Battle Hymn of the Republic (Brought Down to Date)(1900?) Mark Twain

Mine eyes have seen the orgy of the launching of the Sword;

He is searching out the hoardings where the stranger's wealth is stored;

He hath loosed his fateful lightnings, and with woe and death has scored; his lust is marching on.

I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;

They have builded him an altar in the Eastern dews and damps;

I have read his doomful mission by the dim and flaring lamps --

His night is marching on.

I have read his bandit gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:

"As ye deal with my pretensions, so with you my wrath shall deal;

Let the faithless son of Freedom crush the patriot with his heel;

Lo, Greed is marching on!"

We have legalized the strumpet and are guarding her retreat;*

Greed is seeking out commercial souls before his judgement seat;

O, be swift, ye clods, to answer him! be jubilant my feet!

Our god is marching on!

In a sordid slime harmonious Greed was born in yonder ditch,

With a longing in his bosom -- and for others' goods an itch.

As Christ died to make men holy, let men die to make us rich --

Our god is marching on.

TASK: Make a summary and relate the ideas here to the Steinbeck novel we are studying.