The Theme Of Jesus Christ In John Steinbeck's Grapes Of Wrath

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

As we look at the characters within the story, they exemplify and convey the souls present in the bible. Jim Casy forms an obvious parallel with Jesus Christ, as a preacher who proves his dissatisfaction and unrest in his view of the establishment, and has abandoned his preaching style of his earlier life. Just as Jesus changed from the teaching of the Old Testament to promote greater self-discipline and a New Harmony. Tom Joad follows Casy initially, learning from him, until he is ready to take over the message himself after Jim Casy dies, which can be seen as a symbol of his disciple. Just like Christ followers carried on and shared the messages to form the idea that Jesus is still alive even after he died, Tom continued to teach the preachings of Casy once he dies a martyr 's death.Casy is also a prophet and Christ-like figure and we see this when he says: "You don 't know what you 're a doin, '" which reminds us of the

As the novel begins, Tom has a completely independent outlook on life; concerned only with returning home from prison to indulge his own comforts and wants. It is only later after he has endured the hardships of the journey, in Jim Casy’s death, and his own exile, that he has time to think and realizes that it is united we stand, and divided we fall. He thus sacrifices his personal concerns and safety and leaves the family to go out into the larger community and help his people. He will go out and work to complete what Jim Casy had started. Whereas Jim Casy was too much of an idealist, Tom will try and put his plan into action: “Wherever they’s a fight so hungry people can eat, I’ll be there. Wherever they’s a cop beatin’ up a guy, I’ll be there.” (537)

A major way the author integrates this theme into the reading is when Jim Casy is determined to give himself up for Tom. After Tom trips a police officer, Casy kicks the police officer in the neck to knock him out. Casy is aware the officer will not be out much longer and suggests that Tom should get out of there. Tom is skeptical of Casy’s offer to run but Casy brings Tom’s family back to his attention, “Somebody got to take the blame. I got no kids. They’ll jus’ put me in jail, an’ I ain’t doin’ nothin’ but set

The Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck, is a novel which demonstrates the lives of families during the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s and the struggles they faced on their route to California. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck applies his writing style in order to convey the theme and general plot of the novel.

Beginning in chapter four, where Tom first meets Jim Casy, there starts a trend of religious references; the first major reference is Jim Casy singing 'Jesus is my Baby'. Jim is a retired preacher, who doesn't believe in the religion that he has been preaching all his life. Jim is a character who resembles Jesus Christ, a person who chooses to go on

John Steinbeck's epic novel, The Grapes of Wrath, chronicles the struggles of the Joads as they join the thousands of fellow "Okies" in a mass migration westward. The Joads reluctantly leave behind their Oklahoma farm in search of work and food in California. While Steinbeck writes profoundly and emotionally about the political problems of the Great Depression, his characters also show evidence of a deep concern with spirituality. When they feel hopeless and are uncertain about their immediate future, their concentration on religion dwindles. On the other hand, when they leave their home, the Joads regain spiritual faith; they have something to live for: California. Once

Jim Casy, a martyr and leader with a large following, reflects the sacrifices of Jesus Christ for the downtrodden by uniting the less privileged and rebelling against the religious constrictions of their time. Jim Casy parallels Jesus Christ in many ways throughout the novel. Steinbeck purposefully gave Jim Casy the same initials as Jesus Christ in order to signify the link between these two influential figures. Jim Casy, like Jesus Christ, is consistently willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good. When a scuffle ensues between Tom Joad and a police officer in Hooverville, Jim Casey offers take the blame: “Somebody got to take the blame. I got no kids. They’ll jus’ put me in jail, an’ I ain’t doin’ nothin’ but set aroun”(266-267). Jim does not want Tom to be arrested because Tom has broken parole, Jim recognizes that there would be less suffering if he takes the blame, so he does. Jim is watching out for someone he cares for deeply, and is willing to make a sacrifice for Tom. He would rather be punished than see another person be punished more than himself. Jim believes that since he’s “got no kids,” it would be better for him to be in jail as compared to Tom because Tom has a family and is someone’s son. Jim values family and wants to keep the Joad family together and since he does not have his own family and does not have a present father, Jim believes it would be better for him to be in jail as opposed to Tom. Jim thinks that his life is less important than some

