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Peiyun Liu
English 336
Linda Helstern
October 2, 2010
Short Literary Argument/Analysis Paper
To a God Unknown is a novel by John Steinbeck. The novel is describing a man
Joseph Waynes relationship with his land, nature, and his family. However, in the story I
noticed that John Steinbecks novel To a God Unknown is not all about exploring mans
relationship with nature, but also womens relationship with nature. In the novel shows
there is a connection between Elizabeth and the rock, which reflect to one of the ecocritical
frames Ecofeminism. Ecofeminism describes the movements and philosophies that
between feminism and ecology. It connects the exploitation and domination of women with
the environment, and shows that there is a special connection between women and nature
in a positive way.
In John Steinbecks To a God Unknown, he shows the ecofeminism by describing the
relationship between Elizabeth and the rock, and how does it affect Josephs love for his
land. In the almost end of the novel, Elizabeth attempts to confront her fears of the rock by
climbing on top of it but she tumbled from the rock and to her death. In ecofeminism way of
this novel, what are the significance or the point of Elizabeths death? I think the
significance of Elizabeths death in this novel is to make Joseph loves his land more and also
to the point he is extremely in love with the rock, so he chooses to stay with the land and
protect it by suicide himself in the end of the book.
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After Elizabeth died next to the rock, I think the novel shows Joseph believes that
Elizabeths spirit has entered in the rock, just like he believes that his fathers spirit has
entered in the oak tree as well. In page 133, after Elizabeth died next to the rock, Joseph
said, It was the on chance to communicate, he said. Now it is gone. Then he sat by
Elizabeths body for a while then he stood up lifted his head and stroked the rock said,
Now you are two, and you are here. Now I will know where I must come. It shows that
after Elizabeth died, he thought she is gone, but after he sat next to the rock for a while, he
believes Elizabeths spirit has went into the rock after she died. In page 137, he said to
Rama of Elizabeth and of all the things that die. Everything seems to work with a recurring
rhythm except life. There is only one birth and only one death. Nothing else is like that. it
shows that Joseph is comparing Elizabeths life with natures life. He thinks once human is
died then is died, but natures can always come back like a recurring rhythm or a circle. I
believe that this is the reason he loves nature so much because the life of nature is
permanent and he wants to believe that Elizabeths soul is in the rock so it will always stays
permanent as well.
When the lands and animals are dying from the drought. Thomas and Rama asked
Joseph to go with them to find a new place to start. Joseph refused and said to Rama
Theres a circle in the grove, and a great rock in the circle. The rock killed Elizabeth. And
on the hill over there are graves of Benjy and Elizabeth, and The land is struck, he went
on. The land is not dead, but it is sinking under a force too strong for it. And I am staying to
protect the land. He thinks that he has to stay there to protect the land because the grove,
the rock, and Elizabeth. In page 159, Joseph smiled at the pine grove and said, Now we are
one, he thought, and now we are alone; we will be working together. I think he is talking
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to the rock and Elizabeth both, because since Elizabeth died, the love he has for Elizabeth is
combining with the love he has for nature and rock. Now for Joseph, the relationship
between the nature and Elizabeth are together so that makes his love of the nature and
rock stronger.
In the almost end of the story, the drought is there, and everything seems dying. In
page 183, Joseph regarded the dying moss and the circle of tress. This is gone now. I am
all alone. And then a panic fell upon him. Why should I stay in this dead place?
Apparently, he thinks when the moss on the rock is gone there is no point for him to stay,
and by trying to stop it from dying he cut his wrist from the top of the rock. He wants to
save the moss by giving it his blood. In page 184, he thinks, I am the land, he said, and I
am the rain. The grass will grow out of me in a little while. So he thinks he is the rain, by
sacrifice his life and blood for the rock and the moss, his sacrificing also bring the ring to
save the land.
In To a God Unknown, after Elizabeth died, the relationship between the rock and
Elizabeth did changed Josephs behavior and his love to the nature. His behavior towards
the land and the rock became more protecting and loving. I believe that he thinks
Elizabeths soul went into the rock so that makes him wanting to protect the grove and the
rock more. Even thought, Thomas and Rama asked him to leave the land and go with them
to start a new home at other place, he refused and wanting to stay for his land and protect
it. In the end, he thinks the sacrificing of himself and his blood will save the rock and
eventually it did. I think one of the reasons he loves the nature so much its because he
thinks the life of nature is a circle and a recurring rhythm which is permanent. It will
always come back. Then he makes himself to believe that his wifes spirit entered the rock
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so her soul will also stays permanent. Also, he love he has for Elizabeth and the rock and
nature combine together after she died, and thats the reason his love towards to the rock
becoming extremely and more, so he tried everything he could to not let the land and moss
fade away.
Ecofeminism is the movements and philosophies that between feminism and
ecology. In the novel To a God Unknown by John Steinbeck, I found the ecofeminism is
really interesting, especially after the protagonists wife died in this novel. After Elizabeth
died next to the rock by climbing on it, the relationship between Elizabeth and the rock
changed Joseph. Which is the significance of Elizabeths death that he believes Elizabeths
spirit is with the rock, and that changes Joseph loves the nature and the rock so much,
which is too much that he sacrifices his life and blood for it.












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Works Citied
Steinbeck, John. To a God Unknown. New York: Penguin, 1995.
Warren, Karen. Ecofeminism : Women, Culture, Nature. n.p.: Indiana University Press,
1997. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 1 Oct. 2012.