Symbolism in "The Grapes of Wrath"

The Grapes of Wrath was a pretty literal book, but there is some symbolism in it. Most of the symbolism is about the people that are involved in the story. Ruthie and Winfield symbolize all of the children that just wanted to fit in. They were starving and did not have much of an idea of what was going on, but, after some complaining, they did what they were told and helped the family. Al symbolizes all the of the teenage boys across the nation. He was more worried about the girls along the way than he was about the predicament his family was in. Their situation was in his mind, but he did not think about it all the much, he concentrated more on the girls. Rose of Sharon and Connie symbolize a young couple struggling through the Great Depression. They had just been married, and while they were full of ideas, they could not put them into action. They had none of the supplies needed to fulfill their plans, and ended up not even being together at the end of the book, because the pressure had been too much for Connie. Ma and Pa symbolize a typical family during the Great Depression. Ma decided that she had been listening to Pa for too long and that her ideas were better than his. She started gaining power in the family, like the rest of the women did around the country. 241 Tom and Noah symbolize typical young men, because they understood the gravity of the situation their family was facing, but they show the two different things men could do. Tom stayed with the family through thick and thin, even though he eventually had to leave to keep everyone safe. Noah bailed when they were almost there, because he did not think he could make it with the family and he thought he would do better alone in the wilderness. The Joads were a typical family that symbolized the rest of America during the Great Depression.