisions in American society, between rich and poor classes, honest people and thieves, the hungry and the well-fed.

That’s what you think! Ever hear of the border patrol on the California line? Police from Los Angeles – stopped you bastards, turned you back. Says, if you can’t buy no real estate we don’t want you. Says, got a driver’s license? Le’s see it. Tore it up. Says you can’t come in without no driver’s license.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 12. A tire salesman on Highway 66 reveals the harsh reality for migrant workers trying to get into California. They have to fight to get into the state, and face hostile border patrol police who stop them and turn them back.

The people in flight from the terror behind – strange things happen to them, some bitterly cruel and some so beautiful that the faith is refired forever.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 12. This is an example of hope and kindness and perseverance on Highway 66. We are told a beautiful story of a stranded family of twelve forced off their land and possessing only a trailor with no motor to pull it. As they wait by the side of the road for a lift, a sedan with a trailor picks them up. They make it to California in "two jumps" and the man who pulls them feeds them. The power of community togetherness is also illustrated here.

Al, at the wheel, his face purposeful, his whole body listening to the car, his restless eyes jumping from the road to the instrument panel. Al was one with his engine, every nerve listening for weaknesses, for the thumps or squeals, hums and chattering that indicate a change that may cause a breakdown. He had become the soul of the car.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 13. Al Joad proves a confident and skillful driver, as he takes the wheel of the family truck along Highway 66. He listens carefully to the car’s every sound for any sign that it is about to suffer a breakdown.

"Think any them big new cars stop here? No, sir! They go on to them yella-painted company stations in town."

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 13. The attendant at the run-down gas station complains that smaller businesses like his are losing out to the bigger company stations. The growing divide between the rich and poor classes in a depressed economy is further shown here. It is not just the migrant workers who are suffering from the lack of jobs and money in the economy, but small businesses too.

"Here’s me that used to give all my fight against the devil ’cause I figgered the devil was the enemy. But they’s somepin worse’n the devil got hold a the country, an’ it ain’t gonna let go till it’s chopped loose."

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 13. When he was a preacher Jim Casy’s fight used to be with the devil. But now he acknowledges that his fight is with something worse than the devil – the evil of the corruption of society. This is the beginning of Casy’s rebellion against the capitalist system that is inflicting so much harm and suffering on people.

"Ever see one a them Gila monsters take hold, mister? Grabs hold, an’ you chop him in two an’ his head hangs on. Chop him at the neck an’ his head hangs on. Got to take a screw-driver an’ pry his head apart to git him loose. An’ while he’s layin’ there, poison is drippin’ an’ drippin’ into the hole he’s made with his teeth."

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 13. Figurative language is used to describe what is happening in the country during the migration to California at the time of the Great Depression. Jim Casy uses a metaphor to compare the inhumanity of the banks and big companies in destroying people’s homes and lives to a relentless Gila monster. Even if you cut his head off it still hangs on, dripping its poison. The only way to defeat the system is to destroy its head, like using the screwdriver to pry the Gila monster’s head apart.

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."

The big car slowed for a moment and faces looked back, and then it gathered greater speed and disappeared. And the dog, a blot of blood and tangled, burst intestines, kicked slowly in the road.

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 13. When the Joads stop to refuel their truck, their dog is struck and killed by a passing car. The large car slows down momentarily and then speeds off, its occupants showing no concern for the harm done. The incident is foreshadowing of the difficulties the Joads will face on their journey west.

"Well, I’m a-scairt about it. Sometimes you do a crime, an’ you don’t even know it’s bad. Maybe they got crimes in California we don’t even know about. Maybe you gonna do somepin an’ it’s all right, an’ in California it ain’t all right."

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 13. Ma Joad is afraid that her son Tom may be caught for breaking parole in crossing the state line traveling to California. Tom’s "crime" in staying with his family pales alongside the "crimes" committed by the banks, business companies and others in the novel. Later we learn of the California growers who leave fruit and vegetables to rot in the ground, while people go hungry. "There is a crime here that goes beyond denunciation," Steinbeck writes.

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.
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