The Turtle's Journey

Uses the land turtle as a symbol of persistence and the migrant's slow, determined progress against obstacles.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Turtle on the Road

The Symbol The Description A land turtle crawls across the highway. It is slow and determined. It climbs the embankment, is flipped by a truck, but continues. The Obstacles The turtle faces many obstacles: the hot pavement, a car that swerves to hit it, a truck that flips it. It survives. The Meaning The turtle represents the migrants. They are slow, persistent, and resilient. They keep moving despite setbacks.

Tom Joad and the Turtle

The Connection Tom Finds the Turtle Tom Joad picks up the turtle and wraps it in his coat. He plans to give it to his little brother. He carries it for a while. The Release The turtle escapes from the coat and continues southwest. Tom does not stop it. The turtle's journey mirrors the Joads'. The Symbolism The turtle's direction is southwest, the same as the migrants. It is a symbol of the journey. It persists against all odds.

The Turtle's Legacy

The Enduring Symbol The Recurrence The turtle appears only in the early chapters, but its image lingers. It is a motif of endurance. The Parallel The Joads, like the turtle, face constant obstacles. They are flipped and battered but keep going. The turtle's journey is their journey. The Meaning The turtle symbolizes the indomitable spirit of the migrants. They will not be stopped. They will reach their destination, whatever it may be.

early in the story, Chapter 3

later in Chapter 4

throughout the novel