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Grapes of Wrath Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Grapes of Wrath Quizzes, Trivia

Grapes of Wrath Trivia

Grapes of Wrath Trivia Quizzes

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John Steinbeck's 1939 masterpiece describing life in the Great Depression follows the Joad family as they are forced to leave their Oklahoma farm, and seek a better future in California. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and was one of the works cited in his 1962 Nobel Prize for Literature.
3 quizzes and 45 trivia questions.
1.
  "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
"The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck is one of the all-time greats of American literature. It describes the journey and travails of the Joad family. I have read it several times, and thought I would share some of the things I have learned.
Average, 10 Qns, nakarinna, May 29 10
Average
nakarinna
1652 plays
2.
  Characters in "The Grapes of Wrath"    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a quiz based on "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck. How well do you know the characters from this classic novel?
Average, 10 Qns, raidersruleall, Mar 23 09
Average
raidersruleall
593 plays
3.
  Grapes of Wrath    
Multiple Choice
 25 Qns
Test your knowledge of John Steinbeck's 'Grapes of Wrath'.
Average, 25 Qns, *kate*, Aug 10 21
Average
*kate*
Aug 10 21
2971 plays
trivia question Quick Question
At the government camp, Ruthie and Winfield thought they broke the...

From Quiz "Grapes of Wrath"





Grapes of Wrath Trivia Questions
1. Which character is portrayed as a Christ symbol in the book and used to be a preacher?

From Quiz Characters in "The Grapes of Wrath"

Answer: Jim Casy

Casy's final words were "You don' know what you're a-doin'." These words echo the words of Christ.

2. Why did the Joads decide to move at the start of the book?

From Quiz "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck

Answer: The bank foreclosed on their property.

The Joads were not the only ones in this situation. Many tenant farmers emigrated from Oklahoma and the surrounding regions because dust storms and overuse of the land did not allow farmers to make a living off their land anymore. Banks then foreclosed on the farmers, and resold the land to large companies.

3. Who was the main character of 'Grapes of Wrath'?

From Quiz Grapes of Wrath

Answer: Tom Joad

4. Which character stays in Oklahoma while his wife and children head to California? hint - "Ol' Graveyard Ghost"

From Quiz Characters in "The Grapes of Wrath"

Answer: Muley Graves

Muley explains that he cannot leave because he is being forced to by the bank. If he hadn't been forced to leave, he would have gone with his family.

5. Where did the Joads decide to move to?

From Quiz "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck

Answer: California

Pa Joad saw a handbill advertising work in California. Since there was no work available in Oklahoma, the Joads decided to seek their fortune in California.

6. Jim Casy was a former....

From Quiz Grapes of Wrath

Answer: preacher

Casy felt that he was too sinful to remain a preacher, however he had a strong belief that every man was part of an 'oversoul.'

7. Which character do the Joads meet at a "Hooverville" who first inspires Tom and Casy to organize with other migrants?

From Quiz Characters in "The Grapes of Wrath"

Answer: Floyd Knowles

Floyd is a bright young man with his own family. He tries to organize the men in secret, but a deputy breaks up the camp before anything can be organized.

8. Early in their journey, the Joads are introduced to the word "Okie." It was used as a derogatory name for the people who came west looking for work. What is the origin of this name?

From Quiz "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck

Answer: It was a slang term for people originally from Oklahoma.

The people who used the word "Okie" applied it to anyone who came west looking for work. Most of these workers were from the Great Plains region of the country, and were not limited to Oklahoma. When they heard it for the first time, the Joads were confused about how it was an insult.

9. Who was the father of Rose of Sharon's baby?

From Quiz Grapes of Wrath

Answer: Connie

At a point in the novel, Connie walks off and never returns, leaving Rose of Sharon depressed throughout the rest of the novel.

10. Who is the protagonist of the novel who has killed two men by the time the novel ends?

From Quiz Characters in "The Grapes of Wrath"

Answer: Tom Joad

At the novel's beginning, Tom has just been released from prison on parole for killing a man in a fight at a dance. He is a key figure in the family's survival and togetherness during the novel.

11. The Joad's home state is....

From Quiz Grapes of Wrath

Answer: Oklahoma & oklahoma

12. Which character is described as "the citadel of the family"?

From Quiz Characters in "The Grapes of Wrath"

Answer: Ma

Ma tries desperately to keep the family together throughout the novel. She also influences the collective mood of the family, so she tries to remain positive at all times.

