Friday, October 5, 2012
Christlike Figure in Grapes of Wrath
Critics often suggest that Casy emerges as a Christ figure in this novel. Think of the historical Jesus and how He has gone into the desert to figure things out, was an organizer of people, how he tries to gather disciples, and when he is killed he says "You don't know what you're a-doin'." Although the landscape may be different and the culture and century may be different, can you make a parallel between Casy and Jesus?
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At the beginning of the book Casey was very confused about his faith. At first he was a preacher but then he started questioning his own faith. He wanted to try new things and experiment with things that would be very wrong for a preacher to engage in. I feel that even know he says he is done he is really not, and misses it. During the book he says grace at dinner also he talks to some of the characters about their faith and just their life problems. I feel like he wants to be a preacher and still have the freedom or a regular person. As the book starts to end he starts to realize what he wants to do. In chapter 26 we see that he is going back to his preacher’s ways. He left the family because he didn’t think that they could move on with him. Tom was walking around outside the camp when he ran into Casey. He said that he was short of like a leader for the migrants. I feel like in some ways that he is like Jesus. Tom had followers just like Jesus did. Also Jesus was trying to spread the good news of God. He did this by preaching, telling stories, and healing others. Even though Tom didn’t perform any miracles or anything along those lines he still made a big impact. He was trying to help the people get what they deserved. I think a lot of these people thought of Tom as a leader because of how hard the times were. The migrants were glad that someone cared enough to stand up for them in the hard times that they were going through. Casey was trying his best to do what he could for the people just like Jesus would do. Also when Jesus died people were very upset because he was the only person that really knew how to teach the word of God at the time. The same happened when Casey died. There was no one else really willing to step up because of what could happen to them. This gave the migrants a sense of despair. The one thing different about the two is that Casey at the time was still questioning his faith and Jesus never doubted God. These are my options on how Jesus and Casey can be compared.
ReplyDeleteHayley, I believe that what you said about Casy not being a miracle worker like Jesus, but in some ways he could have made miracles that weren't absolutely astonishing like Jesus did. One thing that I consider a miracle is how Casy stood up for Tom and took the blame for what Tom did so that he wouldnt be charged for another crime and get sent into prison. This was crazy because what Tom did could have been so bad that he could have been killed, but eventhough Casy took the blame the punishment wasn't that harsh.
DeleteHayley, I think that you may have gotten Casy and Tom confused towards the middle of your blog. In the parts where you used Tom, I think Casy should have been used. Also, watch the way you spell Casy. You spelled it Casey and normally it is spelled this way, but the author spells it Casy. I agree with you when you said that Casy did go back to his preacher ways towards the end of the chapter. Casy had followers just like Jesus did. Both Jesus and Casy helped others and tried making a difference in the lives of others. You also said that Casy questioned his faith and Jesus never did. This was a very good point of view and I never thought of that.
DeleteAt the beginning of the book, the ex-preacher, Casy has met Tom Joad and said that he has drifted away from Jesus. I believe that Casy and Jesus are both very parallel in many ways; however, they both have many differences between each other. They both were preachers of God. I also believe that even though Casy said he drifted from God, he didn’t, he just needed reminded of why he chose to be a preacher in the first place. Even though Jesus and Casy both lived in two totally different landscapes, they both remind me of each other. Although Casy has fallen into sin, he still reflects Jesus because of all the good things that cancelled out the bad.
ReplyDeleteAs Casy fell into sin, he decided to stop his preaching. Many times in the story the Joad family asked Casy to say a few words and prayers for grandpa and before they ate a meal. This relates to Jesus because he was the savior of the world. He also prayed for people. He also said a prayer before his last supper. Also Casy did many things that reflected Jesus. He took the blame for Tom Joad when the policeman was tripped and knocked out by Tom. Also Casy stood up against many things that were not right. This showed me that he is parallel to Jesus because of the beliefs he has. He wasn’t afraid to stand up to others either for what he believed in. Another example that comes to mind when I think of the comparison on Casy and Jesus is that they both died for what they believed in for other people. When Jesus was crucified he did it for the whole world so that we can go to heaven. Casy was killed by a man for standing up for Tom who was one of his really good friends. Therefore I think that Casy reflected many things that Jesus did back thousands of years ago.
