Why do you think that Steinbeck again paints the picture of Kino observing the ants? What can this symbolize?

I believe that as Kino watches the ants, he sees that they keep moving regardless of the obstacles placed in their way. From this, he deduces that he and his family must do the same.

But Kino sat on the ground and stared at the earth in front of him. He watched the ants moving, a little column of them near to his foot, and he put his foot in their path. Then the column climbed over his instep and continued on its way, and Kino left his foot there and watched them move over it.