What Does The Snake Symbolize

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The meaning behind “The Snake” is sometimes hard to figure out. There seems to be much symbolism in the story and the different characters and items in this short story. The woman, the rattlesnake, and the rat are a few of the symbolic things presented by Steinbeck. People seem to have different opinions on what each of these items represent. The woman in the story is described in ways that made me think that she is symbolic of the snake. The woman is initially described as “A tall, lean woman, dressed in a severe dark suit-her straight black hair, growing low on a flat forehead, and her black eyes glittered in the strong light.” All of those characteristics are characteristics similar to those of a snake. A snake is long and skinny, and