Biblical Symbolism in John Steinbeck’s "The Grapes of Wrath"

Term Paper , 2011 , 12 Pages , Grade: 1,2

American Studies - Literature

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.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• The Biblical Story of Exodus in The Grapes of Wrath:
  • The Exodus of the Joads
• Conclusion
• Works Cited

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

The main objective of this paper is to analyze the function of biblical symbolism in John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath. The paper aims to demonstrate how Steinbeck uses biblical parallels to explore the themes of hardship, journey, captivity, and the Promised Land, as experienced by the Joad family during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era.

• The Exodus of the Joad family as a parallel to the biblical story of Exodus
• The portrayal of Jim Casy and Tom Joad as Christ figures
• The role of humanity and compassion, exemplified by Rose of Sharon
• The exploration of the American Dream and its disillusionment
• The depiction of social injustice and the exploitation of migrant workers

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The introduction provides an overview of the historical context of The Grapes of Wrath, highlighting the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era. It also introduces the concept of Steinbeck's "proletarian writing" and the novel's reception, including its critical acclaim and controversial nature. The introduction further emphasizes the significance of biblical symbolism in the novel, suggesting that Steinbeck uses these parallels to explore universal themes of humanity and survival.

The second chapter focuses on the biblical story of Exodus as a framework for understanding the Joad family's journey. It draws parallels between the Joads' experience of displacement, hardship, and their search for a new home with the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. The chapter highlights the significance of the Promised Land in both the biblical narrative and Steinbeck's novel, emphasizing the disillusionment and exploitation that the Joads encounter in California.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The key words and focus themes of the text include biblical symbolism, The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck, Exodus, The Promised Land, Dust Bowl, Great Depression, migrant workers, social injustice, humanity, compassion, Christ figures, and the American Dream.

• Grade: 1,2
• Author: Dr. Sirinya Pakditawan (Author)
• Publication Year: 2011
• Pages: 12
• Catalog Number: V284068
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656841197
• ISBN (Book): 9783656841203
• Language: English
• Tags: John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath, Symbolism, Biblical symbols, promised land