Grapes of Wrath: Chapters 1-10 assignment I

In The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, there are a countless number of biblical allusions in the novel. As a result from growing up in the church and having parents that were underground church leaders in communist Bulgaria, I have personally become very familiar with the bible and its meanings.

Chapters 1-10 resemble the Exodus in the Bible; when all the Jewish people escaped slavery in Egypt through their great leader Moses and were seeking solitude for the Promised Land. This relates to the "Oakies", people from the Mid-West, that want to leave the Mid-West in order to go to a better place in hopes of gaining a prosperous and healthy lifestyle. This "Promised Land" to the Joad family is represented by California; with its description of "grapes and oranges on every tree" and a relaxed atmosphere. This is important because it shows the correlation between the bible and the novel which relates to the whole idea of mass migration to find a better place.

Also, there is a similarity between Jim Casy and Jesus Christ. Both come and revolutionize religion for a certain group of people and are against organized authority. As the novel progresses, I can imagine that he will play a much larger role in the novel.