Grapes of Wrath – Introductory Notes

John Steinbeck’s novel details the travails of a fictional family, the Joads, displaced from their native Oklahoma and in search of a better life in California.

Underlying the events of the narrative is Steinbeck’s belief that the old beliefs, detailed below were, and should be, changing. The new beliefs pointed to a government that, for the first time, would have a role in the economy.

Epistemological Shift in 20th Century

This diagram created using Inspiration® by Inspiration Software®, Inc.

Christian Symbolism in The Grapes of Wrath

Although Steinbeck is highly critical of the old belief system, his novel relies on vast amounts of (none too subtle) Christian symbolism. Like many other American novels, it features a “Christ figure” – someone who leads his people to “salvation” in a “promised land.” However, this salvation is distinctly secular rather than religious.

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