Biblical Allusion in "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck

Biblical Allusion in The Grapes of Wrath
A popular literary technique that can be found in a number of literary works is the biblical allusion. John Steinbeck perfects this technique in his novel The Grapes of Wrath by introducing a character who is symbolic of Jesus Christ. This character, Jim Casy, not only shares initials with this biblical figure, but he also grows thoughout the novel as a speaker, a mediator, an organizer, and, most remarkably, a martyr.
At the advent of the novel, Jim Casy is quick to protest that he is no longer a preacher. Nevertheless, evidence of his inn…