The title of John Steinbeck's powerful novel, The Grapes of Wrath, is a profound allusion that draws its meaning and imagery from two significant sources: the Book of Revelation in the Bible and the American folk song "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." This evocative title signifies a critical point where accumulated injustices and suffering lead to an inevitable outpouring of anger, resentment, and potentially, a dramatic societal upheaval.
Origins of the Title's Imagery
The "grapes of wrath" serve as a potent metaphor for a boiling point—a moment when patience runs out, and a response, often likened to divine judgment or retribution, is unleashed.
Biblical Roots: The Book of Revelation
In the Book of Revelation (specifically Revelation 14:19-20), there is a vivid prophecy describing the "winepress of the wrath of God." Here, grapes are gathered and trodden in a great winepress outside the city, signifying a divine judgment or vengeance upon the wicked. This imagery suggests that the sins and injustices of humanity are being crushed, leading to a bloody reckoning.
- Key takeaway: The grapes represent the culmination of evil and oppression, ripe for divine punishment.
Hymnal Influence: "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"
Julia Ward Howe's stirring 1862 abolitionist song, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," echoes this biblical imagery. The famous line, "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored," directly references the Book of Revelation. In the context of the American Civil War, it conveyed the idea of God's righteous judgment against slavery, portraying a coming divine intervention or a justified struggle against injustice.
- Key takeaway: The "grapes of wrath" here symbolize the accumulated sins and injustices that are ripe for reckoning, often through human action guided by perceived divine will.
The Title's Significance for the Novel
For Steinbeck's novel, the title The Grapes of Wrath brilliantly encapsulates the escalating desperation and rage of the dispossessed migrant farmers during the Dust Bowl era. These families, particularly the Joads, are systematically exploited, dispossessed, and dehumanized as they seek a new life in California.
The "grapes" in the novel metaphorically represent:
- The immense suffering and injustice: The migrant workers endure starvation, harsh working conditions, and social scorn.
- The simmering anger: As their plight worsens, their quiet desperation slowly transforms into a collective rage against the landowners and system that oppresses them.
- The potential for rebellion: The title foreshadows the growing unrest and the potential for these exploited people to rise up, much like the grapes being crushed in a winepress, resulting in a torrent of wrath.
Understanding the Allusion
The table below summarizes how the sources connect to the novel's themes:
| Source | Imagery of Grapes | Implication for the Novel's Themes |
|---|---|---|
| Book of Revelation | Winepress of God's Wrath | Divine judgment, retribution against oppression and injustice. |
| "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" | Trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored | Righteous vengeance, societal reckoning for moral wrongs. |
| The Grapes of Wrath (Novel) | Exploited migrants' growing anger and desperation | The culmination of human suffering, leading to a potential outburst of collective rage. |
By choosing this title, Steinbeck conveys that the systemic injustices faced by the migrants are not merely economic issues but moral ones, building towards a significant and perhaps explosive turning point, mirroring ancient prophecies of judgment and modern calls for social justice.
