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Biblical Relationships in Wangerin's The Book of the Dun Cow
The relationship between good and evil in Wangerin's novel, The Book of the Dun Cow,
is conveyed by farm animals that portray characteristics of religious characters and events from
the Holy Bible.Wangerin, being a preacher and long-term religious writer clearly shows
examples of these biblical events. The plot and events that happen throughout this novel are
very closely related to the events that happen in the Holy Bible, and can easily be interpreted by
the reader.Biblical events such as David and Goliath, the Birth of Christ, War in Heaven, and
King Alexander's decapitation (Old Testament) can be linked into this novel.
In the early chapters of the novel we are introduced to an evil being known as Wyrm.
Wyrm represents the Devil in the novel.Wyrm is described as something that "lived in the
darkness, in dampness, in the cold.He stank fearfully, because his outer skin was always rotting,
a runny putrefaction which made him itch, and which he tore away from himself by scraping his
back against the granite teeth of the deep." (Wangerin, 23)Wyrm, much like the Devil lived
underneath the earth.Wyrm and the Devil both spent all their spare time spreading their evil
ways and taking over the animal's souls.
Senex, an old rooster, was one of the animals that the evil invaded.Wyrm visited Senex
through a dream. Wyrm said, "And you have no son.A son would make your death honorable.
And heir would preserve your name.A prince upon any one of them would snap your Hens into
order." (Wyrm, 27)Wyrm then says, "…I promise you that you shall have a son." (Wyrm, 28).
Wangerin uses Wyrm much like God uses Mary to give birth to his son.However, the
two linked events are rather contrary to one-another because Wyrm picks a male character to bear
his child, unlike god who p…