The Pilgrim's Progress

Through the names of the pilgrims and the situations they conquer, Bunyan shows the traits people need to reach salvation. Pick one pilgrim or conflict and explain why that trait or scene is important.

In his article for The Guardian, Robert McCrum identifies an “engaging sense of humour” in The Pilgrim’s Progress. Choose two or three comedic moments in the book. Discuss what makes them funny and how the humor supports Bunyan’s goal of producing an accessible, instructive work.

Many critics and scholars identify The Pilgrim’s Progress as the first example of the English novel. Unpack this statement and talk about the similarities between Bunyan’s allegory and the modern novel.

Analyze The Pilgrim’s Progress through the lens of a modern critical school (e.g., Postmodernism, Marxism, feminist theory, queer theory, etc.). For example, a postmodern view could emphasize the number of allusions, references, and forms in the work.

Select one of the many antagonists that the pilgrims meet and explain why that person or monster is particularly bad. Discuss what makes them inimical to the pilgrims and their belief system.

Imagine The Pilgrim’s Progress in another medium. People have turned the book into a movie over the years—most recently in 2019—but consider how the story would unfold as a TV series, a podcast, or a video game. Discuss how the medium might change the story and which parts could stay the same.

Bunyan’s book inspired many other authors, including Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre (1847) and Mark Twain’s travel log The Innocents Abroad, or the New Pilgrim’s Progress (1869). Even books that don’t have an explicit connection might share traits. In Lewis Carroll’s novel for children, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865), Alice has a dream and must endure an arduous journey. Pick out an applicable book—or movie, TV show, etc.—and compare and contrast it with The Pilgrim’s Progress.

In his introduction to the Oxford World Classics edition of Bunyan’s books, W. R. Owens says, “The heroes of The Pilgrim’s Progress are ordinary people striving to hold on to their beliefs in a hostile and uncomprehending world. Their story might offer consolation and inspiration to oppressed people in any society” (97). Talk about how Bunyan’s story might appeal to non-Christian readers