The Grapes of Wrath

I thought Chapter 15 to be the most engaging in today's reading. This chapter was really interesting because it showed how normal Americans who were not struggling as much as all the other characters thus far viewed families such as the Joad's. The theme of compassion was shown very vividly in Chapter 15. It was shown when Al made Mae give the family the bread, when Mae gave the young boys and candy for way cheaper than it was worth, the father spending an extra penny to make his children happy, and when the truckers gave Mae a large tip as they left the truck stop. Everyone helps out everyone if they have any compassion at all and if they are physically able to help.
When Mae sells the peppermint sticks to the father he says:
"Is them penny candy, ma'am?"
Mae moved down and looked in. "Which ones?"
"There, them stripey ones."
The little boys raised their eyes to her face and they stopped breathing; their mouths were partly opened, their half-naked bodies were rigid.
"Oh- them. Well, no- them's two for a penny."

This passage shows how Mae almost did not sell the candy to the father because it was worth more, but she realized his trouble, felt compassion and sold the candy for cheaper to make the young, troubled boys happy.