In 1938 John Steinbeck began writing The Grapes of Wrath, a novel which was to gain him his greatest acclaim. This novel is set in the time of the Great Depression and of the Dust Bowl in America. In The Grapes of Wrath Steinbeck tries to expose the hardships and plights of the people dispossessed from their lands during that time. People like the Joads from Oklahoma that were to become exploited migrant workers in California, a place which they thought the Promised Land.
Hence, Steinbeck gained the reputation of being a “proletarian writer” because he sides with the common worker. Thus, The Grapes of Wrath also belongs to Steinbeck’s Labor Trilogy. What is more, his novel was sharply criticized and very much discussed at the time of its publication: “It was publicly banned and burned by citizens, it was debated on national radio hook-ups; but above all, it was read”. In spite of all this critique, in 1940 Steinbeck was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for this novel and in 1962 he also won the Noble Prize for Literature.
Hence, the Grapes of Wrath must be more than simply a piece of propagandistic writing. In point of fact, “Steinbeck patterned the book on far more universal themes, both the biblical story of Exodus, and also humanity’s capacity for survival (…) in the face of (…) calamity”. It is very interesting that Steinbeck uses biblical parallels in his story. Thus, he alludes to the Old Testament, the Israelites and the Exodus as well as to Christ and the New Testament. In other words, one might also say that Steinbeck takes the reader through the development of the Bible in order to reveal the migrants’ developing humanity and religion.
This is already suggested by the title of this novel for it is taken from The Battle Hymn of the Republic by Julia Ward Howe. The fact that Steinbeck’s great American novel seems to rely firmly on a biblical consciousness is suggested in this context because the lyrics of the Battle Hymn also refer to the biblical passage Revelation. This passage appeals to deliverance in the final judgement. Hence, as far as the novel is concerned, it is suggested that there will also be deliverance of the workers after managing all their hardships and developing compassion and humanity.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Biblical Story of Exodus in The Grapes of Wrath:
2.1. The Exodus of the Joads
3. Conclusion
Objectives & Key Topics
This paper examines the extensive use of biblical symbolism in John Steinbeck's novel "The Grapes of Wrath" to analyze how these religious parallels help depict the human experience and the suffering of the Joad family during the Great Depression. The central research question explores how Steinbeck employs elements from both the Old and New Testaments to frame the migrants' journey, their hardships, and their eventual transformation toward newfound humanity and compassion.
- Analysis of the Joad family's journey as a modern American Exodus.
- Examination of biblical archetypes and symbolic characters (Noah, Moses, Christ-like figures).
- The transition from Old Testament themes of law and judgment to New Testament concepts of grace and collective humanity.
- The role of suffering and hardship in fostering compassion, specifically through the character of Rose of Sharon.
Excerpt from the Book
The Exodus of the Joads
For this reason, it is not surprising that Steinbeck also deals with the Biblical story of Exodus in The Grapes of Wrath and uses religious symbolism. Hence, The Grapes of Wrath shows the structure of the Biblical Exodus because it is also concerned with the major themes of hardships, journey, captivity and the Promised Land. Thus, one might claim that the Joads experience an American Exodus. Forced off their land by pawn agents and brokers during the Depression, the Joads lose their home and decide to go to the Promised Land which is in their case California. They are convinced to go to the west coast for “[t]here’s work there, and it never gets cold. Why, you can reach out anywhere and pick an orange”. Hence, similar to the Israelites of the Old Testament they must leave their home and cross the desert in order to reach the land of “milk and honey”, a place of “fruitions of hope”.
Therefore, the Joads prepare their journey to California and buy a truck which resembles Noah’s Ark. Most tellingly the Joad family has twelve members. This seems to draw a parallel between the twelve Joads and the twelve tribes of Israel. What is more, the Joads final meal before leaving Oklahoma for California also resembles the Jewish Passover. At this occasion, the Joads kill pigs, eat their flesh and bones and conserve the remainder for their long journey. The Joads last feast in Oklahoma like the Passover is celebrated in order to “remember the binding together of the family through God’s promise that preceded the Israelite’s flight from Egypte”. Hence, it is also telling that facing different hardships the Joads show a great will to survive.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the historical context of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, framing Steinbeck's work as a socially conscious "proletarian" narrative that utilizes universal biblical themes.
2. The Biblical Story of Exodus in The Grapes of Wrath:: This chapter provides a detailed analysis of the symbolic parallels between the Joads' migration and the biblical Exodus, while also exploring character-specific symbols like Jim Casy as a Christ figure.
2.1. The Exodus of the Joads: This section focuses specifically on the Joad family's departure from Oklahoma, comparing their journey to California with the Israelites' escape from Egypt and highlighting the symbolic significance of their truck and group composition.
3. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, noting that while the novel is deeply structured around Old and New Testament symbolism, it ultimately prioritizes humanistic development over religious dogma.
Keywords
John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, Biblical Symbolism, Exodus, Great Depression, Dust Bowl, Joad family, Jim Casy, Rose of Sharon, Christ-like figure, Proletarian writer, Migration, Humanity, Compassion, Old Testament
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work focuses on analyzing how John Steinbeck incorporates biblical symbols and archetypes into his novel "The Grapes of Wrath" to deepen the narrative impact of the Joad family's struggle during the Great Depression.
What are the core themes discussed?
The core themes include the parallels to the biblical Exodus, the transition from Old Testament strictness to New Testament compassion, the nature of leadership, and the concept of the "Promised Land."
What is the central research objective?
The objective is to demonstrate that the novel is structured around biblical consciousness and to explore how characters evolve their own humanity through the lens of these religious parallels.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The paper utilizes literary analysis, focusing on symbolic interpretation, textual referencing, and thematic comparison between the novel and biblical narratives.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body explores the Joads' journey as an "American Exodus," the role of water as a symbolic element, and the character arcs of Jim Casy and Rose of Sharon as representatives of New Testament values.
How would you summarize the work in a few keywords?
Key terms include Biblical symbolism, the Exodus, the Joad family, Jim Casy, Rose of Sharon, humanity, and the Great Depression.
How does the author interpret the character of Jim Casy?
The author identifies Jim Casy as a primary Christ figure, noting his initials, his time of withdrawal in the "wilderness," and his ultimate sacrificial death for the sake of others.
What is the significance of the "stillborn baby" episode?
The author views the stillborn child as a symbolic Moses figure sent down the river, suggesting that the traditional "Promised Land" does not exist for the migrants in the way they imagined, thus adding a tragic, jeremiadic tone to the story.
Why does the author conclude that the novel is not strictly religious?
The author concludes that while the novel uses religious symbolism heavily, its ultimate goal is to portray the struggles of the working class, thereby maintaining its identity as a work of a "proletarian writer" rather than a theological text.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Dr. Sirinya Pakditawan (Autor:in), 2011, Biblical Symbolism in John Steinbeck’s "The Grapes of Wrath", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/284068