I also believe that Casy was a preacher because Jesus called him to be, but he was blinded by the devil to see that. Towards the end of the chapter, however, I think that Casy started to realize that preaching was still in his soul. This would be another parallel thing between Jesus and Casy because they both were people who preached the ways of Jesus, so that people could keep spreading the word of God all over the world. This would have made Casy a disciple of God. As a result, I believe that Jesus was a man that Casy related to before his death, and in the end they both died for others and for what they believed was right.
In conclusion, I think that the critiques that said Casy was a Jesus like figure are correct. He was vbery much like Jesus in the way that he believed in what was right. He stood up for Tom and his family to keep them safe. Unfortunately, Casy was killed for standing up to a policeman. Also Casy was a disciple of Jesus. He preached to people about God. Although he decided to stop preaching, he still reflected Jesus in many ways.
Emma, I never thought of what you said that Casy was called to be a preacher because Jesus called him to be and was blinded by the devil to see that. You are right Casy started to see that preaching was still in his soul and he was realizing this more and more as he continued preaching. Casy and Jesus preached the good news of God all over the world, and made sure that they did the same. Casy and Jesus are both disciples of God. Casy and Jesus both stood up for what they believed in and did what was right for everyone. Casy may have stopped preaching but he still reflected Jesus in his everyday life.
DeleteEmma, I like that you brought up the idea of Jesus and Casy living in two different landscapes but still kept the same ideals. Casy looked to Jesus for everything, even if he claims he didn't. I also found interesting that you talked about Casy being called to be a preacher, but the devil had a part in him having a change of heart. I think this is true in everything that we do today as humans. We can try to be perfect, but the devil always seems to be there and mess us up in someway. He just tries to get under our skin and he usually gets there. I think that Casy did a good job of turning toward Jesus before he was killed and I think you did a good job of saying that.
DeleteEmma, I liked how you said that Jesus and Casy were different. That's what I wrote about, their differences. I didn't see a lot of the differences really gone into and I'm glad you did.
DeleteCasy chose to become a part of the religious life when he became a preacher. He eventually figured out that the preaching lifestyle wasn’t for him. He stopped being a preacher because of many different things. He said that he wanted to lay with girls in the grass and he just didn’t feel like preaching anymore. He stopped being a preacher, but he never actually stopped preaching. He always was giving advice to the Joad family on their journey to California. He said he didn’t want to preach anymore, yet he still did. When Granma asked for a prayer he gave her a prayer along with other advice. I feel like even though he isn’t considered a preacher anymore, he still is one because of the advice he gives and the prayers he still prays. They give everyone hope that things will hopefully turn out how they hoped.
ReplyDeleteI think that Casy is a good person. He helps the Joad family through their times of need. He took the blame for Tom when he tripped the police officer so Tom wouldn’t violate his parole. These are two things that Jesus would have done. Something that Jesus wouldn’t have done however, is leave the faith so that he could lie in the grass with girls. I think that this was selfish of Casy to do, and something that Jesus never would have done. Even though Casy did this, he still helped others out like Jesus would have. The murdering of Casy wasn’t right. Casy tried leading the people that needed work to get work. The police thought he was a communist and killed him. All he tried to do was help his “disciples” find work and make things better for everyone. This is very similar to Jesus. Jesus had many disciples just like Casy, and Jesus helped these disciples and made things better for everyone. Jesus did this and He was still killed. When I first read this, I didn’t really see how Casy related to Jesus. Then I started thinking more about it and realized that Jesus and Casy are more similar than I thought they were. They both had events happen in their lives that are almost the same. Jesus died for religious purposes and Casy died for different purposes.
