Der fremde Gott.

I ges this was normal for the early 20th century, and possibly for Steinbeck. But, no. I don’t want to read this. »(Elizabet) was afraid of Joseph Wayne. (...) (S)he hated him. (...) or perhaps he might strike her with his fist.« So obviously the two get married.

Also, for a family story, we don’t really get much information on the family. Joe’s brothers’ wives are Rama – she gets about a page, Harriet – here name is mentioned once – and »Benjy’s wife«. By chapter nine she has no name, a fate she shares with all of Tom’s and Burt’s children. But the cart driver that delivered some lumber and then went away got a name: Romas.