Sam Timeline and Summary

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Sam Timeline and Summary

  • Sam comes into the story when he mouths off to a checker at the orchard who refuses to give him credit for a load of apples that he may have bruised.
  • Sam is already in the mood to strike, and he asks Jim to come over to his tree to chat. He tells Jim about the men's unrest and about how ready he is personally to kill people.
  • Sam won't tell Jim anything specific, but he lets on that the men are organizing.
  • Sam runs into Mac and Jim after London has been elected chairman. He gloats over his earlier predictions that the men would strike.
  • Jim and Sam head out with about 50 men to picket at the orchard. Sam takes over as leader and talks about his experience on Bloody Thursday in San Francisco.
  • At the orchard, Sam speaks to the scabs to convince them to strike. The checker grabs for a gun to run them off, and Sam attacks him. The workers beat the scabs.
  • Sam tells the workers not to kill anyone, but Jim takes a shot in the shoulder from the angry orchard workers. Sam helps him get back to camp.
  • Sam goes all mad dog on Bolter, the new president of the Growers' Association, when he tells the men that he'll call out federal troops on them if necessary.
  • London has to punch Sam to calm him down.
  • Sam decides to burn owner Hunter's house in retaliation for the destruction of Anderson's barn. He tells Mac and London that he'll act independently so that he won't implicate the strikers. Sam is a violent guy who needs an outlet, and Mac encourages him.
  • Some time later, Sam returns to the camp for a moment. He's set the fire, but he also had to kill a man who attacked him. He just wants to inform Mac and London of this.
  • Mac tells London not to worry about a guy like Sam. He'll be killed for sure before long—just like Mac and Jim themselves.