Passion And Responsibility In The Grapes Of Wrath

591 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The theme of the grapes of wrath

Theme 2: A deep relationship with the land is important and necessary, because people who have no connection to the land cannot truly understand themselves.

A recurring theme in literature is the classic war between a passion and responsibility in The Grapes Of Wrath, which was written by John Steinbeck. Jim Casy confronts the demands of a private passion that conflicts with his responsibilities. He trumpets a kind of philosophy similar to the famous American philosopher and thinker, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Casy is “ lousy with the spirit” but he is troubled by the sinful sensuality that seemed to result from being “all full up of Jesus.” Known as Reverend Casy, he’s a lecherous man who has given up his life as a preacher and he also happens to be the spiritual compass to the Joad Family. …show more content…

He was supposed to be a good preacher, but he slept with a lady after his meeting. After making a mistake, he disappeared from Sallisaw for a while and wandered around until he bumped into Tom Joad. In the novel, he became a mentor to Tom and they seem to understand the injustice around the world better than everyone else. The good thing is, Jim Casy made Tom believe that the collective soul connects people. Tom was inspired by Jim Casy’s philosophy and Casy finds good purpose in his life. Steinbeck states one of the quotes about Jim Casy in chapter 4, “Just Jim Casy now. Ain’t got the call no more. Got a lot of sinful idears-but they seem kinda sensible.” (Steinbeck 20). This quotes explains that Casy seems to fight against the black-and-white, good-or-bad nature of

Show More
Related

  • Making Hard Choices in The Grapes of Wrath

    905 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...s can make a person do unbelievable things.  Although he was still an outlaw of society at the end of the book, his status changed immensely.  Throughout the novel, he experienced reeducation and rebirth.  He became a new man who fought for social amelioration and a better way of life for his people and for all struggling people.  Tom learned that a man cannot just look after himself; in the spirit of compassion, he is also obligated to help others.

    Read More

  • New Beginnings in The Grapes of Wrath and Broken Ground

    936 Words  | 2 Pages

    New beginnings and new land, while made out to seem as beacons of hope and chances for prosperity, are complete opposites; new beginnings offer neither success nor happiness, but rather more failures and recurring sorrows. John Steinbeck and Jack Hodgins introduce the idea of new beginnings and settlements just as they emphasize the importance of togetherness as a community and a family in The Grapes of Wrath and Broken Ground. However, it is important to consider that these new beginnings were involuntary and rather forced due to situational circumstances. These circumstances caused drastic changes in the lives of the characters, changes that ultimately led them towards a downward spiral. In both novels, change in location helped advertise new beginnings as a chance for a new, improved lifestyle, which turned out to be a mere lie. The “promised land” was simply a hoax, which they would later realize, as it left them with nothing more than the broken pieces of their woven dreams.

    Read More

  • Finding Hope in The Grapes of Wrath

    624 Words  | 2 Pages

    Having watched the movie "Grapes of Wrath", I have been given the opportunity to see the troubles that would have befell migrant workers during the Great Depression. Though the Joads were a fictitious family, I was able to identify with many signs of hope that they could hold onto. Some of these families who made the journey in real life carried on when all they had was hope. The three major signs of hope which I discovered were, overcoming adversity, finding jobs, and completing the journey.

    Read More

  • Grapes Of Wrath - Allusion

    449 Words  | 1 Pages

    Jim Casy, an ex-preacher, constantly shares his thoughts and philosophies about life. Throughout the novel, he indirectly alludes to Jesus Christ. Casy believes that men are holy, and later he, just like Jesus, is killed for opposing human cruelty and suffering.

    Read More

  • Steinbeck's Social Commentary in The Grapes of Wrath

    679 Words  | 2 Pages

    Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath is a realistic novel that mimics life and offers social commentary too. It offers many windows on real life in midwest America in the 1930s. But it also offers a powerful social commentary, directly in the intercalary chapters and indirectly in the places and people it portrays. Typical of very many, the Joads are driven off the land by far away banks and set out on a journey to California to find a better life. However the journey breaks up the family, their dreams are not realized and their fortunes disappear. What promised to be the land of milk and honey turns to sour grapes. The hopes and dreams of a generation turned to wrath. Steinbeck opens up this catastrophe for public scrutiny.

