Chapter 26

During this chapter, the family cannot find work near Weedpatch so they must pack up and leave. After Tom tells them of the work near Marysville, they head north, where the cotton is about ready to be harvested, and stay at the Hooper Ranch, which is much less comfortable than Weedpatch. The family soon begins to fall apart. Pa makes a comment about how women seem to be in control, and it might be time to get the stick out. Ma hears this and explains to him that the control has changed because the men no longer provide for the family like they are supposed to. After this, Ma become the head of the household.
Al becomes preoccupied with finding a girl to settle down with, along with a steady job as a mechanic. Rose becomes fearful of her child, and thinks that the murders her brothers committed will scar her baby for life. This shows us in some way how Rose is like Mrs. Sandry, the woman who told Rose not to hug-dance or act because it was sin and she would lose her baby.
A store near Hooper Ranch, has raised prices because it is the only store near the ranch where the workers can purchase groceries. Besides that, the wages are high enough to raise the prices because of a recent strike. While Tom is walking to the store, he is joined with Jim Casy again. Casy was released from jail and is now an activist who has found his religious side again. He is with a group of men that are also on strike. At this time, the police meet Tom, Casy, and the strikers. One of the men hits Casy in the head with a pick handle. This angers Tom, and he begins to fight with the man. He gets the pick away from the man and hits him with it, killing him. Tom leaves immediately.
Because of Tom's "heroic" act, Tom must leave Hooper Ranch so as not to get captured by the police. Tom wants to flee the area by himself but Ma will not let him split up the family anymore.