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Allusions in the grapes of wrath
Allusions in the grapes of wrath
Allusions in the grapes of wrath
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In the Grapes of Wrath, a novel by John Steinbeck, there are many examples of symbolism. One of the most prominent symbols found in this book is the turtle seen in chapter three. This turtle is symbolic of three things: the Joads and their journey west, Tom Joad himself, and the promise of new life. First, here’s a little background information on the turtle. This land turtle was somewhere to go. Where than is, no one knows, except perhaps John Steinbeck. To get there the turtle decides to take the perilous journey down a dusty dirt road that stretches along the quiet countryside. What could happen? A lot more than one might think. In fact, the turtle faces quite a few challenged ranging from pesky insects, to ledges, to even cars. But, the thing that makes this turtle special is that he never gives up (Pages …show more content…
When the turtle is walking, somehow a seed falls into its shell and gets carried along on its journey. (Page 15) The seed is representative of the promise of new life. In the Joad family, we have some similar promises. Rose of Sharon’s pregnancy, the potential family that they bring on their journey, and the children, who could have an opportunity to grow up in a life, free from the desolation that they left behind in Oklahoma. The seed promises new growth, and these new lives promise the same. As seen here, this turtle is much more than an animal. It’s a symbol that represents to many things. It’s a symbol of the Joad family’s journey, Tom Joads mistake, and the promise of new life. Even outside of the Grapes of Wrath, the turtle’s symbolism does not end. Even though the Joads may be a fictional family, there were still actual people who took that journey, and many of them made it. They lived the life portrayed by The Grapes of Wrath, and represented by the turtle, and all faced challenges of their own. Not everyone made it, but they changed history as we know it, and that is something worth living
The opening scene’s setting gives a premise to the overall gloomy and dusty lifestyles of the Okies. The whole time period is already gloomy from the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, but the description of the bland Oklahoma landscape is sad. Steinbeck even wrote about dust like it was an ominous homewrecker. Dust and the wind and the elements in general are given all of the power in this chapter and in future chapters. Such dominant influence of nature suggests the family structure of the Joads and other Okies to be unstable. The environment governs the family, making them move, causing them to seek jobs due to poor land and subsequent lack of work.
Steinbeck strongly portrays the Joads and other displaced "Okies" as being animalistic. They often talk about their predicament in simplistic terms that suggest that they are initially not conscious of the circumstances that force them to leave Oklahoma. Muley Graves, for instance, tells Tom Joad and Jim Casy that the rest of the Joads, whose house has been destroyed by a tractor, are "piled in John's house like gophers in a winter burrow (Steinbeck 47)." This presents the image of a family of animals that have clustered together, hoping to fend off a predator with their greater numbers. They see the societal problems around them in terms of a predator as well; on one occasion, Casy asks a man at a service station, "You ever seen one a them Gila monsters take hold, mister? (Chop him in two) an' his head hangs on. An' while he's layin' there, poison is drippin' into the hole he's made (Steinbeck 132)." This refers to the devastating, unbreakable grip of the socioeconomic forces at work above them (Lisca 96). A particularly important element that represents the migrants on a naturalistic level is the turtle (Lisca 97). Introduced in the first interchapter, the turtle trudges along wearily but steadily on a relentless search for a better place to life. In a similar way, the Joads are constantly on the move. They do not really comprehend why they have to travel, yet they accept it (Owens 131), and are determined to reach the promising paradise of California. Neither the turtle nor its human counterparts will be stopped by any obstacle.
We all have that one story that we tend to take a liking to, but mainly because it’s almost painfully relatable. Well, this is the one. The most heartstring pulling story that was full of misery and trial and error was the story “The Turtle”, written by author John Steinbeck. It portrays a turtle having to hold its own weight, and pull through daily tasks that are constantly counteracted. He has a willpower that is just as strong as the fortress he holds high upon his back.
In conclusion the Grapes of Wrath is a literary masterpiece that portrays the struggles of man as he overcomes the adversity of homelessness, death, and the wrath of prejudice. Steinbeck fully explores each faucet coherently within the boundaries of the Joad family’s trials and
Betrayal is being disloyal to others and even oneself, therefore betrayal can cause many emotional fallouts and baggage within relationships. In the story, The World on the Turtle's Back, betrayal is a huge factor in how the story plays out, as it is in the song The Letter by Kehlani, Genesis 4:1-16, and Matthew 26:14-16 . Three ways in which betrayal is portrayed in the story, the song, and the Bible is by the actions people take to one another, disconnections in relationships that lead to betrayal, and emotional baggage.