Rachel, I agree with what you said about comparing Jesus and Casy at the end of your blog. The two of them don't seem comparable until you really start to think about it. They were both martyrs in their own way and should be praised for that. Could you imagine dying for something you believe in? It would be really hard to not change your mind and decide to live. It takes a lot of courage and you did a good job of pointing that out. I also like how you brought up the fact of him wanting to lay with women, but I kinda of disagree also. I don't think that was the main reason he wanted to quit being a preacher. He really wanted the burden of being good all the time gone. He never really achieved that feeling of being free however. I like that you brought up the fact of him still preaching after he said he wasn't going to do it anymore.
DeleteRachel, I agree with what you said about Casy not wanting to be a preacher anymore. I think that this isn't just because he didnt feel like it, I think that he might have felt unworthy to be a preacher now that he went to those fields with those girls. I would think that he probably feels ashamed of himself for committing such a sin as a preacher that he wouldnt think it was right to be one anymore. Therefore, I think that Casy did relate to God even though he did sinful things while a preacher of God.
DeleteI didn't really ever think about them being comparable either. I agree with your comparisons of him and Jesus, and even though Casy wasn't a preacher anymore, he still couldn't hold back his love for God and continued to preach. I like how you compared the killings of him and Jesus. They do compare very well because they died for their beliefs and they both died with dignity. They were both strong me and considered martyrs, even Casy can be considered a martyr.
DeleteI agree with how you compared Jesus and Casey. Casey did do "some things" that were wrong, but I think that he still was a good person. Casey tried to help the people of his time, but Jesus helped people of all times, forever. Casey did do a few good things, but he, or us, can never be as perfect as Jesus.
DeleteRachel, I also would have never thought to compare Casy to Jesus. Basically because Casy had immoral thoughts while Jesus is pure. The way you described Casy leading the people opened my point of view of Casy relating to Jesus. Jesus died leading the people to a new life to get to heaven. This relates how Casy died trying to lead people to jobs therefore creating a new life for themselves. Casy also was dedicated to preaching the God’s message to the people ( In Oklahoma). Spreading the word of God was Jesus’ main goal, just like keeping the Joad family together was Casy’s goal.
DeleteThe life of Jesus was perfect. He did everything right and always listened to God's word without questioning it. He never sinned and he died on the cross for our sins. I have never thought of it before, but Jesus can be compared to Casy from the Grapes of Wrath. They were both preachers that lived God's word, but in different ways. Jesus preached to his disciples and went out to the people and taught the Word of God. Casy would do sermons every Sunday at Church and tried to help people. Jesus eventually died on the cross for our sins, and told his disiples to go out and speak to all the nations. Casy didn't have disiples, but he really wanted to preach the good news of the Lord; until one day. One day changed his life forever and He decided that he wasn't going to be a preacher any more. He still said prayers for the family and gave speeches to them when they needed words of encouragement, which made it hard for the family to believe that he wasn't a preacher.
ReplyDeleteMa said that once you are a preacher, you are always a preacher. Casy said that he wasn't a preacher any more because he wanted to sleep with girls and not worry about what the Lord would think of his decision. He wanted to swear and say what he wanted without feeling bad about it. He had changed so much that he ended up in jail. He was talking to a police officer with Tom when they were at the government camp. Tom got angry and tripped the officer, but Casy took the blame. Jesus wouldn't do something like that and that is one of the differences between them. Tom didn't think that he would ever see Casy again, but he did. The Joad's moved north to find a job picking peaches. Casy was in charge of the migrant farmers and Tom went and talked to him. Casy was killed not long after Tom had seen him. A group of men came up and murdered Casy because they thought that he was a communist. Casy was finally feeling closer to God, and he was put to death for no reason. This is very similar to the way Jesus died. Jesus was hung on a cross because of his faith. Casy died because of what the men thought was his political view. I think that comparing Jesus and Casy makes me think that I could be like that. I can be a nice person to everyone and try and change a life. Even if I can change one person's life or make someone feel happy, my life was worth while. Doing this blog has put into perspective what I can accomplish in my life.
