The most obvious comparisons between the Book of Ruth in the Bible and Jane Hamilton's Book of Ruth are in the characters. In the bible Ruth says "I want to go wherever you go and to live wherever you live." (Ruth 1:16) This sentiment of Ruth toward Naomi is the same sentiment that is held by the fictional Ruth toward Aunt Sid. In the same way that Ruth attaches herself to Naomi, the fictional Ruth seems to want to be Aunt Sid's daughter, rather than May's. A very literal connection between Boaz and Ruby can be made. "Boaz married Ruth, and when he slept with her, the lord gave her a son" (Ruth 4:13), the same happened with Ruby and Ruth. This has no real deep significance, it is simply a way to maintain the plot advancement, especially when tied in with May. May can be compared to Naomi towards the end of each of the stories.
Portrait of Captain Ray Milton Sterling and his wi...
Naomi entreating Ruth and Orpah to return to the l...
Jan van Scorel, Ruth and Naomi in the fields of Bo...May experiences the same joy as Naomi when "at last Naomi has a son again." (Ruth 4:17) One can see this connection as a way for Hamilton to add some light on the dark character May, whose name very well may be connected to Naomi's other name of Mara, for May is bitter throughout the entire book. Character development an connecting seems to be the strongest point of Hamilton's writing, she displays it famously in her comparisons of fictional characters to the historical characters described in the Book of Ruth.