*CH 16-19 A

The 10 Rules

Right of privacy in a tent 

Right to keep secrets of the past

Right to talk and listen 

Right to refuse or accept help 

Right to offer or decline help

Right of son to court and daughter to be courted 

Right of hungry to be feed 

Rights of the pregnant and the sick to transcend all other rights

Forbidden to steal 

Forbidden to murder

     The right to maintain secrets from the past was an essential part to the overall atmosphere of the camps because it allowed the families and individuals to start off with a clean slate. This helps eliminate biases that people may have towards on another based on certain aspects of their past. It also allows people with dark pasts to not have to be ashamed of what they have done or who they are. Because he can keep his past to himself, Tom Joad's identity will not be based off of his time spent in prison. When people move, they are generally looking for a new start, and the best way to start new is to have a clean slate. This policy allows you to do that, but it also does not restrict you from telling things about your past which can help people become more connected based on old hobbies or things they used to have in common. 

     For any society to function well there needs to be a certain level of compassion and love.  That is why it is vital to have the rights of the pregnant and the sick transcend all other rights.  Pregnant women are the ones who are furthering their family's lineage and helping the population grow.  It is important that their needs are met and they are always taken care of.  Taking care of the sick can be costly and strenuous, but it helps build a society that loves one another and will sacrifice for each other.  When a person is willing to take care of some one who is sick, it shows that they are not only compassionate but they have a sense of integrity and strength that not everyone has.  When you have an entire society of people who are willing to take care of the sick, it means that they are emotionally strong and can handle whatever their tough live throws at them.