Camille I really liked how you brought up how Ma said that once you are a preacher, you're always a preacher. This is so true because once he gave up preaching he still continued to preach and he probably didn't even notice, it was just how he was. This blog has also changed my perspective on what I can accomplish on life and how I can help people. As you mentioned about how he saw him one last time before he died, I feel like Jesus made that happen so that tome could see him one last time and not feel regretful for letting him take the blame. Jesus takes a big part in this book that we donteven notice half the time, but he's there.
DeleteJesus and Casy are alike in more ways than one. First off, they are both amazing preachers and great men. Casy chose to be a priest but then he had second thoughts and decided the priest life wasn't for him. He loved preaching though. Preaching is quite a challenge but it just comes naturally to Casy, and to Jesus. It's like they were born to do it. Even though Casy no longer wanted to preach, I feel like he had trouble not preaching the good news of the Lord and it was a hard adjustment for him. Both Casy and Jesus saved people. Jesus died on the cross so we could have eternal life in Heaven with him and to save us from the fires of hell. When Tom and Casy were at the government camp, Tom got angry at a police officer and tripped him. Casy took the blame though, because if Tom got in trouble they would also find out that he was illegally out of state and he would get in even more trouble and it would hurt the whole family. If Casy got in trouble for it, then the family could move on without him, it would be harder for them to move on without Tom. So Casy ended up going to jail. Even though this situation is nothing compared to Jesus dying on the cross and going through all that torture for us, they both have the same meaning; doing something to help someone else. It's as simple as that. We do things daily to help other people, some things we might not even notice. God notices it all, though. These two have never really seemed comparable until I though about what to write in this blog. Now I can see how they are compared, they are both great Holy men who would do anything to help others.
ReplyDeleteLeah, I disagree with you. I agree that Jesus and Casy were both wonderful preachers, but I don't think Casy was that great of a man. You mentioned that Casy left the priesthood, and for me I just can't forget why he left. Yes, he was still a good preacher afterwards and he helped people, but he still did something bad and wasn't sorry for his sin. So that's why I disagree that they're comparable.
DeleteLeah, I agree that when Casy saved Tom from the police he showed Christ-like qualities. I also thought of Jesus saving us from hell in comparison of Casy saving Tom and the Joad’s from the police. Casy used his bravery to save Tom, like Jesus died to save mankind. But I do not agree in your final statement. In my own opinion I would not call Casy a holy man, but I can see how you would consider him a great believer in the faith just with some confusions.
DeletePersonally, I can’t draw a large parallel between Jesus Christ and Casy in The Grapes of Wrath. Casy was a preacher like Jesus, and he was respected by many, but Casy was human. At mass we always hear that Jesus was human in all ways but sin. Jesus never sinned, although he was often tempted by the devil. Casy not only sinned in the things he did with the girls he baptized, but what made it worse was that he had defiled a sacrament. I don’t know what religion the people of The Grapes of Wrath were, but I believe that all religions take Baptism seriously. Casy may have been a good man to the people he preached to, but in the end he was a sinner like the rest of us. He brought hope to the Okies like Jesus did to his followers. Casy tried to lead other people in the right direction, but he feel away from his faith the way Jesus never did. Casy decided that the sins of his flesh weren’t sins anymore. That’s why I can’t draw a parallel between Jesus and Casy, because Jesus was and is unlike any human being. We can be kind like Jesus and attempt to live like him, but we will never be as perfect.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with you, Maddie. I had trouble finding similarities between Jesus and Casey. There were some superficial similarities, but not really any inside similarities. I liked how you said that Casey defiled the sacraments, that was a point of view that i have not thought of. It is a good comparison between Jesus, who made the sacraments, and Casey, who didn't treat them exactly as he should have.
