Which family member dies, prompting Tom to select a verse from the Old Testament?

Which family member dies, prompting Tom to select a verse from the Old Testament?

• A. Grandpa
• B. Ma
• C. Tom
• D. Casy

Answer: (A)

The moment centers on how Tom leans on faith to steady the family in suffering. When the grandfather dies, Tom chooses an Old Testament verse to anchor the Joads, offering a shared source of comfort and meaning in the face of loss. This act shows Tom stepping into a protective, stabilizing role for the family, using religious tradition to interpret hardship and to keep hope alive as they continue their precarious journey. Ma is alive at this point, and Tom’s leadership and use of scripture aren’t triggered by his own death or by Casy’s later death, so those options don’t fit the moment described.

The moment centers on how Tom leans on faith to steady the family in suffering. When the grandfather dies, Tom chooses an Old Testament verse to anchor the Joads, offering a shared source of comfort and meaning in the face of loss. This act shows Tom stepping into a protective, stabilizing role for the family, using religious tradition to interpret hardship and to keep hope alive as they continue their precarious journey.

Ma is alive at this point, and Tom’s leadership and use of scripture aren’t triggered by his own death or by Casy’s later death, so those options don’t fit the moment described.