Grapes Of Wrath Faith Analysis
The Change of Faith in The Grapes of Wrath Problems are inevitable in life, and a great deal can deter people from their natural hopes and traditional faith. The depression that the Joads go through creates questions about beliefs and religion, and shows how it truly affects their lives. Steinbeck communicates how it is difficult to maintain a strong sense of faith through continual hardships without renewing traditional beliefs in The Grapes of Wrath. The transformation of the migrants’ faith in the novel is expressed through biblical allusions. When the Joads are forced to leave behind their traditional lifestyle and begin a difficult journey, they start to question their faith in a higher power. Reverend Jim Casy, a ride-along with
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He uses an interesting technique in his interchapters, forming major ideas and themes through normal events in life that are often overlooked. Some of the events tie together his thoughts about religion and the reoccurring changes, one of them being the fable in chapter three. Steinbeck includes a story about one day in a turtle’s life, and the troubles that it faces while traveling. The turtle is hit by a traveling car and is thrown to the side of the road, but it continues to rise back up and struggle on, “[t]he old humorous eyes looked ahead…” (Steinbeck 16). The traveling turtle symbolizes how life goes on, through all of the uncontrollable hardships that everyone faces. The Joads are similar to “the land turtle,” as they are both “carrying life to the Southwest” in search for a better life or something new (Brown 49). The interchapters in The Grapes of Wrath also tell the reader about the events of the depression, outside of the Joads’ lives. Each interchapter forms a picture of the proceedings of the migrants’ new world, creating pathos of the reader. Steinbeck considers how migrants would be able to keep their faith, as they are bombarded with troubles and problems, “[t]he people in flight from the terror behind-strange things happen to them, some bitterly cruel and some so beautiful that the faith is refired forever” (Steinbeck 122). Belief cannot grow without trials, and reliable faith is made by having it falter. But how can the migrants and the Joads withstand the trials of the depression in The Grapes of Wrath to continue on to endure their new
He uses an interesting technique in his interchapters, forming major ideas and themes through normal events in life that are often overlooked. Some of the events tie together his thoughts about religion and the reoccurring changes, one of them being the fable in chapter three. Steinbeck includes a story about one day in a turtle’s life, and the troubles that it faces while traveling. The turtle is hit by a traveling car and is thrown to the side of the road, but it continues to rise back up and struggle on, “[t]he old humorous eyes looked ahead…” (Steinbeck 16). The traveling turtle symbolizes how life goes on, through all of the uncontrollable hardships that everyone faces. The Joads are similar to “the land turtle,” as they are both “carrying life to the Southwest” in search for a better life or something new (Brown 49). The interchapters in The Grapes of Wrath also tell the reader about the events of the depression, outside of the Joads’ lives. Each interchapter forms a picture of the proceedings of the migrants’ new world, creating pathos of the reader. Steinbeck considers how migrants would be able to keep their faith, as they are bombarded with troubles and problems, “[t]he people in flight from the terror behind-strange things happen to them, some bitterly cruel and some so beautiful that the faith is refired forever” (Steinbeck 122). Belief cannot grow without trials, and reliable faith is made by having it falter. But how can the migrants and the Joads withstand the trials of the depression in The Grapes of Wrath to continue on to endure their new