1Tom stood looking in. Ma was heavy, but not fat; thick with childbearing and work. She wore a loose Mother Hubbard of gray cloth in which there had once been colored flowers, but the color was washed out now, so that the small flowered pattern was only a little lighter gray than the background. The dress came down to her ankles, and her strong, broad, bare feet moved quickly and deftly over the floor. Her thin, steel-gray hair was gathered in a sparse wispy knot at the back of her head. Strong, freckled arms were bare to the elbow, and her hands were chubby and delicate, like those of a plump little girl. She looked out into the sunshine. Her full face was not soft; it was controlled, kindly. Her hazel eyes seemed to have experienced all possible tragedy and to have mounted pain and suffering like steps into the high calm and a superhuman understanding. She seemed to know, to accept, to welcome her position, the citadel of the family, the strong place that could not be taken. And since old Tom and the children could not know hurt or fear unless she acknowledged hurt and fear, she had practiced denying them in herself. And since, when a joyful thing happened, they looked to see whether joy was on her, it was her habit to build up laughter out of inadequate material. But better than joy was calm. Imperturbability could be depended upon. And from her great and humble position in the family she had taken dignity and a clean calm beauty. From her position as healer, her hands had grown sure and cool and quiet; and faultless in judgment as a goddess. She seemed to know that if she swayed the family shook, and if she ever really deeply wavered or despaired the family would fall, the family will to function would be gone.
2She looked out into the sunny yard, at the dark figure of a man. Pa stood near by, shaking with excitement. "Come in," he cried. "Come right in, mister." And Tom a little shamefacedly stepped over the doorsill.
3She looked up pleasantly from the frying pan. And then her hand sank slowly to her side and the fork clattered to the wooden floor. Her eyes opened wide, and the pupils dilated. She breathed heavily, through her open mouth. She closed her eyes. "Thank God," she said. "Oh, thank God!" and suddenly her face was worried. "Tommy, you ain't wanted? You didn' bust loose?"
4 "No, Ma. Parole. I got the papers here." He touched his breast.
5She moved toward him lithely, soundlessly in her bare feet, and her face was full of wonder. He small hand felt his arm, felt the soundness of his muscles. And then her fingers went up to his cheek as a blind man's fingers might. And her joy was nearly like sorrow. Tom pulled his underlip between his teeth and bit it. Her eyes went wonderingly to his bitten lip, and she saw the little line of blood against his teeth and the trickle of blood down his lip. Then she knew, and her control came back, and her hand dropped. Her breath came out explosively. "Well!" she cried. "We come mighty near to goin' without ya. An' we was wonderin' how in the worl' you could ever find us." She picked up the fork and combed the boiling grease and brought out a dark curl of crisp pork. And she set the pot of tumbling coffee on the back of the stove.
From THE GRAPES OF WRATH by John Steinbeck, copyright 1939, renewed ©
1967 by John Steinbeck.
A. was eager to begin the journey.
B. wanted to be an example for her family.
C. was not a brave person.
D. wanted to hide her feelings from neighbors.
A. finds joy in small things.
B. laughs at inappropriate times.
C. enjoys worn-out clothing.
D. acts in unpredictable ways.
A. bitter and joyless
B. cornerstone of her family
C. emotionally fragile
D. disciplinarian of her family
A. visual imagery.
B. irony.
C. sentence fragments.
D. symbolism.
A. a split infinitive.
B. an independent clause.
C. a prepositional phrase.
D. a gerund phrase.
A. plot
B. setting
C. characterization
D. theme
A. He doesn't tell her he is coming home.
B. He brought no gifts for her.
C. He assures her he has his parole papers.
D. He bites his lip to hold back his emotion.
A. her fear that Tom had changed in prison.
B. the intensity of her emotions at Tom's return.
C. her sadness that they were moving.
D. the possibility that Tom was home illegally.