The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck follows a poor Oklahoma farming family, the Joads, who migrate to California to pursue a future best. The novel's protagonist, Tom Joad, is revealed to be a man who likes to stay grounded in the present. He avoids thinking about anything that has no immediate effect on himself or his family. But Tom's early characterization clashes with the person he becomes by the end of the novel. Tom becomes a social activist, ready to fight for the rights of stray workers in California. This change is brought about by his interactions with one of the other major characters in the story, Jim Casy. And it's largely Casy's death that causes Tom to push beyond the limits he initially set for himself. Tom eventually follows in Casy's footsteps by becoming a social activist. The character and death of Jim Casy are important to understanding the evolution of Tom Joad. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayTom Joad undergoes a significant transformation over the course of the novel. Very early on, the reader learns that Tom spent four years in prison for homicide. Released on parole, he hitchhikes home to join his family. Tom shamelessly tells the man he's riding with what he did: "That means I killed a guy." Seven years. I got busted for keeping my nose clean.” Tom also meets Jim Casy, a former pastor, on his return trip. When his past is brought up in a conversation with Casy, Tom talks about the crime he committed in the same way he had described it to the driver he was hitchhiking with. “I would do what I did – again.” . . I killed a guy in a fight. We were drunk at a dance. He stabbed me and I killed him with a shovel that was there." Tom's lack of remorse is justified in the sense that it was self-defense. But it is his inability to be ashamed or reflection that is indicative of someone who lives only in the present Her desire to avoid looking too deeply into the past or future is evident in her response to a question from Casy regarding the number of jobs available. in California: “How would I know? I just put one foot in front of the other. Here's a little piece of iron and a regula. thing in the world that comes to mind." Tom later breaks his parole to travel west with his family. This action also shows his disregard for future consequences. Jim Casy is the opposite of the initial characterization. by Tom Joad While Tom only cares about the present, Casy constantly looks to the future, often questioning the state of humanity and divinity. Casy’s overall thinking is well illustrated by one of his theological theories: “Perhaps it is all men and women we love; maybe that’s the Holy Spirit – the human spirit – the whole thing. Perhaps all men have a great soul of which the whole body is a part. But his tendency to think about the future is not what differentiates him from Tom. It is his moral character and selflessness that sets him apart from any other person in the novel. When Tom gets into an altercation with a deputy, Casy takes responsibility, telling an officer that he had "knocked your man out over there." This brief moment clearly shows the difference between men. Tom, giving in to a moment of passion, does not think about the consequences that his possible arrest would have on his family or on himself. Casy, on the other hand, immediately realizes the seriousness of the situation. He understands.