Steinbeck's Turtle- Ch. 22

One symbol that is referred to numerous times in The Grapes of Wrath is the land turtle. We first meet him in chapter 3 as he attempts to make his way across the highway as he foreshadows to the reader the journey of the Joads and many other families just like them.

Your task today is to analyze this symbol through Chapter 22. Why does Steinbeck keep coming back to this creature as he unfolds the story of the Joads and other migrant families?

A few facts about land turtles to help you make some connections:

1. The land turtle is characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield to their bodies.

2. Like other reptiles, turtles are ectotherms which means they can vary their internal temperature according to the environment.

3. Most turtles that spend most of their life on land have their eyes looking down at objects in front of them.

4. Turtles are thought to have exceptional night vision due to the unusually large number of rod cells in their retinas.

5. Turtles do not molt their skins all in one go, as snakes do, but continuously, in small pieces.

6. Land turtles have short, sturdy feet. They are well-known for moving slowly, in part because of their heavy, cumbersome shell, which restricts their stride length.