The Grapes of Wrath

"THE GRAPES OF WRATH"

Uncle John seems to be trying to gain forgiveness for a previous sin. What was the nature of his sin?

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Uncle John's wife died after he failed to get a doctor.... he's taken on her death as his sin. As a result, he calls the doctor immediately for his family members.... he feels as if he let his own wife die for no reason, kind of like he killed her. He never got over it.

"No, somepin jus' bust in her. Ap—appendick or somepin. Well, Uncle John, he's always been a easy-goin' fella, an' he takes it hard. Takes it for a sin. For a long time he won't have nothin' to say to nobody. Just walks aroun' like he don't see nothin' an' he prays some. Took 'im two years to come out of it, an' then he ain't the same. Sort of wild. Made a damn nuisance of hisself. Ever' time one of us kids got worms or a gutache Uncle John brings a doctor out. Pa finally tol' him he got to stop. Kids all the time gettin' a gutache. He figures it's his fault his woman died. Funny fella. He's all the time makin' it up to somebody—givin' kids stuff, droppin' a sack a meal on somebody's porch. Give away about ever'thing he got, an' still he ain't very happy.

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The Grapes of Wrath