The Grapes of Wrath: Chapters 1–8

by John Steinbeck
During the Great Depression, the Joad family leaves a failing farm in Oklahoma in hopes of a better life out west.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–8, Chapters 9–15, Chapters 16–19, Chapters 20–24, Chapters 25–30

Here are links to our lists for other books by John Steinbeck: Of Mice and Men, The Pearl, East of Eden, Cannery Row, Travels with Charley
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. emulsion
    a mixture of liquids that do not normally stay mixed
    Now the dust was evenly mixed with the air, an emulsion of dust and air.
  2. bemused
    perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements
    After a while the faces of the watching men lost their bemused perplexity and became hard and angry and resistant.
  3. insinuation
    an indirect (and usually malicious) implication
    His voice had the same quality of secrecy and insinuation his eyes had.
  4. fallow
    left unplowed and unseeded during a growing season
    The willows of a stream lined across the west, and to the northwest a fallow section was going back to sparse brush.
  5. mince
    walk daintily
    Joad minced across in his bare feet.
  6. wane
    a gradual decline (in size or strength or power or number)
    Now that the sun was on the wane some of its impact was gone, and while the air was hot, the hammering rays were weaker.
  7. beseech
    ask for or request earnestly
    He did not know or own or trust or beseech the land.
  8. insubstantial
    lacking material form
    The sky grayed among the stars, and the pale, late quarter-moon was insubstantial and thin.
  9. hackles
    a feeling of anger and animosity
    Now all dogs met and hackles rose, and they all growled and stood stiffly, each waiting for the others to start a fight.
  10. sidle
    move unobtrusively or furtively
    Tom sauntered forward, sidled embarrassedly toward the truck.
  11. animosity
    a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
    Two rangy shepherd dogs trotted up pleasantly, until they caught the scent of strangers, and then they backed cautiously away, watchful, their tails moving slowly and tentatively in the air, but their eyes and noses quick for animosity or danger.
  12. cantankerous
    having a difficult and contrary disposition
    A cantankerous, complaining, mischievous, laughing face. He fought and argued, told dirty stories.
  13. malice
    the desire to see others suffer
    His little eyes glittered with malice. “Lookut him,” he said. “A jailbird. Ain’t been no Joads in jail for a hell of a time.”
  14. supplication
    the act of communicating with a deity
    And on the preacher’s face there was a look not of prayer, but of thought; and in his tone not supplication, but conjecture.
  15. conjecture
    the formation of conclusions from incomplete evidence
    And on the preacher’s face there was a look not of prayer, but of thought; and in his tone not supplication, but conjecture.
Created on Sat Oct 05 17:03:01 EDT 2013 (updated Fri Aug 01 15:52:03 EDT 2025)

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