1.Summary

Summary Chapter one briefly describes the poor farming conditions and the dying crops in the dust and drought. Those conditions become a burden for the Joad family and other Oklahoma citizens because they no longer have a sufficient source of income. The farmers watch as dust, wind, and rain cover their land, waiting and anticipating for change. Steinbeck portrays the women and children as anxious citizens, whom are hopeful yet helpless. The author specifically describes the land as a whole much like he portrays the family as a whole, to show unity and a sense of connection, to each other, their land, and their suffering.
 * Drought in Oklahoma, "Oklahoma Dust Bowl", 1930's
 * Crops dry out and die because of poor agricultural conditions
 * Dust storms form thick layers above the land
 * Farm failure affect the attitude of the men and their families