Grapes of Wrath Biblical Allusions
Biblical allusions are prominent in John Steinbeck's, The Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck uses the protagonist, Tom Joad, and ex-preacher Jim Casy to symbolize Christ-like figures throughout the book. The family is often used to represent a people or specific persons in the Bible. The journey that the Joads embark upon itself is a symbol from the Bible. The biblical symbolism that is present throughout The Grapes of Wrath greatly enhances the meaning of the story through development of characters and plot. In the book, Jim Casy becomes a savior figure to the other characters. Casy demonstrates this identity when he takes the blame for Tom and is ultimately murdered for preaching his views. He also parallels Christ because he dies as a martyr, preaching his cause. He shows his unselfishness by emphasizing many times that the injured woman needs medical attention, just as Jesus thought of others before himself. As Christ said to his murderers, "You know not what you do," Jim tells the deputies, "You don't know what you're doin'," as they arrest him. Tom Joad also shows his unselfishness by deciding not to stay with his family in the end of the
The Grapes of Wrath is a story of a family and their struggles. The story is modeled after a biblical reference to the Israelites, God's chosen people. In the Bible, there are twelve groups of Israelites who were led by Moses. In The Grapes of Wrath, there are twelve Joads and one preacher, who is their spiritual leader. Casy does not make family decisions, but his words of advice often guide the Joads to their decisions. In the final scene, Rosasharn becomes a Christ-like figure in the way that she saves the man. She is not only saving the man, but a whole people. Rosasharn comes to represent physical revitalization through Jesus Christ just as Jim Casy stands for a prophet of Christ. Rosasharn's dead child symbolizes Moses. Uncle John takes the infant in the apple box and floats it down the river, saying, "Go down an' tell 'em. Go down in the street an' rot an' tell 'em that way. That's the way you can talk. . . . Go on down now, an' lay in the street. Maybe they'll know then." Just as Moses sent word about the suffering Israelites, the baby will send word of the suffering farmers. The various biblical allusions that create the plot in The Grapes of Wrath en
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Approximate Word count = 792
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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