DeleteMaddie, I never would have thought of saying that Jim Casy would sometimes peel away from his faith and that Jesus never did so. Your facts are correct, however, your differences between Casy and Jesus are very good. Jesus is God, we cannot forget that. He is the most important person in our lives for he died for us. Just think about how many people he died for. You will not even be able to count. Jim Casy only died for a family and he will never be compared to Jesus.
DeleteMaddie, I see where you are coming from, but I feel that you are only directing your attention to one aspect of Casy. There was more to Casy than the sins he committed; people loved to listen to him speak, just as the people followed Jesus. I do agree that you cannot call Casy any Jesus, but he still cared for people. He was killed for standing up for others, and I still feel that he was still a preacher. Grandma did say that once you are a preacher, your always a preacher. Casy may have been a sinner, but we all are; he stilled shared many different characteristics that Jesus possessed.
DeleteJesus, Casey, they are both extreamly different. Although they have some similarities, I can"t really say that they are similar enough to be compared together. Casey was sinful, he even admitted it. Jesus, as we all know, had no sin, and was God and man at the same time.
ReplyDeleteThe differences between Jesus and Casey start where Jesus had no sin and Casey had lots of sin. Casey even admitted that he had sin. Jesus was God. Casey was far from it.
Casey was also just a human being. Jesus was human, and God. This is another pivotal way that Jesus is much different than Casey.
The two of them also have similarities though. Casey and Jesus went into the desert to find what God wanted. Both of them were killed by other people, and they both died believing in what was right, even if Jesus had a choice to die or not, Jesus died to save us. Casey was working for the sake of the Okies, and he was killed because of this. Also, they both preached. Jesus preached to the people of his time, and Casey preached to people of his time. This is where all similarities between Jesus and Casey end, as Jesus was God, and Casey was fa from it.
Jess, I completely agree with your thoughts of comparing the two figures. There is just not information to do so. You did prove the similarities more in depth than I did. It was very hard to compare the two. It can't be stressed enough that Jesus was God and that one will ever be as perfect as Jesus was in his life and no one will ever be compared to him because he is the reason we live the life that we do. He is the reason that we die and see him face to face in heaven. He is the reason for eternal life.
DeleteYou comparing Casy and Jesus with their sins was something i did not think about. It still really is no the best thing to use for comparison though. Jesus was completely devoid of sin and a very calm and generous person. Even the most religious of people still have sin in them. It was a decent point but one that did not need to be stated. It was not necessary to compare Casy being human to Jesus being a demigod. You brought up many good points but those two were rather redundant.
DeleteThe “Grapes of Wrath” is a novel about a long, harsh journey. The journey is made by the Joad family along with Jim Casy. Jim Casy is/was a preacher. Jim Casy provided the Joad family with advice, guidance, prayer, and support. In some ways Jim Casy is similar to Jesus.
ReplyDeleteThroughout Jesus’ time on earth, Jesus was a leader. Jesus provided everyone with God’s messages. Jesus also saved everyone from sin and death. Jesus was heavily persecuted and insulted, but still had the courage to stand up and take up his cross to save everyone. Jesus is a role model and to many a friend. Jim Casy also preached the word of God to the people. Jim Casy served as an important figure to many especially grandma Joad. Before grandma’s death, she full heartedly believed in Jim Casy and looked up to him for salvation. Casy also stood up for what was right in the Hooverville. After the brawl to save Tom from being arrested, and breaking up the Joad family, Casy took the blame for assaulting the deputy. This parallels to Jesus taking up his cross for us. Also Casy had “followers” after being in jail. Casy was in charge of the migrant workers. Casy also looks out for the Joad family like Jesus looks after us. Casy tried to guide the Joad's along the correct path, just like Jesus tries to guide us to the path to heaven.
