Ivy and Sairy Wilson

Character Analysis

Ivy and Sairy Wilson are the first people that the Joads encounter on their journey to California. The Joads camp next to them on the first night on the road, and the two families become two peas in a pod. Sairy Wilson instantly offers to let Grampa rest in her tent and on her cot. When Grampa dies on this very same cot soon after, Sairy helps Ma Joad prepare his body, while the men dig his grave.

From then on, the Joads and the Wilsons unite and travel together in their two cars. When Sairy becomes too sick after crossing the Californian border to press on, Ivy tells the Joads to leave without them. The Joads don't like the idea of this, but Ivy is dead set on making them go. Ma leaves money and food for the Wilsons, which Ivy will not immediately accept, knowing how great a sacrifice such money and food are.