Who killed someone at the strike at the Hooper camp?

• A. Connie
• B. John
• C. Tom
• D. Pa

Answer: (C)

The main point here is how loyalty and protection under pressure drive a character to act decisively in a dangerous strike setting. During the strike at the Hooper camp, Tom Joad steps in when tensions flare and a threat to his fellow workers escalates into violence. In the heat of the moment, he kills the man who is threatening them. This act reflects Tom’s instinct to shield others and his readiness to use force when he believes it’s necessary to keep his group safe, even though it brings grave consequences.

Connie, Pa, or John aren’t the figures in this particular moment of deadly action, which is why Tom is the one who kills. Tom’s choice to intervene and defend his community highlights the tension in the story between doing what’s right for people you care about and the heavy costs that violence can incur in a world of labor strife.