Al Joad Chapter 20 Journal entry

Eva' since we gots here in California, all we've got is trouble.  Da fambly is gettin' restless in search of a job.  We get ta dis here camp where we is assumin' peopl is jus' stayin' the night but it is a lookin' like dis place is a permanent settlement.  Tom was talkin' ta dis guy Floyd an' den I started talkin' wit him.  Floyd was sayin' dat there ain't no jobs an' everyone in this here camp is all searchin' for something.   I guess helpin' Floyd wit his car helped relax me.  As I'm workin; I be daydreamin' out loud 'bout how I'd like to have me a Cad' 16, but that's just dreamin'.  Dat was 'bout all da peace we got 'cause da police came an' set everythin' in motion.  They was after Floyd so Tom tripped da cop and den Casy gets arrested for knockin' da cop out an' tells Tom ta run.  I wanna know why all dis is happenin'.  Tom eventually has ta knock Uncle John out 'cause he got drunk thinkin' 'bout his wife.  John wouldn't get in da car so Tom got him in by punchin' him.  Our fambly is crumblin' apart 'cause Connie jus' up an; left too.  Dis here trip is showin' what everyone is really like an' it is not a pretty sight.  I don't know what use I have ta da fambly no more 'cause all anyone needed from me was ta get dem ta California an' dat is what I did..  Everyone seems ta be questionin' their usefullness.  I don't blame 'em cause their ain't nothin' out here for us.  I jus' don't know no more.         The fact that there is no more jobs is breaking everyone.  California with the police chasing them, living in small camps as a lifestyle, and having no money is making everyone see that they should've never came.  Tom is a key character in this chapter being the nice friend to FLoyd and saving him from the cops, to still being Al's role model, to being the muscle of the family.  Tom doesn't realize just how important he is to the Joad family.  He brings them hope, especially Ma, and everyone depends on him.  Al plays a quiet role in this chapter by interacting with Floyd and realizing that his dreams of being a big shot with his amazing car is far from reach.