The Grapes Of Wrath: Symbols And The Theme Of Man Vs. A Hostile Environment

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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 that squeeze the life out the land by forcing the people off the
land. The soil, the people (farmers) have been drained of life and are
exploited:
The last rain fell on the red and gray country of Oklahoma in early May.
The weeds became a dark green to ...

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