Above all it showed everyone that these "damn Okies" were all simply men, women, and children, no different from anyone else, just poorer (Frohock 133). They were human beings with feelings and not the uncivilized beasts they were portrayed as at the time. John Steinbeck carefully molded his story The Grapes of Wrath to encompass many themes and ideas. To help enforce his message Steinbeck included several Biblical allusions. John Steinbeck uses Biblical allusions to create the theme that strength to survive comes from faith by using characters and events. Steinbeck creates the theme of the novel by alluding the characters in his story to characters in the Bible. Jim Casy is an allusion to Jesus Christ. They have the same initials and live their lives as examples of their beliefs: Jesus to the world as Casy is to Tom (Rombold 149). Casy even compares himself to Christ when he says, "I got tired like Him, an' I got mixed up like Him, an' I went into the wilderness like Him, without no campin' stuff" (105). In the first half of the book Casy is thinking and forming his ideas. He changes from a thinker to a man of action when he sacrifices himself for Tom (Slade 242). When in prison Casy sees the advantage of organizing people to achieve a common goal. When Casy tried to put his ideas into action he, like Christ, aroused the antagonism of the people in authority and was brutally killed. He died, like Christ saying to his crucifiers,

After arriving at the peach farm, Tom ventures out that night, and stumbles upon Jim Casy and a few other men in a ravine. Casy frequently articulated his ideas of the oversoul, and after being imprisoned, Casy feels that he found his true purpose in life, and spoke to Tom about the importance of unity, which inspired Tom greatly. Jim’s death inspired Tom even more, for Jim died for a cause he believed in, “Tom looked down at the preacher. The light crossed the heavy man’s legs and the white new pick handle. Tom leaped silently.” (pg386). Jim’s death left Tom on a mission, a mission to spread his ideology. Tom then realized that the migrants had to unite or else they would die, and they would never succeed. Tom’s final conversation with Ma was deeply profound, and his final influence over her would travel to the rest of the family, “‘Well, maybe like Casy says, a fella ain’t got a soul of his own, but on’y a piece of a big one-an’then-...Then it don’t matter. Then I’ll be all aroun’ in the dark. I’ll be ever’where-wherever you look...See? God, I’m talkin’ like Casy.’” (pg419). Tom’s “I’ll be there” speech was his final influence, and his final impact moment of the book. He reaches a full understanding of the oversoul and the need for unification, and this is his epiphany along with all the other

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.

In The Grapes of Wrath, the Joad family experiences many hardships on the journey to and in California, ranging from dying family members to a lack of sufficient food. In the third chapter of the novel, author John Steinbeck introduces a determined turtle who attempts to make its journey across a highway. The turtle is apparently nearly run over multiple times, and is actually hit by a car. This causes the turtle to be flipped on its shell, until it catches its footing and “little by little the shell [pulls] over and [is] flopped upright”(16). The turtle then continues its journey and successfully crosses the highway. Although this chapter may have seemed out of place, as the turtle seems to have nothing to do with the novel, Steinbeck’s use of symbolism is apparent. The turtle itself is supposed to symbolize the Joad family and the struggles they face trying to find a better life. Like the turtle, the family is knocked down many times, and like the turtle the family is still able to find its footing and stay determined. The Joad family’s goal is to make a living in California, and although they will face many challenges, they still have their eyes set on crossing their own personal and hazardous turtle highway.

   When Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath, our country was just starting to recover from The Great Depression.  The novel he wrote, though fiction, was not an uncommon tale in many lives.  When this book was first published, the majority of those reading it understood where it was coming from-they had lived it.  But now very few people understand the horrors of what went on in that time.  The style in which Steinbeck chose to write The Grapes of Wrath helps get across the book's message.

In The Grapes of Wrath, the Joads lose their land, are separated and there is no promise of work. However, they still hold their faith and help a starving person even though they are poor (Steinberg 312). Sharon gives birth to a stillborn baby and the family is in distress (Steinberg 310). They however get passed their grief and hold their faith with the hope of better days to

An individual confronting injustice is caused from the government’s devious and forceful laws. In The Grapes of Wrath, Ma, Pa, Tom Joad, and the rest of the family are fighting for their freedom of taking back their land but would present their way in confronting injustice. The conflicts occurring in the novel is due to their loss of home and going to California, hoping for success to find happiness and struggle free. At the same time it isn’t their fault because as a role, they look up to the leader, not knowing what trouble they have to deal with. Steinbeck had a purpose for this novel in order to portray the readers and to give an example based on society’s actions toward each other. Today in some countries, this is still happening. Many people suffer from little pay or no pay at all while being threatened at the same time. As they say, “History repeats itself.”