Chapters 26-30: Family Discussion Blogs

Part 1: Research

Topic: California's 100-year drought
Summary: The article is about California being in a huge drought currently and this is calling the attention of people to take precautions using water regulations. Although, the reservoirs status is greatly dropping and they are suffering agricultural losses.
Evaluation: This relates to the text because in the Grapes of Wrath they are suffering a major drought. This is causing all the crops to dry up and the farmers cannot support themselves similar to California's drought causing agricultural loses.
MLA citation: Rice, Doyle. "California's 100-year Drought." USA Today. Gannett, 03 Sept. 2014. Web. 08 Nov. 2014. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/09/02/california-megadrought/14446195/>.

Part 2: Philosophical questioning

1. If there was a drought and you were a farmer what job would you take up to support your family if any?
2. Do you think an agricultural loss of this magnitude could have been avoided? If so how?
3. Do you think it is fair that the bank or other institutions can take everything away from hard working people?

Part 4: Reflection
The most memorable moment in my discussion with the family member was that she answered questions that gave me a new angle of the view of the story. For example she talked about how using this drought could help in the future by finding ways to deal with it just in case there is another one. A thing that was surprising and satisfying in the discussion was the talk about how the bank could have handled this drought better. We decided that the bank should have let the owners keep the land and then once the crop has gotten better there should be an increase in the payment of the house. I need to improve my questions by really thinking about the time period and incorporating those elements in my questions.

Chapters 15-20: Family Discussion Blog

Part 1: Research

Topic: Survivors of the Great Depression

Research: This article relayed the stories of survivors of the Great Depression. In particular, it focused on families who suffered quietly, some who had better lives before the stock market crashed, and some just as bad, but they all suffered a great deal. Even those who were educated couldn't find jobs, which made buying food even harder. One woman recounts the story of how she had to be boarded out as a young girl, because her parents could not afford for her to live at home.

Evaluation: There are obvious parallels between this article and The Grapes of Wrath. In both, it explains the struggles of various families when the Depression hit. In both circumstances, basic needs, such as food and shelter, are not being met. Similarly, both show that hard work won't always pay off, and that the best you can do might not meet normal living standards.

Citation:Ellis, Neenah. "Survivors Of The Great Depression Tell Their Stories." NPR. NPR, 27 Nov. 2008. Web. 09 Nov. 2014.

Part 2: Questions
1. Did the Great Depression have an equally destructive impact on the lives of all Americans?
2. Did the people who lived through the Great Depression benefit from any life lessons along the way?
3. What are the most rudimentary needs that humans need to survive?

Parts 3-4 Reflection: The most memorable moment of the conversation I had with my Dad was his connection of the hardships faced by people in the Great Depression and our family's attitude toward money and spending now. His parents lived through the Depression, and the frugality that they practiced transferred to him, and he, in turn, taught it to me. This moment was also the what made my conversation so satisfying. I felt I understood and emphasized more with the frugal actions of my parents and grandpa, who will never let me go for seconds until every scrap of food is off of my plate. This also made the struggles of the characters in the book more relatable.To improve my questions, I think I should broaden the subject. This way the answer will be more universal, as opposed to just being centered around one topic, which in this case was the Great Depression.

Chapters 10-14: Family Discussion Blog

Part 1: Research 

Topic: Why the Government Wants Drought-Stricken California Framers to Flood their Fields
Summary: The article is about the government lowering the cost for farmers to flood their fields to grow rice. This was caused by the lack of water the birds have when they migrate to the south for the winter.
Evaluation:  This article relates to the text, the Grapes of Wrath because it is talking about the repercussions of a massive drought. In the Grapes of Wrath there is also a huge drought and people move to California instead because that is where farming is rich.
MLA Citation: "Why the Government Wants Drought-Stricken California Farmers to Flood Their Fields." TakePart. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.

Part 2: Philosophical Questioning

1. What would have to happen for you to be compelled to pack up and leave everything to go somewhere else?
2. What would you do as a farmer to compensate for the agricultural loss of a drought?
3. Is it fair that people are evicted from there homes over something that is out of their control?

Part 3: Reflection

The most memorable moment with my discussion with a family member was the realization that there is close to nothing one can do when something with this magnitude of destruction to compensate for the loss. This shows that the farmers were pretty much powerless against the drought in the Grapes of Wrath. Something satisfying about my discussion with my family member was that we came to the conclusion that if everyone in our was at risk staying in an area it would be a decide whether we leave or not. I could improve my questions not just thinking about the point of views of the farmers and the drought. I could try to look at the role women played during this time period and social-political views to focus on during my next questions.

Chapters 1-9: Family Discussion Reflection

Part 1: Research

Topic: California's 100-year drought
Summary: The article is about California being in a huge drought currently and this is calling the attention of people to take precautions using water regulations. Although, the reservoirs status is greatly dropping and they are suffering agricultural losses.
Evaluation: This relates to the text because in the Grapes of Wrath they are suffering a major drought. This is causing all the crops to dry up and the farmers cannot support themselves similar to California's drought causing agricultural loses.
MLA citation: Rice, Doyle. "California's 100-year Drought." USA Today. Gannett, 03 Sept. 2014. Web. 08 Nov. 2014. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/09/02/california-megadrought/14446195/>.

Part 2: Philosophical questioning

1. If there was a drought and you were a farmer what job would you take up to support your family if any?
2. Do you think an agricultural loss of this magnitude could have been avoided? If so how?
3. Do you think it is fair that the bank or other institutions can take everything away from hard working people?

Part 4: Reflection
The most memorable moment in my discussion with the family member was that she answered questions that gave me a new angle of the view of the story. For example she talked about how using this drought could help in the future by finding ways to deal with it just in case there is another one. A thing that was surprising and satisfying in the discussion was the talk about how the bank could have handled this drought better. We decided that the bank should have let the owners keep the land and then once the crop has gotten better there should be an increase in the payment of the house. I need to improve my questions by really thinking about the time period and incorporating those elements in my questions.