Symbolism was a big part of The Grapes of Wrath. The first symbolic thing was when Tom Joad was on his way home, he saw a turtle on the way home. He was studying the turtle and admiring it. It symbolised the feeling of security. Tom felt that way while he was in jail, but when he was out, he had no one to protect him, no food, or place to sleep until he got back home to his family. The shell of the turtle represented the feeling of a home and safety.
Another big symbol is Rose of Sharon being pregnant. It is because the Joad family is on their way to California for a new life and change. The baby stands for the hope and for that dream becoming a reality. The Granparents on the trip represent a totally different thing. They symbolize the past being left behind and the new change. On the way to California, they both die. This shows that the past is now behind them and there is no going back.
The biggest symbol of all is Rose of Sharon's baby being stillborn. The baby was not alive when it came out of the womb. It symbolizes the loss of hope. At this point in the novel, the family has no work, money, or place to stay. They realize that the dream they hoped to come true is not and will not come true because winter is coming and they have nothing. The baby is the sign that their awaited happiness will not come upon them.
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