Grapes of Wrath Jim Casy The Silent Philosopher :: essays papers

Grapes of Wrath Jim Casy The Silent PhilosopherJim Casy The Silent PhilosopherIt is a widely accepted theory, in numerous areas of study, that a whole is the sum of its parts. It has also been acknowledged that the reaction formed by a combination of forces is greater than the sum of the individual forces. Such a synergistic principle has become a strong motive behind many incidents in history, in which individuals have assembled into a group to become an increasingly efficacious and influential force. This is the case in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath, in which thousands of farmers are affected by the economical, climatic, and agricultural crises of the 1930s and forced to migrate to the promising valleys of California. As these migrants receive their long, arduous journey across the deserts of America, they are faced with numerous predicaments, most(prenominal) of which place them on the brink of survival. In the end, they learn that it is their passionateness for one a n onher and their togetherness that will allow them to complete the journey and fulfill their long-lived dreams. As the story keepes, a marked growth becomes evident among from each one character as they make the transition from an I level of thinking to a we level of thinking. One such character is the itinerant preacher, Jim Casy. Although his actions are not directly influential to the storys plot, it is his philosophies and outlooks on life and religion that affect the events, as well as the other characters, in the story.Perhaps the most significant theme interpreted from the journey of the Joad family is that of the shift from the I to the we mentality. This concept results mainly from the mutual relationships formed surrounded by the migrants and their willingness to help one another. As the migrants progress on their journey, their concern for the well being of others overshadows their concerns for themselves. Their actions become completely altruistic and intended to prote ct the functionality of the migrant force as a whole. They readily make sacrifices to one another and work to create mutual bonds that help one another survive. Another aspect of the I to we transition is that of the togetherness of the migrant families and the unions formed between them. As the migrants begin to face the all the same hardships and dilemmas, they begin to organize and function as a single unit. The individuals among this unit are capable of part one another and advancing the progress off the whole unit.