Also in my opinion Tom reflects an image of Jesus. Besides the fact that Tom kills people, Tom is a leader just like Jesus. People such as his family follow Tom no matter what. Tom is an important figure especially to ma. Ma looks up to Tom to save their family just like the apostles looked up to Jesus.
Marla, I agree with all of the facts that you added in here about Casy. I never even thought about how Grandma felt about him being similar to people looking at Jesus as a way of salvation. What I was really impressed with was how you also compared Tom to Jesus as an addition. Tom is a very important leader throughout the Joad family's full journey through the Depression. However, I think that Tom is a little less comparable than Casy could be. Even though they were ways of self defense, Tom did kill people. In my own, personal opinion, there is no excuse for murder.
DeleteMarla, your blog was done very nicely. All of your facts about Casy were accurate. I really like your first paragraph, especially all of the adjectives that define Casy as well as Jesus. However, I disagree with the statement that Tom reflects and image of Jesus because he had way too much sin on his soul to even compare to such perfection that we know Jesus has. Although Tom is a strong leader, I wouldn't go as far as to say he is a reflection of Jesus. Other than that, good job!
DeleteWhile we have been reading Grapes of Wrath, we have studied many different major themes that have surrounded the story. However, I have never considered comparing Casy to Jesus. In ways, I can disagree with this, but there are still some strong characteristics about Casy that give him that “Jesus-essence.” Casy had lived most of his life as a preacher, showing people the truth and love of God through his sermons. He was one of few preachers that did not ask for collection money; Just like Jesus, he never took things from the people, he only gave them the strength and wisdom of God’s love. Even though Casy said he gave up being a preacher, he never did stop talking like one. Grandma took notice of the way he spoke, as if he was always giving a sermon. She also mentioned that Casy could never “quit” being a preacher; once a preacher, always a preacher. Grandma liked listening to Casy, and people would always follow Jesus around to listen to him and hopefully see a miracle.
ReplyDeleteBoth Jesus and Casy took a journey out into the desert. Both men faced identical challenges that changed them; just as Jesus was tempted in the desert by Satan, so was Casy. This brings out one major difference between the two. Jesus was God, and did not give into the devil; whereas, Casy was human, and in a way, did give into temptation. Casy gave in just enough to doubt his faith and give into sin, but you could still tell that he was strong with the Spirit. No matter how much Casy denied it, he was still a preacher.
Both Jesus and Casy loved children, and they both died for the sake of others. Just as Jesus died for our sins, Casy was killed because the officers thought he was leading a strike. Casy spoke out in a way a leader would, and was found the treatment of those farmers that worked so hard for so little cruel. He even mentioned something of how the owners were letting the children starve. Casy spoke out against the rich owners, just like Jesus spoke out against those who were turning away from God, to false, golden idols. Just as Jesus was persecuted and then executed in his Passion, they marked Casy as a communist, and killed him.
I don’t think that Jesus and Jim Casy had many similarities. Yes, they do have very few similarities, but it is very hard to compare them with each other. They lived very different lives in very different times. There is not enough relevant information in order to compare the two different figures. Jesus committed no sin, Jim Casy committed a lot of sin. That is one very important fact that we have to remember.
ReplyDeleteFirst I will start with the many differences between the two. The first topic is simple, sin. Jesus died for our sins even though he didn’t commit any. He even asked God the Father to forgive the soldiers that persecuted him. That would take much strength to do considering that those are the people that killed him. On the other hand, Jim Casy committed bunches of sin of all sorts. I wouldn’t say he was a true preacher because of all he did. He even said that he was done preaching. Jesus was a definite role model and great person. He made miracles happen like turning water into wine and feeding thousands of people, while Casy was a role model for some people, but he certainly could not perform miracles. People trusted Jesus and listened to his word. People didn’t necessarily listen to Jim Casy, they did like him though. He was a nice person to have along with them in their journey, but he is definitely not to be compared to Jesus by any means.
