Imitation Of The Biblical Themes In Of Mice And Men

John Steinbeck is one of the most important American writers in20th century. As a writer familiar with the Holy Bible, Steinbeck’s literary works are greatly influenced by the Holy Bible. There exist obvious evidences of imitation of biblical themes in Of Mice and Men. Thus, by employing the theory of intertextuality, this thesis attempts to analyze the intertextual relationships between Of Mice and Men and the Holy Bible, aiming at studying Steinbeck’s imitation of biblical themes in Of Mice and Men.Apart from the parts of introduction and conclusion, this thesis is divided into three chapters. Chapter one mainly elucidates the imitation of biblical themes of the loss and reconstruction of the Garden of Eden in Of Mice and Men. Beginning with the story that Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden in the Bible, the novel represents the setting of similar Eden-like farmland in California, and explores the ranch workers’ earnest pursuit of the dream of returning to the beautiful Edenic homeland. Chapter two elaborates the novel’s imitation of the biblical themes of wandering and loneliness, holding that the novel reproduces and imitates the biblical story of Cain and Abel. This imitation is mainly embodied in Steinbeck’s depiction of the workers who are also burdened with Cain’s curse of wandering and drifting, and suffer the helpless and homeless situation of life in the ranch. Chapter three further expounds the imitation on the biblical themes of depravity and salvation in Of Mice and Men. With reference to the biblical stories in which human beings still get redeemed by God after the Fall of Man, and with Christian doctrines in the New Testament, the author of this thesis notices that some workers’ corrupted souls and depraved life in Of Mice and Men deeply engrave the signs of original sin and depravity in the Holy Bible, while other workers who have dream and faith in their heart desire for God’s salvation and forgiveness through their hard-workings and efforts.Through representing and imitating these biblical themes in Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck skillfully expresses his deep Christian belief in the novel, and shows the Holy Bible’s great influences on his literary creation. Such an analysis in this thesis may help to make the readers better understand and grasp the novel’s profound thematic meanings.