The timeless classic The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck tells the story of the Joad family during the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s and how they leave their home in Oklahoma to try to find work in California. However, the novel is more than just about the Joads’ expedition across the western United States. Symbols play a key part in the meaning of Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath.
One of the main symbols comes very early in the story, the turtle. As the turtle is walking across an old dirt road, a car begins to come near where the turtle is crossing. The car swerves in order to miss the slow, helpless turtle. The turtle ducks into its shell for safety. When it realizes that it is safe, it peaks his head out