Grapes Guide.pdf - Minnesota Opera

(5) Why do you think the librettist (as did Steinbeck) makes the characters in this scene anonymous men and women
instead of members of the Joad family? (NOTE: See the first Lisca essay on the movement from “scenic” to “panoramic” and
back, as both Steinbeck and the librettist, Michael Korie, want the Joad story to be seen as a microcosm of what was happening
to hundreds of thousands of migrants.)
(NOTE: The “All” section on P. 2 [right] and the “Women” section just referenced are very close to the novel’s phrasing.
Students could look these up and compare/contrast.)
1.1: MCALESTER PRISON GATE (The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 2)
(1) In “I Keep My Nose Clean,” Tom Joad explains his philosophy of life. He extends this philosophy on p. 5 (right).
What is his point of view and where did it come from? (NOTE: Tom’s expression, “I keep my nose clean,” will become a
motif which will help define the arc of his character. Students should be on the lookout for future repetitions and modifications
of this line.)
(2) At the beginning of the section parking lot, Tom hitches a ride with a truck driver. Describe their
conversation. Why was he in prison? Why did he get out?
(NOTE: It’s important that students understand this individualistic stance as it will change dramatically by the end of the
narrative. Also, truck drivers play an important role in a later scene. Students might be alerted to look for what Steinbeck’s
general feelings toward truck drivers seemed to be.)
1.2: TREE BY THE ROAD (The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 4)
(1) In “So Long Savior,” what appears to be Casy’s current view of religion? What “sin” of his does he dwell on?
(2) Notice that Tom finds Casy sitting by a dead tree. In his song, “Naked Tree Wastin’ in the Sun,” and the
conversation that follows, how does that dead tree become a metaphor for Casy’s life? For the lives of others?
(NOTE: This is a central metaphor in the libretto. In the novel, Casy is sitting under a willow tree, but Korie needs the tree to
be naked here in order to develop this motif as the musical narration continues throughout.)
1.3: DESERTED JOAD PLACE – THAT NIGHT (The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 5 and 6)
(1) The conversation between Tom, Casy and Muley in “Gone” morphs into a flashback as Muley recalls how it was
when the land he was share-cropping was taken away from him. Summarize Muley’s story from pp. 8-9.
(2) In the section entitled muley’s place – a few days before, we have the flashback. Read it carefully and
list all the people who deny any responsibility for what is happening to the share-croppers. What is the
importance of the order in which they appear? Why do you think they don’t have actual names, only titles? What
is the significance of all these people joining together as a “wall” and the wall having a chorus of its own? What
does the wall say on p. 13? How does its message affect the share-croppers? The scene ends as it began, with
Muley and his family. What is Korie trying to tell us about how not just Muley but all the farmers feel about
their situation? (NOTE: The character’s full name is Muley Graves. Students might be interested in discussing the symbolism
of Steinbeck’s choice. Another angle the students who have read the novel might explore is how the librettist is able to give a
sense of the “panoramic” [see Appendix A] through the “scenic” by having the choric elements be titles instead of actual
individuals, incorporating the Joad narrative of Chapter 6 along with the elements in the intercalary Chapter 5.)
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