Night falls in California

"Don't worry Yourself,... Take Your breath in when you need it, an' let it out when you need to." (Steinbeck 286)

At this point in the book, a lot is happening with the Joads. What was supposed to be a very prosperous journey has ended up casting shadows on the family. Granpa has died, Noah ran off, Granma dies, there are people telling the Joads that they will meet prejudice in California. There are doubts being placed in their minds and not sure what to do. But as Uncle John says "None of this here talk gonna keep us from goin' there" (Steinbeck 282). So to get through, they just have to concentrate on what they can change and not worry about what they can't.

The second main theme in this chapter is the dissolving of the family. They started out eager to get to California and make a new life. Since then they have lost Granpa. Now Noah and Granma are gone. On top of that, Rose of Sharron and Connie want to go their own way once they settle down in California. The impact on the family is shown most clearly on Ma. She used to be a very carring woman who was very devout. Now she turns the Johovites down when they offer to sing prayers to granma, she tells Rose of Sharron how lonely life can be, she almost hits the cop with a frying pan. All these are characteristics that are not common in the way Ma used to act. But as the members of the family split off, the bond holding them all together weakens and is causing them all to adapt to their new life on the road.

To me wisdom and knowledge are very different. Knowledge is based on facts. You can learn knowledge. It can be taught. Wisdom on the other hand is something you have to pick up. You can't get wisdom out of a book. It has to be experienced. I think in some cases wisdom can be passed down from the wise to the not yet so wise but in general I think wisdom is more of what you choose to do with the knowledge you gain and thus is a defining characteristic.