Influence of Buddhist philosophy in John Steinbeck's "The Grape of Wrath".

Influence of Buddhist philosophy in John Steinbeck's "The Grape of Wrath".

Suvas Chandra Kandel

Modern and Contemporary Literary Theory

Dhruba Karki

John Steinbeck, in The Grape of Wrath presents the storyline appealing the major points of the Buddhist philosophy. There is suffering in the story, there is reason behind the suffering, there is the way out of suffering and state of being without any complain at last. Writer shows situation where characters do certain actions "Karma" to get out of suffering. At last in spite of being in almost the same miserable situation, all the character seems to be at peace. They reach to the state of being without the suffering which is called "Nirwana" in Buddhism. So we can see very clearly that there is a great influence of Buddhist teaching in John Steinbeck's The Grape of Wrath. in its representation of the major characters in their quest of better life.

John Steinbeck's The Grape of Wrath seem like a life itself. A regular life or so called "Normal Life", with all kind of feelings. There comes a great moment of suffering and many changes happens in life which leads them to more misery. In the pursuit of happiness they happen to learn much through the life. Steinbeck clearly shows that not a single being living in this earth is without misery. Even the people of California are in the trauma of what this new comers from Oklahoma are going to do and many new circumstances appear which annoys them. So there is the clear utterance that no one is free from suffering until and unless one gets the epiphany of who am I and what I am doing and what is going on around me. These major question arises in Joad family. Which leads them towards the state of peace even though they were still in same situation but the mental situation was much more at solace.

"The Grapes of Wrath" takes place during America's Great Depression, which lasted from the Stock Market Crash of October 1929 until World War II began twelve years later. During this time, a long period of drought and high winds affected large parts of the American Midwest, including much of the state of Oklahoma, creating what was called the Dust Bowl. Many of the people in the lower Midwest moved elsewhere, hoping to find fertile land on which to make a living. Tom Joad, the protagonist, or main character, of "The Grapes of Wrath" , got released from prison. He then joins his family on their journey to California, where

they hope to find a better life. This journey to California is a perilous one, and the Joads face death, heat, and poverty while traveling West. Upon reaching California, they're disappointed to find that life is no better there. We can see the rising action of plot in this part of story and it gets to the climax where there is unbearable problem surrounding them where the realization of suffering and truth of life appears in front of them where they find "the desire" of more better life is what causing the trouble. As we can see in the run of that journey when Joad family reaches the government camp where they find clean,

well managed, and well settled environment though they were not satisfied because they wanted to earn more money and make more rich and luxurious life. This journey to California is a perilous one, and the Joads face death, heat, and poverty while traveling West. Upon reaching California, they're disappointed to find that life is no better there. And that was what lead them to depth of misery and also made them realize the life in all dimension. However in this pursuit of American Dream Joad family seem to face many difficulties, which gradually teach them to see the beauty in just being alive and to help other.

Jim Casy appears to be a philosophical Jesus Christ like figure with his action of surrendering himself to police to save Tom and Joad family, Jim Casy is quite clearly understood to be a Christ-figure in the novel. Most obviously, his initials, J.C., are the same as Jesus Christ, but the symbolism is present in other forms. Like Christ, he goes into the wilderness to experience a spiritual rebirth, and sacrifices himself for Tom. Through this sacrifice, this symbolic giving of his body, he will be opened to a full understanding of the group unity philosophy he has been working toward. Here we see Casy stops talking and begins acting. As Buddha always focouses on doing ( Karma ) rather than talking. His giving up of himself for Tom is immediately foreshadowed when he tells Tom, "I ain't doin' nobody no good."

Where as Ma Joad seem another compassionate character through out the novel specifically while she leavs the cooked dish unwashed so childrens of camp can lick some remining, where she utters : Here is an instance where Ma Joad deals with hungry childrens:

Ma ladled stew into the tin plates, very little stew, and she laid the plates on the ground. "I can't send 'em away," she said. "I don't know what to do. Take your plates an' go inside. I'll let 'em have what's lef'. Here, take a plate in to Rose of Sharon." She smiled up at the children. "Look," she said, "you little fellas go an' get you each a flat stick an' I'll put what's lef' for you. (175)

Here her compassionate and loving character appear prominently where she seem so kind to those poor hungry children leaving the left over food for them. She did some good doing ( Karma ) here.

