In Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, Rose of Sharon gives birth to a stillborn child. In describing how her uncle disposes of the child's body, Steinbeck makes an allusion to the biblical figure Moses, who leads his people to liberty after a period of bondage and suffering. In the concluding scene of the novel, Rose of Sharon is transformed into a Virgin Mary−like figure who is ready to sacrifice for others despite her sorrow. Viewed in the light of the other images that Steinbeck uses, what does Rose of Sharon's pregnancy likely symbolize?

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