In the burial scene, which option describes Uncle John's action for burying the baby?

In the burial scene, which option describes Uncle John's action for burying the baby?

• A. Puts it in an apple crate and floats it downstream into the town below
• B. Wraps it in a cotton band buries behind a boxcar
• C. Gives the body to Mr. Wainwright to bury because he believes that it would be a sin for him to bury it himself
• D. Gives the body to Casy, asking him to say a prayer as he did for Granpa, before he buries it

Answer: (A)

The situation tests how characters respond to death when resources are limited and life on the road forces quick, improvised decisions. In this burial scene, Uncle John chooses a practical, unobstructed approach: he places the baby in an apple crate and floats it downstream toward the town. This is not about ceremony or ritual; it’s about making do with what they have. The river becomes a distant, passive grave for the child, allowing them to move on without the burden and expense of a formal burial in their precarious circumstances. The crate protects the body for a moment as it drifts, reflecting the both resourcefulness and the harsh reality of their situation. Other options would imply a more formal or ritual act by someone else or a different setting, which isn’t what Steinbeck portrays in this moment. The emphasis here is on improvisation born from hardship and the river as a quiet, almost anonymous fate for the infant.

The situation tests how characters respond to death when resources are limited and life on the road forces quick, improvised decisions. In this burial scene, Uncle John chooses a practical, unobstructed approach: he places the baby in an apple crate and floats it downstream toward the town. This is not about ceremony or ritual; it’s about making do with what they have. The river becomes a distant, passive grave for the child, allowing them to move on without the burden and expense of a formal burial in their precarious circumstances. The crate protects the body for a moment as it drifts, reflecting the both resourcefulness and the harsh reality of their situation.

Other options would imply a more formal or ritual act by someone else or a different setting, which isn’t what Steinbeck portrays in this moment. The emphasis here is on improvisation born from hardship and the river as a quiet, almost anonymous fate for the infant.