Biblical Allusions In The Grapes Of Wrath

In the Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck demonstrates the historical and social events of America in the 1930s during the Dust Bowl period that connects with the Great Depression-era. It describes the experiences of how families survive during the Depression-era. It depicts on how the dust was a constant condition for the sharecroppers for agricultural purposes in Oklahoma. The effects of the drought resulted in weak farming techniques of abundant sharecroppers, which destroyed the agriculture capability of the area. By means of this condition, it was hard for the farmers to make a profitable crop. For that reason, the bank has taken over the land from the farmers' families, which the Dust Bowl tenant families were forced off their land and move to California to search for employment.

she gives birth to her stillborn child, she gives life to a starving man by breast-feeding

The novel The Grapes of Wrath is in many ways a one-of-a-kind piece of literature. This work is set up unlike any other book, written in a series of chapters and inter-chapters, which do a remarkable job of informing the reader of the travels the characters in the book are going through. Not only does the story focus on the problems one family goes through, but explains the problem is happening to many more civilians than the story focus's on. Steinbeck does not leave out a single detail about the Joad family and their journey to California, and that in itself is what makes his writing so entertaining. Not only is this a very powerful topic to write about, but the remarkable writing style of author John Steinbeck makes this book a

The dust bowl was a tragic time in America for so many families and John Steinbeck does a great job at getting up-close and personal with one family to show these tragedies. In the novel, “The Grapes of Wrath”, John Steinbeck employed a variety of rhetorical devices, such as asyndeton, personification and simile, in order to persuade his readers to enact positive change from the turmoil of the Great Depression. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck tells the fictional narrative of Tom Joad and his family, while exploring social issues and the hardships of families who had to endure the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Steinbeck’s purpose was to challenge readers to look at

Learning about culture, he depicts flaws, as he’s “been walkin’around’ in the country. Ever’body’s askin’ that. What we comin’ to? Seems to me we don’t never come to nothin’. Always on the way. Always goin’ and goin’.” (163). Steinbeck would use Casy’s sermons as a biblical allusion to Jesus ministry to reinforce the theme of salvation. Later Jim Casy realizes that he has found his place in society after being from alienation from so long, with learning more about the Joad family and his experience at the jailhouse, “jail house is a kinda funny place...Here's me, been a-goin' into the wilderness like Jesus to try find out somepin. Almost got her sometimes, too. But it's in the jail house I really got her” (382). Jim Casy seems to found his place in society with what he has experience from being with the Joad family then to learning about the corrupt justice system at Hooverville then to jailhouse where he learns about the effectiveness of group action by observing his fellow inmates working together showing that sense of unity. He would then form a group after he splits from the jailhouse, as he founds his place of becoming an advocate for the migrant workers. He feels that he has to contend with the very ideals and he must spread to

In his novel Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck integrated many biblical references and values throughout the book. This provided a more intriguing and complex style of writing that he used to tell about the Dust Bowl of the early 1900’s and the arduous journey the Joad family and many others took to reach California.

When he was no longer a preacher, Casy still wants to help others find their spiritual connection. This is first shown through Casy preaching his ideas about life to Tom. Throughout the novel, Casy passes on his knowledge to Tom, who represents his disciple. Both characters develop as spiritual individuals throughout the novel. Peter Lisca, the author of the critical article, “The Grapes of Wrath as Fiction” backs up this point by saying, “The development of Jim Casy is similar to that of Tom. He moves from Bible-belt evangelism to social prophecy. At the beginning of the book he has already left preaching and has returned from ‘in the hills, thinkin,’ almost you might say like Jesus went into the wilderness to think His way out of a mess of troubles.” The importance of this is that Steinbeck wants the characters to have a

In John Steinbeck’s depression era epic, The Grapes of Wrath, families residing in the southwestern United States begin to suffer the consequences of the Dust Bowl. The Dust Bowl was a time period in the 1930’s characterized by severe dust storms which crippled the agricultural economy of the American southwest. Steinbeck follows one family, the Joads, in particular as they partake in the exodus of Oklahoma in search of greener pastures in the heavily promulgated state of California. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck utilizes multiple rhetorical strategies to reveal the nature of his characters. Specifically in Chapter 2 of the novel; imagery, tone, and foreshadowing are used to introduce Tom Joad and divulge into his character.

