John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath begins with a description of the dying and shriveling cornfields of Oklahoma circa 1930.
As the novel moves along into chapter two, we are introduced to Tom Joad, the novel's main character. Recently released from prison on a manslaughter conviction, Tom comes across a town and hitches a ride with a truck driver. Although reluctant to give Tom a ride at first because of job stipulations, Tom asks the truck driver if he is a "good guy", persuading him to give Tom a ride.
In the car, Tom and the truck driver make small talk. The driver asks Tom about himself. Tom confides in the farmer that he is returning to his father's farm. Soon, Tom notices the farmer eyeing him, looking over him questioningly. Tom confesses to the driver that he has just been released from prison. Not wanting to sound nosy, the driver tells Tom that it is none of his business. Tom tells him anyway and confesses loudly that he killed a man.
He tells the driver to pull over.
Chapter three of Steinbeck’s novel is completely metaphorical. It details the story of turtle trying to cross a highway in the basking sun. While crossing the road, two cars approach, one right after another. The first car swerves to avoid hitting the turtle. Moments later, the second car approaches, swerving to hit the turtle. The car just nicks the back of the turtle’s shell, flipping it over and sending it to the side over the highway. The turtle struggles to turn itself back over, succeeds, and continues on its way.
In chapter four, Tom happens across his old pastor, Jim Casy. The two begin to talk, and Casy tells how he quit being a preacher upon coming across a new outlook on life, mainly being that there is no sin and that the human spirit is the Holy Spirit. According to Casy, the purpose of life is to help one another.
Tom recalls to Casy the crime that sent him to prison. Years ago, Tom and another man got into a fight. The man stabbed Tom, and Tom ended up killing him with a shovel. As Tom gets up to continue his journey to his family’s farm, Casy asks to go with him. Tom welcomes him and the two set off together.Casy and Tom finally reach Tom’s family farm only to find that it has been deserted. Tom and Casy run unto Muley Graves who relates to Tom that the family has moved in with their Uncle John picking cotton in hopes of buying a car so they can move to California. Afraid they will be caught for trespassing, the men sleep in a cave for the night.
At this point, in chapter seven, the narrator takes on the persona of a used car salesman who is lecturing his employees on how to scam migrants hoping to buy a car.
