"The Turtle" by: Steinbeck

"The Turtle" is a chapter from the renowned novel "Grapes of Wrath". This novels is set during the Great Depression while the Great Dust bowl was happening. Many people were migrating to California to get a better job and have a better life. That is where this chapter of "The Turtle" comes in. The turtle is trying to get across this street which could relate to the many people trying to get across America to California. While this turtle is crossing the street he has this oat stuck in his shell that won't get out. This oat can mean all the problems and irritations that are happening during the migration. The turtle finally is on the street, but there are many cars that are crossing. One van sees the turtle and swerves to not hurt it. Then another truck comes along that actually speeds up and tries to run the turtle over. The truck that tried to run the turtle over could relate to all the businesses and rich people that wanted these poor people out of California. Luckily the truck just hits the side of the turtle's shell and sends it spinning across the street. Now the turtle is across the street and is now on a dirt road. This road is safer, but the turtle still has the oat stuck in his turtle shell. This ending could relate to the migrating people and all the dirt roads they had to travel. The oat could still mean that the migratory people still had problems that they needed to figure out.