Steinbeck portrays Rose of Sharon as a mother Mary-like figure for the Joad family, and their society, through developing her character as a nurturing symbol of hope and new beginnings. Rose of Sharon’s baby was a long awaited symbol of hope for the Joad family. The promise of new life had kept them inspired even through the darkest of times, but when they child was a stillborn, the Joad family seemed to lose all hope. Rose of Sharon spends the majority of the book under the shadow of her mother, but after losing her child, Rose of Sharon steps up to make her own decision: “Rose of Sharon loosened one side of the blanket and bared her breast. ‘You got to,’ she said. She squirmed closer and pulled his head close. ‘There!’ she said. ‘There.’ Her hand moved behind his head and supported it” (455). This is the most iconic scene in the entire book because it signifies rebirth for the workers. The workers had been struggling for so long that they learned to make do with whatever materials they had available. Rose of Sharon may have lost her child, but that did not stop her from becoming a mother figure. She used whatever resources she had, which in this case was her breast milk, and used it to nurse the man back to health. Rose of Sharon is comforting the man …show more content…
Jim Casy reflects Jesus Christ in the way that he sacrifices himself for his cause. Tom Joad learns from Jim and becomes a Moses-like figure, constantly on his path to bring his people to the promised land. Mother Mary is reflected through Rose of Sharon, who loses her child for the betterment of humankind. These characters are united through their beliefs and their need for faith during dark days. People find hope within one another and surrounding oneself with inspiring people can often cause a revolutionary change in many. Hope is what humanity runs on and it is what is needed for