Grapes of Wrath Book Notes Summary

On the edges of the highway, dry grasses and weeds are armed with mechanisms of dispersal for their seeds of "sleeping life waiting to be spread and dispersed." Chapter 3, pg. 17 A turtle slowly makes its way through the grass toward the highway. He doesn't really walk, but drags his shell along, neck out-stretched with humorous eyes looking ahead. The turtle drags himself up the steep embankment next to the highway and then is faced with a greater obstacle, the cement edge of the shoulder. With effort the turtle pulls himself over the ledge and then rests a moment.

A red ant crawls into the turtle's shell and the turtle clamps its head and legs in, crushing the ant and capturing a wild oats sheaf.

After a moment, the turtle creeps out of its shell and resumes it's waddle across the highway. A sedan approaches and swerves to avoid the turtle. A truck approaches and swerves to hit the turtle. A wheel of the truck hits the turtle, flipping it onto the other side of the highway. The turtle lies upside down, tight within his shell for some time, but flips himself over eventually, dropping the wild oats' seeds into the earth. Dragging his shell along, the turtle continues his journey.

Topic Tracking: Endurance 2