Contents
Chapter 10
Overview
The Joads sell their remaining goods for a pittance, debate hopes and rumors about California, and formally adopt Jim Casy into the traveling family. Overnight they slaughter and salt pigs, pack the truck, and Ma burns cherished keepsakes. When Grampa refuses to go, they drug him and depart at dawn, leaving Muley behind.
Summary
After selling off tools, furniture, and implements, Tom lingers at the homestead while Ma worries California may not match the glowing handbills. Tom recalls warnings about scarce, low-paid work, but they keep preparing. Grampa blusters crudely about grapes; Casy arrives and asks to go west.
At dusk the truck returns, coated in dust. The family has gotten only eighteen dollars for their movables and feels beaten by shrewd buyers. They greet Rose of Sharon and Connie, and, as evening gathers, the family council convenes around the truck—their new hearth. Al reports on the truck’s condition; the men and women weigh whether to take Casy. Ma insists the question is will, not can, and they accept him.
They set a rapid schedule: slaughter the two pigs, salt the meat, and pack for an early start. In lantern light the men kill, bleed, scald, and hang the pigs; Ma and Noah salt and save meat and bones. Amid the work, Casy volunteers for “women’s work,” salting meat, and Ma, after testing him, yields the task. Privately, Ma opens an old keepsake box, saves a few small trinkets, then deliberately burns the rest to sever ties.
All night they load tools, clothes, mattresses, and a tarpaulin. Muley arrives at dawn to say goodbye. As they near leaving, Grampa refuses to go, declaring the land is his. Knowing he cannot stay safely, Tom and Ma lace strong coffee with soothing syrup; Grampa falls asleep, and they gently stow him under the tarp. The family climbs aboard; two dogs are left with Muley, and the truck groans under the load.
With Ma, Granma, and Al in the cab and the others atop, they pull away through red dust. They look back once at the house and Muley in the yard before the hill hides the farm, and they turn toward the highway and the west, despite unease and Tom’s parole risk.
Who Appears
- Ma JoadAnchors the family; approves taking Casy, manages salting and packing, burns her keepsakes, and helps sedate Grampa to ensure departure.
- Tom JoadBack from prison; counsels patience, supports taking Casy, helps slaughter and pack, proposes sedating Grampa, mindful of his parole risk.
- Pa JoadLeads the family council, laments poor sale price, organizes slaughter and packing, and oversees the dawn departure.
- Jim CasyEx-preacher asks to join; accepted into the family; chooses to work and learn, even salting pork, rejecting formal preaching.
- Grampa JoadBoasts about grapes and defiance; later refuses to leave the land; is sedated with soothing syrup coffee and loaded onto the truck.
- Al JoadTruck expert; assesses weaknesses, plans tarp and ridge pole, drives at departure, helps load and ready the vehicle.
- Uncle JohnHaunted but decisive; helps with slaughter and pushing to leave quickly; joins council and loading.
- Noah JoadMethodical butcher; dresses carcasses, cuts and cools meat for salting, aids plans to accelerate departure.
- Rose of SharonPregnant; moves carefully, packs clothing, and centers thoughts on the baby and hopes for California.
- Connie RiversRose of Sharon’s young husband; supportive, helps with loading, adjusting to her pregnancy’s changes.
- Granma JoadVague but agreeable; attends council, later roused for the journey and rides in the cab.
- Ruthie JoadChild excited by slaughter and leaving; dozes amid the late-night preparations.
- Winfield JoadYoungest; plays at pig death, grows sleepy; target of earlier soothing syrup that inspires Grampa’s dosing.
- Muley GravesVisits at dawn to say goodbye; declines to go, agrees to care for the dogs and chickens, remains tied to the land.