The only similarity I can think of between the two figures is the fact that both of them died for the sake of other people. They died very different deaths however. Jim Casy took the blame for what a friend did, and that is something that can be considered Christ-like. He received a club to the head and died for saying that he did what he did not really do. Jesus died for our sake. He was nailed to a cross and saved the world.
It would definitely take a lot to be compared to Jesus. He was perfect, no other person will ever be perfect. He lived his life to perfection, something Jim Casy definitely did not do. There is just not enough pertinent, relevant facts to say that Jesus and Jim Casy are extremely similar because they are extremely different.
Andy, I get what you mean when you say they do not have many similarities. Casy was a proven sinner and admitted to wandering from his faith on many occassions. Like we all know, Jesus was a man who never sinned and never even thought about giving up on his faith. However, I am not sure if you really gave Casy enough credit. Even though he was a sinner and was considering leaving as a preacher, he never truly wandered from his faith. They both were leaders of people who needed leaders. Both Jesus and Casy led their groups mainly by means of faith. Their death was for their faith and defending their people. In some ways, I completely agree with what you say about Casy being way to much of a sinner to be compared to Jesus. However, in some instances, Casy is more Christ-like than we think.
DeleteAndy, I see how you could think that Casy has no similarity to Jesus. He was a definite sinner and showed us that a few times, where Jesus is pure and has a clean soul. But I also think about the different times, and how much pressure is put on us now than 2000 years ago. I personally disagree with this thought of Casy not being like Jesus, but I support your opinion without a doubt. This was a good, strong blog.
DeleteYou comparing the differences between Casy and Jesus first was a smart thing. They have many differences, more so than their similarities. However, most of the miracles you mentioned had to do with Jesus being part God. Casy being completely mortal made it so he could not do anything near as amazing as what Jesus did. You were right in mentioning that people almost always listened to Jesus, but not always to Casy. Their deaths for the good of others is what really makes them similar, despite all the differences.
DeleteAndrew, I see where you are coming from. Casy denied his faith and sinned so much, that it can be hard to compare him to someone as great as Jesus. But still, just as Grandma said, you can never stop being a preacher. It is almost impossible to put Casy up there with Jesus because he sinned as much as any of us; Casy questioned his faith, but yet still spoke out just as Jesus did. Jesus lived his life on earth by God's plan, while Casy lived his life the way he wanted. Still, people looked up to both men, and they both died for the sake of others.
ReplyDeleteWith comparisons between Casy and Jesus, there is a very strong, similar relationship in that they are both very religious with Jesus being the son of God and Casy being a preacher. However, even though similar paths seem to be taken at some points in the novel, the ways of getting to eventual decisions is very different. We meet Casy early in the novel, at the point where he is questioning his faith and his choice in vocation. He was unsure about some of the feelings he was having, such as wanting to do things with girls and other activities that a preacher would normally not be allowed to engage in. However, when Casy says all of these things about leaving his preaching position, I do not fully believe him. At many points during the story, he goes back to speaking in ways that only a preacher could. He leads others and always refers back on how to be guided in the name of Jesus. To me, Casy wants the best of both worlds. After his arrest, he becomes a leader for the farmers. Some, including myself, think he is leading these people in ways similar to the way Jesus led the people of His time. He helps them use their faith to keep moving forward. Jesus performed miracles that could not be performed by any other person in the world during his time. Casy was a miracle worker for the migrants. However, Casy’s miracles were not the same caliber, but they were still miracles. The miracles that Casy performed were not always material needs, but gave the migrants hope that they needed to help them push forward and try to thrive with what they had left to survive on. Like others in the camp, Casy was a believer in the “strength in numbers” philosophy. He believed that if the migrants were able to stay together through the tough times, they would somehow be able to make it through the depression. Both Jesus and Casy were believers from the beginning until their end. When Casy was murdered, there was a sort of shock wave sent throughout the government camp. The migrants realized that their leader, the one who could help them, the one who believed in them, the one who could save them, was dead. A sense of despair swept over all the faces and minds of the people. To me, this may be as close to true faith in Jesus that a person can get. Both Casy and Jesus died for their people to save them from utter destruction. Also, both acted on their beliefs through their death. Even though Casy was very different from Jesus when he began to question his faith that Jesus held forever, Casy proved to have a full belief at the moments that truly counted.
