GOW+Ch17+Reading


 * Why did Steinbeck place this intercalary chapter here?**

Steinbeck put chapter 17 here to reinforce the idea that this tragedy was hitting very many people across the country, not just the Joad family. He used this chapter to give the reader a broader perspective and reinforce the idea that the hardships were shared by many people. This chapter also helped foreshadow the next few chapters. The many migrant workers coming together in Chapter 17 helped the reader to have background knowledge on migrant families and could make an assumption about 18, when the Joads join many other migrant families on their journey. This chapter also retells the idea that the families could deal with certain tragedies together if they remained together, sharing the responsibilities that came with the misfortune, which foreshadows Chapter 18, when the families have to deal with Grandmas death.