The Bible Archetypal Of The Grapes Of Wrath

One of the two major sources of the western literature is the Hebrew literature,and the new and old testment is its classic text.It has important influence on the later literature.The theory of archetypal criticism begins to the twentieth century,it is an important theory to analysis text.This paper begins to study the Grapes of Wrath in the archetype of The Holy Bible.Northrop Frye was used to emphasize that we begin to study literature on the condition that reading texts repeatedly,so that readers can grasp tests overall.Then readers are able to understand works in the history of literature instead of gazing at one people,one image,one style,one narrative mode.Because in the historical and simultaneous character,careful readers are able to find differences and connection,so that we can get the prototype.Northrop Frye held the opinion that the holy Bible is the archetype of the traditional western literature,they appeared in the the later literature repeatedly and turned out to be clear union,so they are considered as archetype.In this paper there are six parts.In the first part it is the introduction,firstly literature review to analysis the research status,then to summarize and criticize these points,therefore I can find out my point and way.Secondly the author tried to introduce the theory of archetype,then study some reasons of using of the holy archetype in the works of John Steinbeck.They have Puritan cultural tradition and family background.Then in the second part,the first step the author tried to analysis story and plot.The framework of the text is on the foundation of the Exodus.They have the same beginning but they have the different result,however they have similarity,The drought of Oklahoma and hardship in the Egypt,Journey to the west of immigration and forty years in the wilderness of Israel,hardship of the state of California and happiness of the land of Canaan.In the Exodus it is optimistic,but in the Grapes of Wrath it is pessimistic.At last John Steinbeck uses this story to call on an hero to come up.The author tell us the dream of American have no conditions to come true.The third part to analysis the theme,there are three themes,the theme of traveling,to analysis the meaning of his spiritual journey,change from I to We and toestablish rules and regulations.The theme of Rejection of the eldest son,it is in the old testment and the Grapes of wrath,John Steinbeck to call on to change the society,the theme of all are sinning,the minister think sexual desire is sin,John think sin is not pardoned,the woman think dancing is sin,the other side is not guilty,John Steinbeck to criticize the modern society.John Steinbeck has some deep and profound reflections on the modern society of American.The fourth part to analysis some people between the text and The Holy Bible,they have some comparability.The first people is the minister Kathy,the first time to come into the prison,the second time to come into the grave,it is the prototype of scapegoat.The second people is Tom,in the new testment Peter betray and return his belief,in the Grapes of Wrath Tom follow the example of the minister,the author begin to pay close attention to their inside world.The fourth people is the Mother of Joad,she plays an important role in the household,in the bible Rebecca is an proactive woman,they are the same role.In the fifth part to analysis the images.Grape symbolizes hope and prosperity,it also symbolizes wrath and punishment,John Steinbeck criticize capitalists consider desire to be power,and call on to come back to ecological theology.Flood symbolizes destructive force,but it includes hope.Snake symbolizes bad result.In the sixth part,the paper analysis its feature,and it also has some problem.