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The Grapes Of Wrath By John Steinbeck

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John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath, depicts a migrant farming family in the 1930s. During this time, life revolved around the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, making circumstances difficult for almost everyone involved, especially those who had little. This time of drought and despair caused people to lose hope in everything they’ve ever known, even themselves, but those who did not, put their hope in the “promised land” of California. Here, the grass was thought to be truly greener on the other side. The Joad’s did not get so lucky, however, as Steinbeck’s novel describes the family’s pilgrimage and the hardships faced on their journey. The novel, a romantic gospel and naturalistic epic, presents an Exodus by the family, going from “I” to “we”, home to homeless, and selfish to loving. Steinbeck uses biblical allusion and imagery to bestow powerful message and literary artistry to his audience. The novel, The Grapes of Wrath, utilizes biblical references shown through the title and the religious characters and their journey, to establish the author’s main message. One of the most meaningful elements of any novel is the title, which Steinbeck utilizes imperatively. The title of the novel, The Grapes of Wrath, was primitively acquired from the song, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”, also known as “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory” outside of the United States. This war song, written by Julia Ward Howe in 1861, links judgment of the wicked at the end of time,

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