Blog 25

Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts. There are quite a few symbols in The Grapes of Wrath. The first symbol you come across in the novel is the turtle that Tom Joad comes across just before meeting the ex preacher. The turtle is struggling across the street very slowly and pretty much not getting anywhere(Steinbeck 17). This is a symbol for what families were having to go through when they made their journey across the country. However, it is also forshadowing because none of their journeys had begun yet. It was an insight to what the Joad family treck westward would be like.

Another symbol is the Rose of Sharon's pregnancy(Steinbeck 310). It was a hope for the Joad family. It was like a new begenning. Then, she miscarages and delivers a stillborn. This breaks your heart as a reader because it destroys the hope. The Joad family do something that would be very hard to do though. They pick up the pieces and they move on. They do not let this get to them. They move steadilly foward instead of just backing down and giving up. However, I am sure they were all heartbroken inside. This is the ending of the novel. It leaves the reader on a note of hope almost because you see that if they can go foward after that they will make it through a lot more and hopefully get out of the Great Depression and perservere.

One more symbol is, the death of the family dog. The Joad family stops for gas not to long after the start of their trip towards California. They meet an extremely rude gas station attendent, who acuses them of being beggers. While they are being disrespected by the rude attendent there is someone who runs down the dog and just leaves it to die in the middle of the road. The death of the poor helpless dog is not only a symbol of what awful things they will come to do, but forshadowing of the tragedies that are up ahead.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print