Steinbeck dedicates the entire third chapter to illustrate the journey of a turtle crossing a road.A woman drives down the highway swerves around the turtle so she does not hit it. However, unlike the woman a man in a truck heads straight for the turtle as if it had a target on its back. The man does slightly hit the turtle, but only enough to knock the turtle over onto his shell, he struggles to get up, but eventually does and finishes his journey across the highway. The turtle symbolizes the Joad family and the other migrant worker families. Just like the turtle, they overcome someone who has more power than them that tries to ruin their lives. ( Turtle almost gets run over by a truck, farmer families getting kicked off their farms.) Just like the turtle, these people accept the cards they are given in life and use what they have to improve their situation, Even when Tom took the turtle and wrapped it up, the turtle consistently worked towards getting out of that coat to continue in the direction in which it was headed. Similarly, the turtle the migrant families never forgot where they were headed in spite of all their troubles. This use of symbolism causes the reader to root for and become an advocate for the migrant workers not only in the book but in real life. Through the
The Grapes Of Wrath is a book full of troubles and tragedy that a family from Oklahoma face on their journey to California to find work to support themselves. Forced to leave their home and the place they grew up the Joads encounter corrupt people who exploit them, horrible living conditions, death, unsuitable weather conditions and situations that truly tests them. This book shows just how much a family can maintain their dignity by defying corruption, authority, and Mother Nature herself.
In the beginning of the novel, Steinbeck describes the devastating Dust bowl that settles “on the corn, on roofs,” and blankets “the weeds and trees” (Steinbeck 3). His use of imagery instantly installs the picture of destruction into the reader’s mind. The Dust Bowl is the beginning of the hardships that are to come for the migrants. There is an anecdote of a turtle who struggles to get to the other side of the road. The turtle struggles up the embankment like the families struggled to get to California. When he was trying to cross the highway he was nearly hit twice, which is similar to the business owners and Californians running over the Oklahoma people. This small chapter symbolizes the entire journey of the Joad family, in turn it symbolizes the journey of all the Oklahoma people. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
Multiple nations have folktales as well as songs in their history such as Arabic, African, Australian, and European. So, folktales are widespread surrounding the world. Some folktales are for kids to have a good wisdom helping their parents to grow up them. Some of them are for adult to take a wisdom to make a control in their life or to see the best to live. Some folktales are created by senior people to give a lesson for their sons. Some of them are reported through people who lives true stories. According to Dictionary.com “Folktale is a tale or legend originating and traditional among a people or folk, especially one forming part of the oral tradition of the common people.” So, the
In The Grapes of Wrath the chapters go off from vignettes to regular chapters. The vignettes describe how the dust bowl and the workers migrating to California affect other people and surroundings. They also foreshadow the events of the Joads and migrant workers on their journey. In chapter 3, Steinbeck describes a turtle crossing a road and getting hit by a car. “And over the grass at the roadside a land turtle crawled…at last he started to climb the embankment…the driver saw the turtle and swerved to hit it,” (Steinbeck, 20-22). In later chapters, Steinbeck describes the turtle as he gets picked up by Tom Joad and tries to sneakily crawl away. The turtle represents the migrant workers and their journey to California through determination, hardships, and feeling out of place.
The turtle is a metaphor for the working class farmers whose stories and struggles are recounted in The Grapes of Wrath. In Chapter 3, the turtle plods along dutifully, but is consistently confronted with danger and setbacks. Significantly, the dangers posed to the turtle are those of modernity and business. It is the intrusion of cars and the building of highways that endanger the turtle. The truck that strikes it is a symbol of big business and commerce. “The turtle entered a dust road and jerked itself along, drawing a wavy shallow trench in the dust with its shell” (pg 21) shows that the Joad family that will soon be introduced will experience similar travails as the turtle, as they plod along wishing only to survive, yet are brutally pushed aside by corporate interests.
In chapter three, Steinbeck immaculately describes the long, tedious journey of a land turtle across a desolate highway. From the onset of his journey, the turtle encounters many setbacks. Along the way ants, hills, and oak seeds hinder him under his shell. The turtle’s determination to reach his destination is most apparent when a truck driven by a young man swerves to hit the turtle. The turtle's shell is clipped and he goes flying off the highway, but the turtle does not stop. He struggles back to his belly and keeps driving toward his goal, just as the Joads keep driving toward their goal.
Throughout The Grapes of Wrath, religious symbols crop up, further explaining the significance of the section. One use of symbolism is that when on the road to California, Tom encounters a snake. Already established in the novel is the fact that to the Goads, California represents a place of great wealth, freedom, and prosperity. It is a Garden of Eden, so to speak. The Garden of Eden had a serpent who brought the Wrath of God upon Adam and Eve. The serpent supplied them with the forbidden fruit. California is forbidden to outsiders and migrants.
The Grapes of Wrath combines Steinbeck adoration of the land, his simple hatred of corruption resulting from materialism (money) and his abiding faith in the common people to overcome the hostile environment. The novel opens with a retaining picture of nature on rampage. The novel shows the men and women that are unbroken by nature. The theme is one of man verses a hostile environment. His body destroyed but his spirit is not broken. The method used to develop the theme of the novel is through the use of symbolism. There are several uses of symbols in the novel from the turtle at the beginning to the rain at the end. As each symbol is presented through the novel they show examples of the good and the bad things that exist within the novel.
The Grapes of Wrath is a wonderful book. In the beginning, when Tom Joad gets released from priso...