How many years was Tom in jail?

• A. One
• B. Four
• C. None
• D. Ten

Answer: (B)

Tom Joad’s time in jail is the detail this question asks you to remember. In the story, he has spent four years in a state penitentiary for killing a man in a fight, and he is released on parole as the family comes back into his life. That four-year span is stated plainly in the early pages and anchors much of his outlook and behavior as the plot moves forward. So the correct answer is four because the text specifies that exact duration of his imprisonment. The other options don’t fit because the narrative confirms he did go to jail, and the duration is not one year, ten years, or none.