after serving four years of his seven year sentence. Tom, once released, begins the trip back home to his family on their forty acre farming estate. Tom, through the aid of a helpful truck driver, is given a ride to the general area of his house. It is interesting to see how Tom manages to hitch a ride with the truck driver, who under normal circumstances, would not have given any rides to hitch hikers, simply due to a sticker on his cab which reads "No Riders." Tom however, through cunning reasoning skills, is able to get what he needs. "Can you give me a lift mister," said Tom. "Didn't you see the No Riders sticker on the wind shield?,"the driver proclaimed. "Sure, I seen it. But sometimes a guy will be a good guy even if some rich bastard makes him carry a sticker."(Steinbeck 11) Technically, if the driver refused, he would not be a "good" guy , and if he took the hitch-hiker, he would be a "good" guy, and would prove that he was not one whom a rich boss could kick around. Through his actions in the opening scenes, we learn a little bit about Tom Joad, and what he is like as a person. Once Tom is dropped off, he meets up with an old minister named Jim Casey. The reader momentarily learns of Jim's inner struggle before he joins Tom in accompanying him back to his house. Meanwhile, the Joad's (tenant farmers) were being evicted from their house by the owner of the land, and were making plans for a trip to move in with Uncle Tom. Upon the arrival of Tom and Jim, they are quick to discover, through the knowledge of Muley, an old friend of Tom, that his family has already left, but were unable to reach him to let him know what was happening to them. Tom and Jim eventually catch up to the family at Uncle Tom's cabin and are greeted with open arms. Soon after their arrival, the family is once again forced to leave. After purchasing a truck, the family heads for California in the search of a home and work, but not without a struggle with Gr...
