Who were the Joads living with at the beginning of the novel?

• A. Tom Joad
• B. Jim Casy
• C. Uncle John
• D. John Steinbeck

Answer: (C)

The opening centers on family support in hard times and shows the Joads living with a relative, not on their own land. Tom Joad returns from prison to find his family already staying with Uncle John, Pa Joad’s brother, in his home. This setup highlights how extended family members lean on each other when a farm fails and people must cluster together for shelter. Jim Casy is a friend who travels with them later, not someone the Joads are living with at the very start, and John Steinbeck is the author, not a character in the story.