ReplyDeleteCasy used to be a very popular preacher in the time before the beginning of the book. However, very early in the book it is revealed that he stopped preaching and is made to seem like he does not want to go back to it. He enjoys having the freedom to do what he wants and not worrying about what other people think about him because of his occupation. The book does do a good job of implying that he still has some preacher in him. When he says grace, it is made clear that he still knows the things to say. Much later in the book, he takes the blame for knocking out a cop to keep Tom from getting arrested. He knew that Tom was already breaking parole and if he was taken he would end up back in jail. They took Casy away and left Tom back with the rest of the group. Casy was simply let go and not sent to prison like Tom would have been. Casy ends up finding Tom but in a very bad situation. Casy gets murdered for standing up for what he believes in. He died a martyr and also saved Tom in the process, while at the same time condemning Tom to prison. Tom killed the man who killed Casy, and with Tom’s badly damaged face he would be easy to recognize. Casy died for what he believed in, and also for the people he cared for.
ReplyDeleteComparing Casy, or anyone for that matter, to Jesus is not the easiest thing to do. Jesus preached similar to Casy but Jesus never swayed from his faith. Many people followed Jesus for the kindness in his heart. However very similarly to Casy was how Jesus died for his faith and the people he loved. Jesus died for the better of all people and knew he had to do it. He suffered an through incredible amount of ordeals, but still never gave in to the pain. He persevered through it because he knew the end result was ultimately for the good of everyone. His sacrifice is still remembered to this day. Both Jesus and Casy gave the most valuable thing they had for the better of others, their lives. Casy may have only died for one person to Jesus‘ death for everyone, but it was still an incredibly brave thing to do.
Tyler, you made some good points about how he still acts like a preacher. In the book like you said he still knows how to say grace. Ma didn’t even know at the time that he had quite his preaching. Later in the book he takes the blame for something he didn’t do because he was looking out for Tom. This says that he has a lot of faith and believes that god will help him through anything that comes his way. Jesus was also like this. he did things for people that he didn’t have to. Also I didn’t even put together how he died trying to prove a point and do something he believed in. This was the same thing that happened with Jesus he also died for something he believed in. I never thought about it that way.
DeleteCasy was introduced to us as an ex-preacher because he was a little confused about his faith. He felt as though he wanted to be free, especially to be able to be with girls. I feel as though he has both similarities and contrasts to Jesus. Casy was a leader, just as Jesus was. They were both role models to everyone. I think that Casy never wanted to quit preaching, because he did it without even noticing. He would bring it up in conversation and used it for advice to get the emotional migrants to feel uplifted. When Casy went in to working while they were trying to find their new home, many of the migrants thought of him as the leader. When you think about a preacher, the mind tends to bring into thought a loud and convincing person. So this completely explains why the migrants would think he is a leader or boss because he possesses the same qualities. I think he also is very Christ-like in the sense that he took the blame for Tom during the whole fiasco with the cops at the Hooverville. This is definitely something Jesus would have done, as he pretty much did by dying for us to be able to enter heaven. He saved us, just as Casy saved Tom.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about the how he wanted to be with girls. I feel like that would be one of the hardest things about becoming a nun or a priest. You would have to give your whole life up for God. I feel like this would be very hard. He wants to have the best of both worlds like you mentioned. Jesus is someone who would be very hard to be compared to. But in some ways they were a like. They both tried to lead people to the right thing. Jesus and Casey both lead people to God and to help people find work. I agree with the reasons why you thought they compared.
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