This document discusses how biblical stories and references were commonly used in literature before the mid-20th century due to most people's familiarity with the Bible. It provides examples of some common biblical references like the Garden of Eden, David and Goliath, and Jonah and the Whale that were used symbolically. Biblical names were also often used for characters to draw connections to biblical figures or convey meanings. The document encourages analyzing how writers incorporated biblical elements into their works through themes, characters, and references.

1. ...Or The Bible
Chapter 7

2. Key Points
1. Before the mid 20th century, writers could count on people being very familiar with Biblical stories, a common touchstone a writer can tap
2. Common Biblical stories with symbolic implications
3. Garden of Eden: women tempting men and causing their fall, the apple as symbolic of an object of temptation, a serpent who tempts men
to do evil, and a fall from innocence
4. David and Goliath—overcoming overwhelming odds
5. Jonah and the Whale—refusing to face a task and being “eaten” or overwhelmed by it anyway.
6. Job: facing disasters not of the character’s making and not the character’s fault, suffers as a result, but remains steadfast
7. The Flood: rain as a form of destruction; rainbow as a promise of restoration
8. Christ figures (a later chapter): in 20th century, often used ironically
9. The Apocalypse—Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse usher in the end of the world.
10-. Biblical names often draw a connection between literary character and Biblical character.

3. Quotes for Analysis
“CONNECT THESE DOTS: garden, serpent, plagues, flood, parting of
waters, loaves, fishes, forty days, betrayal, denial, slavery and escape,
fatted calves, milk and honey. Ever read a book with all these
things in them? Guess what? So have your writers. Poets. Playwrights.
Screenwriters. “

4. Quotes for Analysis
“Then there are all those names, those Jacobs and Jonahs and Rebeccas and
Josephs and Marys and Stephens and at least one Hagar. The naming of a
character is a serious piece of business in a novel or play. A name has to sound
right for a character – Oil Can Harry, Jay Gatsby, Beetle Bailey – but it also
has to carry whatever message the writer want to convey about the character or
the story.”

5. Quotes for Analysis
“Wait a minute. Innocence maybe. But the Fall? Sure. Innocence, then its loss.
What more do you need? Something biblical. A serpent, an apple, at least a
garden. Sorry, no garden, no apple. The bazaar takes place inside. But there are
two great jars standing by the booth, Joyce says, like Eastern guards. And
those guards are as biblical as it gets: “So he drove out the man; and he placed
at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which
turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

6. Examples
● Evan Almighty
● The Bible
● Adam and Eve
● 2012
● Noah’s Ark
● The Greatest Story Ever Told
● The Passion of the Christ
● Son of God
● Noah
● Jonah a Great Fish Story