13. Tom was on parole because he...

From Quiz Grapes of Wrath

Answer: killed a man

Tom killed a man in a fight and claimed he would have done it again.

14. Which character is depressed throughout the novel because of the "sins" he feels he has committed (he believes he killed his wife because he did not take her stomach pains seriously)?

From Quiz Characters in "The Grapes of Wrath"

Answer: Uncle John

Uncle John tends to "lay low" for most of the novel. However, he sometimes likes to indulge in pleasures such as alcohol and women.

15. Who died on the first night on the road?

From Quiz Grapes of Wrath

Answer: Grampa

16. Which character is obsessed with cars and girls but eventually settles down with Aggie Wainwright by the end of the novel?

From Quiz Characters in "The Grapes of Wrath"

Answer: Al

Al is very cocky, but he is an excellent mechanic and proves crucial to the Joads' making it to California. He leaves the family after deciding to get engaged with Aggie.

17. What was the cause of commotion outside the peach farm when the Joads arrive?

From Quiz "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck

Answer: A strike had been called because the workers' wages had been lowered.

The strike was actually led by Jim Casy, a family friend who had traveled out to California with the Joads. He realized shortly after arriving in California that the only way to get the companies to pay fair wages was for all of the migrant workers to unite and demand them.

18. What family member stayed behind at the river?

From Quiz Grapes of Wrath

Answer: Noah

19. Who inadvertently forces Tom to leave the family after revealing to a young girl that he was in hiding because he killed a man?

From Quiz Characters in "The Grapes of Wrath"

Answer: Ruthie

After refusing to share her Cracker Jack, Ruthie is fought by another girl. Trying to impress the other girl, Ruthie reveals that her brother (Tom) would kill the other girl's brother because he has done it before and is currently hiding because of his murder.

20. Why did Tom leave his family at the peach farm?

From Quiz "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck

Answer: He had to hide because he killed a man who attacked a friend of his.

The friend in question here is Jim Casy. Tom was so angry over the death of his friend that he killed Casy's murderer without stopping to think about the consequences. Tom was injured in the process, so even though the police did not get a good look at him, he had to hide in order to conceal his injuries.

21. What family member died while crossing the desert?

From Quiz Grapes of Wrath

Answer: Granma

Ma Joad got the family through the border by telling the guards that Granma was sick.

22. Which character dies early in the trip while the Joads are still in Oklahoma?

From Quiz Characters in "The Grapes of Wrath"

Answer: Grampa

Grampa is originally excited for the trip, but as the time draws nearer he dreads leaving and must be drugged in order to leave with the family.

23. Who did the police arrest at the Hooverville?

From Quiz Grapes of Wrath

Answer: Casy

Tom hit a man, but Casy offered to take the blame.

24. Which character ends the novel by saving a starving man's life?

From Quiz Characters in "The Grapes of Wrath"

Answer: Rose of Sharon (Rosasharn)

Rose of Sharon is pregnant for the entire novel, but her baby dies due to lack of nourishment in the final chapter. The starving man needs milk in order to survive, and Rose of Sharon provides him the nourishment he needs with her milk.

25. Whose final words in the book were: "You don' know what you're a-doin."? (Hint: This quote has religious overtones.)

From Quiz "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck

Answer: Jim Casy

The final words of Jim Casy (the retired preacher) echo the last words of Jesus, which were "Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do." Many of Jim Casy's actions, such as sacrificing himself for his cause, are similar to those of Jesus. (Information based on: "On Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath," by Kelly McGrath Vlcek) Hope you enjoyed the quiz!

26. Which family member was responsible for the operation of the truck?

From Quiz Grapes of Wrath

Answer: Al

27. Ma Joad cooked a soup and was soon surrounded by...

From Quiz Grapes of Wrath

Answer: hungry children

After she served the family, Ma let the children clean out the bowl.

28. At the government camp, Ruthie and Winfield thought they broke the...

From Quiz Grapes of Wrath

Answer: toilet

The children did not realize that the toilet was supposed to flush.

29. The sheriff tried to destroy the government camp by claiming the residents were...

From Quiz Grapes of Wrath

Answer: rioting

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