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The Grapes Of Wrath: Symbols

The Grapes of Wrath: Symbols


The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck that exposes the
desperate conditions under which the migratory farm families of America during
the 1930's live under.   The novel tells of one families migration west to
California through the great economic depression of the 1930's.  The Joad family
had to abandon their home and their livelihoods.  They had to uproot and set
adrift because tractors were rapidly industrializing their farms.  The bank took
possession of their land because the owners could not pay off their loan.  The
novel shows how the Joad family deals with moving to California. How they
survive the cruelty of the land owners that take advantage of them, their
poverty and willingness to work.
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 opening chapter paints a vivid picture of the situation facing the
drought-stricken farmers of Oklahoma. Dust is described a covering everything,
smothering the life out of anything that wants to grow.  The dust is symbolic of
the erosion of the lives of the people.  The dust is synonymous with "deadness".
The land is ruined ^way of life (farming) gone, people ^uprooted and forced to
leave.  Secondly, the dust stands for ^profiteering banks in the background...