Grapes of Wrath Symbols – Introduction
This novel does not have one setting, as the characters are almost always in some sort of transition that requires them to move. The best way to describe the setting is to explain that the characters start off in Dust Bowl-stricken Oklahoma and move along Route 66 to head to central California. The novel takes place during the Great Depression of the 1930s and is a stark view of the plight of migrant workers during this time.
The novel has one major motif that speaks to the overall symbolism found throughout its pages. One such motif is that of improvised social structures. Since the main characters of the story, the Joad family, are always on the move, they must adapt to a new way of life. The inherent and traditional family structure is tested as Ma Joad often finds herself having to play the leader in order to keep her family together. In the roadside camps and Hoovervilles that they stay in, these groups of equally oppressed and downtrodden individuals come up with their own systems of leadership and social structure, even though they have found themselves living outside of regular social confines. Overall, these makeshift social structures operate out of a place of good will and/or love rather than greed and moral corruption. This provides a stark contrast to the greater society in which these people are forced to maneuver.
Symbolism in The Grapes of Wrath
Here’s a list of the major symbols in The Grapes of Wrath.
- The stillborn baby
- The road
- Trucks and vehicles
- The West
The Stillborn Baby Meaning
The stillborn baby – Rose of Sharon’s stillborn baby symbolizes the extreme plight that migrant workers had to navigate after the Dust Bowl forced them out of their homes. These people had no social support and many of them died of starvation due to a system that was set to take and only take in the name of profit. Anyone who was harmed in the process did not matter and was considered expendable. This failed pregnancy symbolizes the impossibility to sustain life in this manner. The migrants face a toxic environment of oppression, prejudice, manipulation/extortion, and harsh living conditions that cannot sustain life.
The Road Meaning
The road – The highway on which the Joads and all other migrant families have to travel is harsh and unforgiving. Many old trucks break down and cause those families to become stranded, often in unforgiving environments. Much of the highway goes through unbearable deserts and it is difficult to come by resources that will help make such a transit possible. The road supposedly leads to hope, but once the migrants get to the land of hope (California), they find that it is equally as unforgiving as the road they were forced to travel to get there.
Truck and Vehicles Meaning
Trucks and vehicles – The type of car a family or person uses in order to travel says a lot about their circumstances. A few times in the novel, trucks and truckers are mentioned. They are said to have a difficult go of things, but they have steady work and a safe place to lay their head. Then, there are the people with money who drive flashy fast cars. They never stick around long as the sight of Okies traveling west makes them uncomfortable. Finally, there are the old pickup trucks that families are buying for cheap, since it’s all they can afford. These trucks are being used to transport the whole family and their few possessions in search or something better. Unsurprisingly, many of these old trucks carrying families west break down and strand the travelers in harsh conditions, making them completely reliant on strangers (nearly nonexistent in this story).
The Bank Monster Meaning
The bank monster – Often, the banks that took back the farms from the families who suffered as a result of the Dust Bowl are portrayed as monsters who need to eat and will do anything in their power to do so, even if it means innocent people suffer.
The West Meaning
The West – A symbol for hope and a fresh start. This proves to be a false notion, as the West holds nothing but disappointment and more hell.
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