Journnal (F)

"A little bit ahead he saw the high-domed shell of a land turtle, crawling slowly along through the dust ... Joad picked it up and turned it over. The back was brown-gray, like the dust, but the underside of the shell was creamy yellow, clean and smooth." (page 18)

The turtle has been reoccuring in the novel in these early chapters and the turtle can be shown as a symbol of hopes and dreams. In chapter three, the turtle had been turned over and eventually got back up to strolling along. That showed that although it took a while for the turtle to turn back over, he still managed to do it while not giving up. In this quote, the turtle has been mentioned again. Though this time Joad notices it and takes hold of it. The way the turtle is described is important, because on the outside of the turtle is, "brown" and "like the dust" meaning that it has been through hard conditions. Although, the inside of the turtle on the bottom is, "clean" and "smooth" meaning that side has been undamaged. The description can be connected to a dream, because perhaps on the outside of your dream can be warn down and damaged by continually trying to strive for it, but on the inside it is still your dream and you must continue to work at it. Joad has hopes and dreams himself, and picking up this turtle can forshadow that although maintaining his dreams will be difficult, if he continues to try, he will eventually succeed.

"Well, they been choppin' cotton, all of 'em, even the kids an' your grampa." (page 46)

This quotes illustrates the theme of family and community. Everyone has to work together in order to be able to survive as a whole. This shows how family is very important because without the help of everyone, young or old, their communtiy will not work. This has been a reoccuring theme because working in numbers is best at your advantage. Plus, it makes everyone thankful that they have people to stand by them through hard times. Which they do need during this drought, to obtain closure.