John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath is one of the most influential books in American History, and is considered to be his best work by many. It tells the story of one family’s hardship during the Depression and the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s. The Joads were a hard-working family with a strong sense of togetherness and morals; they farmed their land and went about their business without bothering anyone. When the big drought came it forced them to sell the land they had lived on since before anyone can remember. Their oldest son, Tom, has been in jail the past four years and returns to find his childhood home abandoned. He learns his family has moved in with his uncle John and decides to travel a short distance to see them. He

The Bible is most widely sold book in history, and possibly the most influential. Contrast that with The Grapes of Wrath, a book that was banned in America until rather recently, and the two seem very unrelated. However, John Steinbeck uses the bible as a source of inspiration in The Grapes of Wrath and includes references to the Bible throughout the book. Steinbeck’s book serves to protest the large big business capitalism, that plagues the migrants throughout the book and promotes a socialist revolution in the United States. The biblical references featured in The Grapes of Wrath are meant to show the common people will always prevail over the powerful minority, and there will always be a Christ-like figure that will lead that revolution. Steinbeck utilizes The Grapes of Wrath to open the reader to the idea of a democratic socialist revolution in the United States by grounding his argument in biblical allusions to emphasize his socialist rhetoric.

John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath depicts, the 1930’s Dust Bowl and the migration of thousands of American families who are unable to support themselves and forced to move west in an attempt to find work and rebuild their American Dream. Steinbeck’s detailed account of the migrant struggle and their experience with acute suffering during the Great Depression makes this a heart wrenching novel. The novel tells a story about an Oklahoma family, the Joads, who are involuntarily pushed off their homestead and forced to move west to the promised land of California, to find their American Dream.

When the devastation of Dustbowl hit the families in Okalahoma, chaos erupted. In the book The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck prevails a story of tragedy and struggle, but also the conquering of triumph. Each character in this novel individually matures, however Ma Joad’s development is the most significant. She is the threshold of the family’s well being. Through all the obstacles the Joad family faced, Ma grew in strength and drive as well as maintaining the family’s faith and hope for future success.

An example of a character who did not follow this belief closely was Tom Joad. He never kept his anger to himself especially when it came to people he loved being crossed. At one point, Tom and Jim Casy are confronted by police officers. When one kills Jim Casy, Tom Joad lashes out and kills one of the officers in a fit of rage for revenge. “Tom looked down at the preacher.

Additionally, just as Judas betrays and leaves the Apostles, Connie decides to desert the family and go back. This biblical reference allows the reader to understand the pain and resentment that the Joads must have felt toward Connie, because all Catholics know the significance of Judas’ betrayal. Tom Joad is a counterpart to multiple biblical characters. He is like Peter, the leader of the Apostles, because after Casey dies, Tom devotes his life to continue Casey’s mission, just as Peter did. He is also like Moses in that he kills a man and must go into hiding. Finally, the sending of Rose of Sharon’s stillborn baby down the river alludes to the sending of the baby Moses down the river. In both instances, the characters do so for hopes of a better life. By creating this parallel, Steinbeck is able to communicate a deeper meaning for the motives of the Joads that goes beyond words. The reader can understand this by relating it to the sending of Moses down the

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck uses numerous literary techniques to advocate for change in the social and political attitudes of the Dust Bowl era. Simile, personification, and imagery are among the many devices that add to the novel’s ability to influence the audience’s views. Moreover, through his use of detail, Steinbeck is able to develop a strong bond between the reader and the Joad clan. This bond that is created evokes empathy from the audience towards the Joads as they face numerous challenges along their journey. The chapters go between the Joad’s story and a broad perspective of the Dust Bowl’s effect on the lives of Mid-western farmers in which Steinbeck illustrates dust storms devastating the land, banks evicting tenant