Biblical Allusions and Imagery in Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck always makes it
a point to know about his subjects first hand. His stories always have some factual basis behind t
hem. Otherwise, he does not believe that they will be of any value beyond artistic impression. The
refore, most of his novels take place in California, the site of his birth and young life. In prepa
ration for writing his novels, Steinbeck would often travel with people about whom he was going to w
rite. The Grapes of Wrath was no exception to his other works. To prepare for it, he joined migran
ts in Oklahoma and rode with them to California. When he got to California, he lived with them, joi
ning them in their quest for work. By publishing these experiences and trials of the migrants he ac
hieved an effect that won him the Nobel Prize for literature in 1962. The writing of The Grapes of W
rath coincided with the Great Depression. This time of hardship and struggle for the rest of Americ
a gave Steinbeck inspiration for his work. Other peoples’ stories of everyday life became issues fo
r Steinbeck. His writings spoke out against those who kept the oppressed in poverty and therefore w
as branded as a Communist because of his "voice." Although, it did become a bestseller an
d receive countless awards, his book was banned in many schools and libraries. However, critics nev
er attacked The Grapes of Wrath on the artistic level and they still consider it a beautifully maste
red work of art. More than any other American novel, it successfully -12 embodies a contempora
ry social problem of national scope in an artistically viable expression.1 In The Grapes of Wrath,
Steinbeck utilizes Biblical imagery and allusions to illustrate the struggle of the Joad family as
a direct parallel with that of the Hebrew people.
Steinbeck bolsters the strength of structure and
character development in the book through Biblical allusions and imagery. Peter Lisca has noted th
at the novel reflects the three-part division of the Old Testament exodus account which includes cap
tivity, journey, and the promised land.2 The Joads’ story is a direct parallel with that of the Heb
rews. Just as the Hebrews were captives of the Pharaoh, the Joads’ are captives of their farm. Bot
h make long and arduous journeys until they reach their promised land. Israel is the final destinat
ion for the Hebrews and California plays the same role for the Joads. Hunter mentions several of th
e parallels in the novel. When the Joads embark on their journey, there are twelve members which cor
responds to the twelve tribes of Israel who are leaving the old order behind. They mount the truck i
n ark fashion, two by two, as Noah Joad observes from the ground. This chapter ten scene is an allu
sion to the story of Noah’s Ark:3 ". . . the rest swarmed up on top of the load, Connie and Ros
e of Sharon, Pa and Uncle John, Ruthie and Winfield, Tom and the preacher. Noah stood on the ground
looking up at the great load of them sitting on top of the truck. 4"
Grampa’s character is an
allusion to the story of Lot’s wife. He is unable to come to grips with the prospect of a new life,
and his recollection of the past results in his death. Lot’s wife died in the same manner. She tu
rned into a pillar of salt when she looked back into her past. The parallel is emphasized by the sc
ripture verse, a direct 3 quotation from Lot, which Tom uses to bury him with.5 Uncle John’s charac
ter resembles that of the Biblical character Ananias because he withholds money from the common fun
d just as Ananias did. Both characters are similar in their selfish desires and they each undergo a
moment of grace when they admit to their sins thus becoming closer to God.
Lewis suggests that Tom
Joad is an illuminating example of what Steinbeck considers to be the picaresque saint.7 Tom also
serves as a Moses-type leader of the people as they journey toward the promised land. Like Moses, he
has killed a man and had been away for a time before rejoining his people and becoming their leader
. Like Moses he has a younger brother(Aaron-Al) who serves as a medium for the leader. Shortly bef
ore reaching the destination, he hears and rejects the evil reports of those who have visited the la
nd(Hebrew "spies"- Oklahomans going back).8 This parallel ends before the completion of t
he story just as most others in the novel do. Many parallels are not worked out completely and as H
unter notes, the lack of detailed parallel seems to be deliberate, for Steinbeck is reflecting a bro
ader background of which the exodus story is only a part.9 Several Biblical allusions come from Ne
w Testament stories. Most prevalent among these allusions is the role of Jim Casy as a Christ figure
. Hunter provides a plentiful supply of parallels between the life of Jim Casy and the messiah whos
e initials he bears. Just as Christ did, he embarks upon his mission after a long period of meditat
ion in the wilderness. He corrects the old ideas of religion and justice and selflessly sacrifices
himself for his cause.10 Unlike the parallel of Tom and Moses, this one is followed and completed t
hroughout the novel. The annunciation of 4 Casy’s message and mission sets the ideological directi
on of the novel before the journey begins just as the messiah concept influences Jewish thought for
centuries before the New Testament times.11 Only gradually does he make an impression on the Joads
who similarly to the Jews were used to living under the old dispensation. Steinbeck finally complet
es the parallel when Casy tells his persecutors, just as Christ did, "You don’t know what you’r
e a doin’."12 Steinbeck uses other New Testament allusions in addition to that of the messiah.
