One of the major symbols in the Grapes of Wrath is Rose of Sharon’s pregnancy. The pregnancy represents a new beginning for Rose of Sharon and also for the family. Rose of Sharon experiences a new beginning through her pregnancy because the baby represents the future for her and her husband. They plan on living in a house with books so her husband can study. The husband plans on going to school to receive and education to get a decent job, and their baby is going to live in a nice house in the middle of the city. The baby causes a lot of problems along they way. Throughout the journey, Rose of Sharon becomes more and more pregnant. The living conditions of constantly travelling are not suited for a pregnant woman. She is constantly on the search for food and milk to ensure she gives birth to a healthy baby. After her husband leaves the family and does not come back, Rose of Sharon is devastated. That is the point where Roseahorn believes she will have an unhealthy baby (Steinbeck 354). The pregnancy is also a new beginning for the family. Along the way the troubles with Roseahorn’s pregnancy brings the family closer together. When Rose of Sharon finally goes into labor, she delivers a still born baby (Steinbeck 444). The family is devastated, and Roseahorn is completely shattered. The death of the baby represents the broken promise of the new beginning. From that point on, the story has a softer, more mellow tone, until the very end when the author uses humor and irony,whenR oseahorn’s breast milk helps to feed a needy man. The broken promise of a new beginning does not faze the family very much. They do there best to move forward and place the death behind them, trying to continue in their journey. The burying of the baby is vividly described. The family just tossed the corpse. In a way, they are tossing away their new beginning.
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York
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