《愤怒的葡萄》中的圣经隐喻_高等教育论文ⅠBiblicalParallelsintheStructure1.AJourneytoNothing:theFailureoftheAmericanDreamThestructureofTheGrapesofWrathisdictatedbytheBible.SteinbeckstructureshisstoryafterExodusinTheGrapesofWrath.InemphasizingthefactoftheOklahomanscomingfromtheOklahomadesert,crossingthebigDeathValleydesertandintoCalifornia,thelandofhopeforthem,TheGrapesofWrathworksouttheparallelstoExodusadmirablywell:thedroughtandtheerosionplaguesofEgypt;thebanksandlandcompaniesarePharaohandtheEgyptianoppressors;thejourneyistheexodus;CaliforniaisCanaan,alandflowingwithmilkandhoney;andtheCalifornians,liketheCanaanites,arehostiletotheimmigrants.TheDustBowlmigrants’journeytoCaliforniahasprovedtobeajourneytonothing:thefailureoftheAmericanDream.TheAmericanDreammeanssearchingforGod’sPromisedLand.ThisthoughtbeginswiththefirstEuropeancolonization.SteinbeckhasthisAmericanDreamormythverymuchinmindinTheGrapesofWrath.InthisnovelSteinbeckregardsCaliforniaastheultimatesymboloftheAmericanEden.ButtheCaliforniavalleyisanironic,fallenEden.Sothejourneybecomesthefallenman’scompulsivebutdoomedsearchforParadiseandritualreenactmentoftheFall.Whilethegrandparentsdieontheway,othermembersoftheJoadfamilyatlastreachtherich,fertilelandofCalifornia,theEdenoftheirdreams.Theyfindverybadconditionsoflaborandsocialchaos.ThemigrantsjourneyofseekingthePromisedLandendsupwiththedestructionoftheirillusion.TheirAmericanDreamiscompletelybroken.2.AJourneyofMan’sAwakeningConsciousness:fromItoWeWiththemythicalmodelofExodusintheOldTestamentintheBible,Steinbecknotonlyachievesthethematicmeaningofthenovelbutalsoannouncesthenovel’sprofoundideologicalconnotation.TheJoads’exodusisalsoaspiritualjourney,ajourneyofman’sawakeningconsciousness:fromItoWe.TheJoadsasawholeprogressfromanexclusiveconcernforfamilyintereststoabroadervisionofcooperationwithalloppressedpeople.AstheJoadfamily’sfortunesdecline,thefamilymoraledeclines,too:thefamilylosesmembersandisthreatenedwithdissolution.Butasthefamilygrowsweaker,thecommunalunitofunitedworkers,whichformsintheroadsidecampsonthewestwardtrek,growsstronger.Inanotherword,thefamilyunit,nolongerviable,fadesintothecommunalunit,whichreceivesfromthefamily’sstrengthandvalues.ⅡBiblicalAnaloguesintheMainCharacter1.JimCasy:aChrist－likeFigureJesusChrist,itmustberemembered,appearedasaheraldofanewconsciousness,asaheaderfortheoppressedmasses,andasasacrificialfigurewhosedeathwouldoffermananewbeginningandasecondchance.JimCasy,withhiseye－catchinginitials,issuchachinstfigureinthenovel.LikeChrist,Casyhasgoneintothedeserttowrestlewithhisfaithandreturnedwithnewreligion.AndlikeChrist,Casyhasdiscoveredwithinhimselfacommitmenttomankind.AndalsolikeChrist,Casyfinallysacrificeshimselfforthegoodoftheoppressed.InCasy’sopinion,man’ssoulisbreakingawayfromsomelargersoulandindeaththisindividualsoulisreunitedwiththelargeroversoul.Therefore,Casyseesgoodinallthingsandgoodinallpeople.Andhefeelsakinshipwithallpeoplebecauseallpeoplehavecomefromthesameessentialsourceandwillreturnthere.Consequently,heviewsallactsasgoodandholy.Eating,drinking,talking,fornicatingcussingandallthingsareholybecausetheyaredonebymenandmanhimselfisholy.2.TomJoad:aSaintlyHeroInsomewaysTomJoadisthemainprotagonist.ItisTomwhohasbeencalled“JesusMeek”inprison;anditisTomwhomMaJoaddescribesasspecialandchosen.Finally,TomtakesCasy’splaceasasacrificia...