Turtle Joad

The turtle, in all of history, has been seen as a slow, calm, and sometimes adventurous creature by nations. People now view the turtle as a pet or an oceanic animal that lives in the deep sea. Although turtles are seen in these aspects and perspectives, they can also be so much more than just a turtle. For instance, they are commonly used in stories to symbolize something much greater. The novel “Grapes of Wrath”, written by John Steinbeck, is a fantastic example of this. The turtle within the book symbolizes multiple things, such as not only the migrants but also the Joad family and their journey to California, the obstacles they go through, and their long expedition from Oklahoma to California.

Early in the novel, Steinbeck uses a turtle to symbolize the Joad’s long journey to California. The turtle itself represents the family. For example, the turtle’s shell, as it drags it along as it travels, represents the family's belongings, such as their car. Although the car keeps breaking down, it's the Joad's only way to get to California.They also both have the desire to get something better in life. For instance, the Joad's are kicked off their land by the banks; and they no longer have a home or job. The family has heard of the wonders and the jobs people like them have been taking. With that, they have this hope that California will have better living conditions for them. Like the Joad family, the turtle wants to get to a new place. It wants to get across the road. Although they both have a dream that they pursue, they both still have a long expedition.

Just like the turtle, the Joad's go on a long journey with many obstacles to slow them. Although the turtle's journey is much shorter than the Joad’s, it's slowed pace and the obstacles it goes through makes it longer. “The back legs went to work, straining like elephant legs, and the shell tipped to an angle so that the front legs could not reach the level cement plain”, this quote describes the turtle as it climbs onto the concrete road. Like the turtle climbing up the hill, the Joad’s journey is stressful. For instance, when they stop at the gas station they struggled to get what they needed and their dog was ran over.

The overall journey for both the turtle and the family is long. For example, the turtle had to move uphill to even get to the side of the road to cross the concrete road. Like the