One of them is the final scene of the novel with Rose of Sharon. Just as Mary did, she becomes the
mother of all the earth, renewing the world with her compassion and love.13 Hunter makes several c
onclusions from this scene. First he notes that it is an imitation of the Madonna and her child, ba
by Jesus. He also states that by giving life to the stranger she is symbolically giving body and wi
ne. In doing this she accepts the larger vision of Jim Casy and her commitment fulfills the terms o
f salvation according to Casy’s ultimate plan.14 Geismar notes the symbolic meaning of the final sce
ne. He states that Rose of Sharon’s sacrificial act represents the final breakdown of old attitudes
and climaxes the novel’s biblical movement.15 According to Robert Con Davis, Steinbeck’s use of Bib
lical imagery shows a genuine sense of "reaffirmation" and hope in an otherwise inhospita
ble modern world.16 Once again, a Steinbeck novel has related the plight of an oppressed people. Th
is time it is a parallel between the Joads and the Hebrews. The novel reflects the history of the c
hosen people from their physical bondage to their spiritual release by means of a 5 messiah.17 In
The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck does more than utilize the novel to voice his social views. He uses
the novel as his medium to relay another set of his beliefs, his religious views. Warren French no
tes that Steinbeck feels as though traditional religion no longer enables a man to see himself as he
is, that is laws are not applicable to situations in which contemporary man finds himself.18 Sin,
as he sees it, is a matter of the way one looks at things. Steinbeck illustrates this feeling best
through the following quotation made by Jim Casy in the novel, "There ain’t[sic] no sin and the
re ain’t[sic] no virtue. There’s just stuff people do.20" The overall theme of the novel is t
hat religion is a kind of affliction.21 Once again, Steinbeck has embodied a serious problem of soci
ety in a beautifully structured novel. It is through the use of Biblical allusions and imagery that
he gives The Grapes of Wrath a powerful message along with pure artistic genius.
Endnote
s
1 Robert Con Davis, ed. Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Grapes of Wrath. (Englewood, NJ
: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1982), p. 1.
2 Peter Lisca. "The Dynamics of Community in The Grapes of
Wrath," in From Irving to Steinbeck: Studies of American Literature in Honor of Harry R. Warfe
l. (Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Press, 1972), rpt. in Hunter, J. Paul. "Steinbeck’s
Wine of Affirmation," in Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Grapes of Wrath, edited by Ro
bert Con Davis. (Englewood, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1982), p. 40.
3 J. Paul Hunter. "Steinbec
k’s Wine of Affirmation," in Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Grapes of Wrath, edited b
y Robert Con Davis. (Englewood, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1982), p. 40.
4 John Steinbeck. The Grapes
of Wrath. (New York: Bantam Books, 1965), p. 84. 5 Hunter, "Steinbeck’s Wine of Affirmation.&
quot; p. 40.
6 Hunter, "Steinbeck’s Wine of Affirmation." p. 40.
7 R.W.B. Lewis. "T
he Picaresque Saint," in Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Grapes of Wrath, edited by Ro
bert Con Davis. (Englewood, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1982), p. 144.
8 Michael G. Barry, "Degre
es of Mediation and their Political Value in Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, " in The Steinbec
k Question, edited by Donald R. Noble. (Troy, NY: Whitson Publishing Company, 1993), p. 109.
9 Hunt
er, "Steinbeck’s Wine of Affirmation." p. 42.
10 Hunter, "Steinbeck’s Wine of Affirm
ation." p. 41.
11 Hunter, "Steinbeck’s Wine of Affirmation." p. 41.
12 George Ehren
haft. Barron’s Book Notes on John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. (Woodbury, NY: Barron’s Education
al Series, Inc., 1984), p. 19-20.
13 Keith Ferrell. John Steinbeck: The Voice of the Land. (New Yor
k, NY: M. Evans and Company, Inc., 1986), p 110-11.
14 Hunter, "Steinbeck’s Wine of Affirmatio
n." p. 46. - 6 Endnotes(cont)
15 Maxwell Geismar. "John Steinbeck: Of Wrath or Jo
y," in Writers in Crisis: The American Novel, 1925-1940. (New York, NY: Hill and Wang, 1961), p
. 265. 16 Davis, Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Grapes of Wrath. p. 4.
17 Hunter, &quo
t;Steinbeck’s Wine of Affirmation." p. 40.
