In reading Dana's post about the land turtle I was drawn to Steinbeck's general use of animals thus far in his novel. Not only are some of these creatures great symbols, as Dana pointed out, but they also expose the distinct link between humans and animals. As a result of the animals being strongly relatable to humans, the reader is forced to recognize qualities and behaviors that are inherent in all living things; the will to survive and the impulsive, and possibly sinful, forces that overcome all people from time to time in order to do so are natural.
One of the first critters that is truly explored is the land turtle. This turtle's journey is described as a struggle. This struggle is defined by Steinbeck's word choice: crawled, dragging, boosted, threshed, climb, clawed, reached, kicked, scraped, pushing, strained, slipped, braced, strained, scratched, worked, waggling, flipped, spun, rolled, flopped and slipped. Clearly, this turtle had a rough go of it simply getting up a hill and crossing the road. He crushes and pushes aside obstacles, leaving a trail behind him where his shell has dragged. Any plant matter that falls on him rolls off his shell and an ant that crawls into his shell is quickly crushed by the jolt of his limbs tucking into his dome-like covering for protection. This turtle knows how to persevere. He is not the most attractive creature; his shell is rough and dusty and his eyes are fierce. However, his appearance is functional and he survives this trek. The dramatization of his short walk emphasizes his human qualities, or perhaps emphasizes his animalistic qualities that we define as human. In fact, I believe animals struggle for survival more than any human. They have more limited resources, stricter diets and environmental restrictions, and no technology to aid them.
Interestingly enough, Tommy Joad picks this turtle up. The two are of entirely different species but seem to be kindred spirits. Much like the land turtle smashed the ant in an effort of self-defense, Tommy committed homicide when he felt his own life being threatened. Both parties struggles have made them pensive yet relentless, simply trying to reach a destination that the reader is still unsure of. The preacher and Tommy both reflect upon turtles and their constant journeying to an unknown place. Likewise, Tommy is journeying to California, but where exactly and with what obstacles and consequences are a mystery. This turtle is not only a representative of Tommy, but of the human race in general; All people face a struggle to survive and travel a road to a future that is ultimately undefined, they only do their best to get there. Their appearance may not always be the finest, but functionality is all that is required.
The inherent nature of survival that is harbored in all living things is also signified by the cat. The cat is predatory towards the turtle, showing that animals must fear each other just as humans must. The cat invades the turtle's shell, his home. Similarly, other men knock down the home's of men such as Tom Joad, not because they want to but because they too must make a living. The cat is also harassing the turtle because it is hungry and must be a predator to eat. The men are also in search of food in this scene, and one of them has come upon it by means of hunting.
These similarities propose that perhaps behavior that is so natural to uncomplicated beings, is not sinful in a more complex species such as humans it is just constructed as wrong-doing by over-analyzing. The preacher mulls over his own sins and is incredibly contemplative. He is slowly realizing that maybe these sins are not sins at all, but necessary actions that all humans carry out. I think the behaviors of the animals corroborate his thoughts. Animals do not sin, they kill each other and have sex with each other (see story about bull and heifer) as a means of survival without repercussions, guilt, or shame. If these two instincts are natural in humans as well, as Steinbeck's animal-human relation suggests, then they are not really sins but instinctive reactions. Unfortunately humans are just given intelligence that allows for a thought process greater than what is needed for vitality. It is when a person's back is up against the wall that their conscience is dulled and their behavior is most genuine.
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