ng of the story and remembers that tractors are just now starting to cover the planes continually. He knows the family must be able to make it in some kind of machine. When Tom visits the car dealer, he comes away with a car that doesn't quite fit the family's needs, but Tom makes it work. He adapts. He, along with the rest of the family, learns to utilize every item they have. They discover the value of each item, which becomes clearer each day as their circumstances become harsher.Next, Steinbeck uses each major event to exhibit the kindness of the human spirit. A main example here is when the waitress in the caf lets the poor migrant have a free loaf of bread just to continue his journey. She is then rewarded with two big tips from the next customers, who are truckers that come through to eat. In this event, "kindness breeds kindness" (Carlson, 97). Another occasion is when Rose of Sharon takes care of the old man in the barn. She ends up symbolically gaining a child where before she had lost her own. These instances not only demonstrate that kindness of the human spirit, they lend a hand in keeping the bigger picture of remaining humble and obedient to Christian principles visible, including that of the Golden Rule, as key to this family's mental, if not financial, survival.The third and final major area of symbolism in the Grapes of Wrath is the role that nature plays throughout the story. It is unquestionable that nature plays a big part in the lives of the Joad's simply because their journey takes place in the middle of the planes where weather, such as rain, can easily become a harsh condition. There is the ever-present reality that they haven't much shelter from the turbulent weather, thus they have no option but to trudge forward. Weather is exposed as both a destroying and regenerative force. "Steinbeck goes on to depict in lyrical prose the disintegration of the house before the almost delicate onslaught of na...