18 Warren French. John Steinbeck: Twayne’s United
States Authors Series. (New York, NY: Twayne Publishers, Inc., 1961), p. 109-111.
19 Steinbeck, Th
e Grapes of Wrath. p. 328.
20 French, John Steinbeck: Twayne’s United States Authors Series. p.
108-109.
-------------------------------------------------------------- biblical allusions imagery
steinbeck grapes wrath john steinbeck always makes point know about subjects first hand stories alw
ays have some factual basis behind them otherwise does believe that they will value beyond artistic
impression therefore most novels take place california site birth young life preparation writing nov
els steinbeck would often travel with people about whom going write grapes wrath exception other wor
ks prepare joined migrants oklahoma rode with them california when california lived with them joinin
g their quest work publishing these experiences trials migrants achieved effect that nobel prize lit
erature writing grapes wrath coincided great depression this time hardship struggle rest america gav
e inspiration work other peoples stories everyday life became issues writings spoke against those ke
pt oppressed poverty therefore branded communist because quot voice quot although become bestseller
receive countless awards book banned many schools libraries however critics never attacked artistic
level they still consider beautifully mastered work more than other american novel successfully embo
dies contemporary social problem national scope artistically viable expression utilizes biblical ima
gery allusions illustrate struggle joad family direct parallel that hebrew people bolsters strength
structure character development book through biblical allusions imagery peter lisca noted novel refl
ects three part division testament exodus account which includes captivity journey promised land joa
ds story direct parallel hebrews just hebrews were captives pharaoh joads captives their farm both m
ake long arduous journeys until they reach their promised land israel final destination hebrews play
s same role joads hunter mentions several parallels novel when embark journey there twelve members w
hich corresponds twelve tribes israel leaving order behind mount truck fashion noah joad observes fr
om ground this chapter scene allusion story noah quot rest swarmed load connie rose sharon uncle joh
n ruthie winfield preacher noah stood ground looking great load sitting truck grampa character allus
ion story wife unable come grips prospect life recollection past results death wife died same manner
turned into pillar salt when looked back into past parallel emphasized scripture verse direct quota
tion from which uses bury uncle john character resembles ananias because withholds money from common
fund just ananias both characters similar selfish desires each undergo moment grace admit sins thus
becoming closer lewis suggests joad illuminating example what considers picaresque saint also serve
s moses type leader people journey toward promised land like moses killed been away time before rejo
ining becoming leader like moses younger brother aaron serves medium leader shortly before reaching
destination hears rejects evil reports those have visited hebrew spies oklahomans going back this en
ds before completion just most others many parallels worked completely hunter notes lack detailed se
ems deliberate reflecting broader background exodus only part several come testament stories most pr
evalent among these role casy christ figure hunter provides plentiful supply parallels between casy
messiah whose initials bears christ embarks upon mission after long period meditation wilderness cor
rects ideas religion justice selflessly sacrifices himself cause unlike followed completed throughou
t annunciation casy message mission sets ideological direction begins messiah concept influences jew
ish thought centuries testament times only gradually does make impression similarly jews were used l
iving under dispensation finally completes tells persecutors christ know what doin uses addition mes
siah final scene rose sharon mary becomes mother earth renewing world compassion love makes several
conclusions scene first notes imitation madonna child baby jesus also states giving stranger symboli
cally giving body wine doing accepts larger vision commitment fulfills terms salvation according ult
imate plan geismar notes symbolic meaning final states rose sharon sacrificial represents breakdown
attitudes climaxes movement according robert davis shows genuine sense reaffirmation hope otherwise
inhospitable modern world once again related plight oppressed time between reflects history chosen p
hysical bondage spiritual release means does more than utilize voice social views uses medium relay
another beliefs religious views warren french feels though traditional religion longer enables himse
lf laws applicable situations contemporary finds himself sees matter looks things illustrates feelin
g best through following quotation made there there virtue stuff overall theme religion kind afflict
ion once again embodied serious problem society beautifully structured through gives powerful messag
e along pure artistic genius endnotes robert davis twentieth century interpretations englewood prent
ice hall peter lisca dynamics community irving studies american literature honor harry warfel gaines
ville university florida press paul wine affirmation twentieth century interpretations edited robert
davis englewood prentice hall paul wine affirmation twentieth century interpretations edited englew
ood prentice hall york bantam books affirmation lewis picaresque saint edited michael barry degrees
mediation political value question donald noble troy whitson publishing company george ehrenhaft bar
ron book woodbury barron educational series keith ferrell voice york evans company endnotes cont max
well geismar writers crisis american york hill wang warren french twayne united states authors serie
s twayne publishers french twayne united authors seriesEssay, essays, termpaper, term paper, termpap
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