Read the passage from the grapes of wrath. had he not been 50 years old, and so one of the natural rulers of the family, uncle john would have preferred not to sit in the honor place beside the driver. uncle john, a lonely man and a loner since the death of his wife, sat uneasily. being one of the heads of the family, he had to govern; and now he had to sit on the honor seat beside the driver. which statement indicates direct characterization in this passage? uncle john was one of the people in charge of the family. uncle john was upset about the death of his wife. uncle john liked being in the honor seat. uncle john was a very young man.