The most famous image appears in "The Grapes of Wrath" is the final one, in which Rose of Sharon Joad, whose baby was recently stillborn, breast-feeds a sickly, starving man on the floor of an old barn. Here by this image, Steinbeck powerfully dramatizes and shows the most strongest of strong and the top most level of humanitarian, compassionate behavior. Where the whole family understands that being kind and compassionate to other is the prime motto of life. If we go through the text of Buddha, we see Buddha have defined life in simple four major categories. Buddha tells about the four truths that drives the entire

universe. And whole philosophy of human kind comes inside these four major distinctions, as "www.dharmanet.org" writes: The first truth says that existence is characterized by suffering (duhkha) and does not bring satisfaction. The second truth gives as the cause of suffering craving or desire for sensual pleasures, for becoming and passing away. It is this craving that binds beings to the cycle of existence (samsara).The third truth says that through elimination of craving, suffering can be brought to an end. The fourth truth gives the Eightfold Path as the means for ending suffering.

Here we can see clearly that the suffering in our life is not given by any one but by our own desire, which leads us to that unending series of sufferings. By understanding this simple science Buddha gave the teaching to liberate human being. By internalizing the truth of suffering (dukkha), the truth of the cause of suffering (samudaya), the truth of the end of suffering (nirhodha), and the truth of the path that frees us from suffering (magga), we can liberate ourself from this worldly pain and prejudices.

Further more Buddha gives explanation on those eightfold path which leads human from ignorance and suffering to realization and enlightenment. That is : The eightfold path that the Buddha preached enjoins: right views, right aspirations, right speech, right behavior, right living, right effort, right thoughts and right contemplation. This is, the Dhamma, the law of righteousness. The Buddha urged all men to fallow this law and be saved from misery. ( 27 ) As quoted above, one experiences the right ( Samyak ) laws of righteousness, as Buddha puts Eightfold path appear in this novel too. There are many instances

where one sees not right circumstance to think or react positive but the characters like Jim Casy, Ma Joad seem extremely righteous and stay calm and do act of right speech, right behavior, right living, right effort, right thoughts and right contemplation. Which lead Rose of Sharon in the same path , who has recently lost her baby, feeds the starving man from her breast.

In this way one finds many reasons to link this novel with the impression of Buddhist philosophy. But as we go on talking about Buddhist philosophy we must not understand Buddha just a deity. As Osho tells in "The No Book (No Buddha, No Teaching, No Discipline":

Buddha is the greatest liberator. His own last message to his disciples was, ’Be a light unto yourself. Buddhas can only point the way.’ I also don’t give any discipline to my disciples. I don’t initiate you into any kind of character, pattern, should; I don’t give you any ideals. I simply give you one small thing that has to, be worked out within your heart – and that is to be more alert. Do whatsoever you want to do: do it with more consciousness. ( 5 ) So this novel can be analyzed in this concern thinking that writer showing all those political stories, wants us to learn to be conscious and know our true self of being at peace inside though many thing is not right outside in outer world.

We therefore before concluding this writing can see the strong writing of Osho from "The Buddha Desiese" :

If you really want to follow a Buddha you have to resist the temptation of becoming a carbon copy, because when you become a Buddha, when the flower opens in you – then only do you follow him. And that will not be an imitation of anything. There has never been anything like that and there will never be anything like that again. Each individual is unique. That’s how god pays respect to each individual. He creates only unique individuals. He never makes carbon copies – he never repeats. Each individual is original. (2, 3 )

Hence, I conclude this writing uttering that John Steinbeck have presented "The Grape Of Wrath" knowing or unknowingly internalizing the philosophy of Buddha. Who came to this universe before twenty six hundred years back whose philosophy is still influencing and helping human kind to make there life more peaceful and help to find way out of suffering.

Works Cited

George, Leela. "Gautama Buddha" National Book Trust, India. PDF.

<:http://www.dharmanet.org/lc4nobletruths.htm"> cited on 29-1-2017. Web Page.

Osho. "The No Book (No Buddha, No Teaching, No Discipline)". Osho International, India. PDF.

Osho. "The Buddha Desiese". Osho International, India. PDF.

Steinbeck, John. "The Grapes of Wrath". London: Penguin Modern Classics, 2000. Print.

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