Ma Joad drives the flies off Granma

Illustration from the Grapes of Wrath, vol.1,p.263, illustrated edition. Thomas Hart Benton, a native of eastern Oklahoma, was assigned to draw archetypal Oklahomans for 20th Century Fox as the studio believed that would make the casting more accurate. "With a piece of cardboard, Ma drives the flies away."Under the spread tarpaulin Granma lay on a mattress, and Ma sat beside her. The air was stifling hot and the flies buzzed in the shade of the canvas... Ma sat on the ground beside her and with a piece of cardboard drove the flies away and fanned a stream of moving hot air over the tight old face."