Symbolism In Rose Of Wrath

Literary Terms

Setting: The setting first takes place in Oklahoma in the 1930s.This is important setting because this is one of the main places of the depression era.

Characters:
A: The main characters are Tom Joad, Jim Casy, Al Joad, Ma Joad, Pa Joad, Uncle John Joad, Rose of Sharon Joad, and
Authority figures ( Roadside camp proprietors; Police).
B: Minor Characters in the story would include Grandma, and Granpa because they went along with them on the ride to Califiornia. Noah, Winfield, and Ruthie where also important because they were siblings of the joad family and help the family on the ride west. Muley Graves was in the begining of the story, but helped Tom Joad, and Jim Casy by telling Tom where his family headed to.
Ivy, and Sairy Wilson where the Joad's traveling companions till they reached the desert. Mr. and Mrs. Wainwright Share the boxcar with the joads near the end of the novel. Ezra Huston is the chairman of the Central committee in the government camp at Weedpatch. The last minor character is Willie Eaton and he was in the charge of the entertainment committee at the government camp, and helped start the riot against the Farmers Association.

Major Conflicts: The major conflicts in the story are when Tom Joad gets out and his family has vacated their house, but by luck they spotted Muley Graves and he told them that his folks where at his Uncle Johns. The second conflict would be when Granpa dies of a stroke in the Wilson's tent. They decide to bury him there because they did not have the fourty dollars to get him burried. At the end they leave a note saying who it is, and how he died.
The third conflict would be when Noah decides he dosent want to go into the desert. The family left him there becasuse he refused to go. Major conflict number four would be when the Wilson car broke down on the way west. They resolved this by leaving Tom,and Jim Casy so that Al can drop the rest of the family at a camp for the night. Al drove back and took Tom to get parts for the broken truck. They fixed the car that night. Conflict number five is when they got through the desert
Grandma had died that night. They take her the the corner of Bakersfield and can onl spare five dollars for her funeral.
Conflict number six would be when Tom Joad broke his nose when he beat up the guy who killed Casy in prison. He has to stay inside until his nose is healed.
The last major conflict would be when Rose of Sharon is having labor pains, and everyone is trying to help, but in the end the baby is born dead due to lack of food.

Plot Action: Its the family moving west out of Oklahoma to find work in California.

Theme: The great depression, and the dust bowl.

Symbols: The road is a symbol because it takes a great meaning when Tom gets out of prison and encounters the road ahead of him. Plus the trip west with his whole family. Bugs is another symbol. They are though the story like the grasshopper on the truck window in the truck drivers truck with Tom riding in it, he also uses bugs through out the story to get a better picture in your head. The turtle in chapter three is a symbol. Tom Joad picked up the turtle while walking home and this turtle is stubborn like the Joad family. It keep trying to push his way out of Toms jacket. This shows that is is trying to move and its stubborn ways like the other farmers and the joads being kicked off their farms.

Suspense: Suspense through the story would be the deaths of the grandparents, and their trip to california when they are approached by police. Tom fighting the police officer, and the birth of rose's
baby.

Irony: When the Grandma dies you would not expect that due to her husband death right before hers and she seemed strong when he died. Another one would be when Rose's baby is born dead. Through the story she has been taking procautions.

Point of view: This book is read through 3rd person of view. He is not a character in the book but he knows exactly how the characters feel.

Genre: The Grapes of Wrath is a American realist novel.