    Read More

  • Theme of Hardship in The Grapes of Wrath

    729 Words  | 2 Pages

    drop their life and move to a different state. When they arrived in California they were not

    Read More

  • Tom Joad's Character Development In The Grapes Of Wrath

    825 Words  | 2 Pages

    The final stage of Casy’s philosophy is a turn toward activism for the betterment of humanity, eventually leading to his death. This turn towards taking actions is paralleled by Tom when he, in the end of the novel, sacrifices his future and safety for the betterment of the Joad family as a whole. This occurs when he decides with Ma Joad that the best results would come of them leaving him behind and continuing on to find work, due to the fact that Tom being with them puts them at risk due to his history and criminal status. This also reveals that he cannot withstand the thought of people like the Joad family being hurt, that a turn toward activism could help their family and the whole human race as a single entity. This shows the final of many actions that reveal how Tom has grown closer to Casy’s beliefs, and also shows when Tom becomes the spiritual heir due to the fact that he has developed the exact same philosophy that Casy had worked

    Read More

  • Selfishness And Selflessness In The Grapes Of Wrath By John Steinbeck

    622 Words  | 2 Pages

    The differences between selfishness and selflessness are strong throughout The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Everywhere the Joad family goes there is always someone to either push them into the dirt or give them a hand out of the dirt. This happened far and wide, people can be greedy, selfish, and rapacious. It’s in our nature, but even in desperate times when people have a right to be selfish, some will find the will in their heart to aid those who can’t help themselves.

    Read More

  • Hope and Endurance in The Grapes of Wrath

    1051 Words  | 3 Pages

    John Steinbeck published The Grapes of Wrath in response to the Great Depression. Steinbeck's intentions were to publicize the movements of a fictional family affected by the Dust Bowl that was forced to move from their homestead. Also a purpose of Steinbeck's was to criticize the hard realities of a dichotomized American society.

    Read More

  • Christianity in The Grapes Of Wrath

    687 Words  | 2 Pages

    Like many events in the novel, many characters in Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath symbolize the theme of Christianity. The most obvious character would be that of Jim Casy. Jim Casy was previously a preacher, but he gave up preaching because he felt he had sinned. He travels with the Joad family on their journey to California, and although he insists that he has given up his counseling past, he continues to act as a preacher for the Joad family.

    Read More

  • Grapes Of Wrath

    1368 Words  | 3 Pages

    The tale of The Grapes of Wrath has many levels of profound themes and meanings to allow us as the reader to discover the true nature of human existence. The author's main theme and doctrine of this story is that of survival through unity. While seeming hopeful at times, this book is more severe, blunt, and cold in its portrayl of the human spirit. Steinbeck's unique style of writing forms timeless and classic themes that can be experienced on different fronts by unique peoples and cultures of all generations.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Jim Casy In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

    785 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to the narrator, Casy’s appearance is not too flattering. A few images that are put into the reader’s head

    Read More

  • The Theme of Man vs. Environment in The Grapes of Wrath

    1405 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Grapes of Wrath combines Steinbeck adoration of the land, his simple hatred of corruption resulting from materialism (money) and his abiding faith in the common people to overcome the hostile environment.  The novel opens with a retaining picture of nature on rampage.  The novel shows the men and women that are unbroken by nature.  The theme is one of man verses a hostile environment.  His body destroyed but his spirit is not broken.  The method used to develop the theme of the novel is through the use of symbolism. There are several uses of symbols in the novel from the turtle at the beginning to the rain at the end.   As each symbol is presented through the novel they show examples of the good and the bad things that exist within the novel.

    Read More

  • Grapes of Wrath Essay: Naturalism in The Grapes of Wrath

    1414 Words  | 3 Pages

    In John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath, the Joad family and the changing world in which they live is portrayed from a naturalistic point of view. Steinbeck characterizes the Joads and their fellow migrants as simple, instinct-bound creatures who are on an endless search for paradise (Owens 129). The migrants and the powers which force them to make their journey--nature and society--are frequently represented by animals. The Joads, when they initially leave home, are a group of simplistic, animal-like people who barely understand or even realize their plight, but as the story progresses, they begin to grow and adapt to their new circumstances. They evolve from a small, insignificant group of creatures with no societal consciousness into a single member of a much larger family--society.

    Read More

  • Unity And Selflessness In The Grapes Of Wrath

    1066 Words  | 3 Pages

    The major theme in this book is that greed and selfishness are the root of all suffering and that unity and selflessness can overcome everything. Steinbeck used the story of the Joad Family to parallel the state of society at the time. This book is relevant to today’s society as well. Tom Joad is the main character in this book. Ma and Pa Joad are his parents, Jim Casy is an associate of Tom’s (and former pastor), and Rose of Sharon is Tom’s pregnant sister (Connie’s wife).

    Read More

More about Passion And Responsibility In The Grapes Of Wrath

Open Document