Jim Casy
Jim is first discovered under an old willow tree when and old friend Tom Joad stumbles across him on his way home from spending time in the state penitentiary. An ex-priest after recently retreating from organized Religion. He tells Tom that his weaknesses towards women have forced him to reexamine his beliefs. Tom loved people more than any religion he preached he wanted nothing more in life than to help those who were less fortunate and ultimately helping a large minority of the population who were fighting not only the banks which took there land but also landowners in California.
"Maybe all men got one big soul everybody�s a part of,"
Cause had become much happier after leaving priesthood, people now talk to Jim about things that would have been considered wrong to tell him before, he can now help people with there real problems that are actual concern them, not just stories they tell him. Just like Jesus was someone who stories were told, Casy found he did not need Jesus and God to explain how he felt about people and life for that matter. As a priest Jim was becoming lonely and began lustin� the flesh, which is quite understandable after being abstinent for so long. Although the fornication that occurred was done while he was still a priest and was with someone who trusted him.
"I ain�t got no choice in the matter"
Casy, despite his enthusiasm to help has one small problem, he has something to give and no one to give it too all the folks are abandoning there land. Jim has to find some way to get to where the people are going. Lucky for him Tom Joad just happened to be passing by and his family is leaving for California within a few days. One of Jim�s problems has now been overcome and he is on his way to California. All along the way to California Jim earns his keep. Though no longer a man of God, Jim performs a small funeral ceremony for Grampa Joad as well as saying grace at the table, which fills Granma with Joy. As well as staying around and helping Tom and Al Joad fix the Wilson�s vehicle.
"Somebody got to take the blame. an� I ain�t doin� nothin� but set aroun�"
Casy now has a chance to follow out his ultimate goal. While at a Hooverville a man and a wily bad of sheriffs have come in to try to move the folks in the camp along. Tom trips the sheriff who is trying to arrest their recently acquired friend Floyd Knowles; Casy kicks the tripped man in the neck and knocks him. Here his actions can be justified due to the fact that the sheriff was pointing a rifle at Floyd while he was fleeing into the woods. He then steps up and takes the blame for Tom and Floyd and is carted off to prison, where he learns a great deal from those on the inside. Casy is released from prison a few months later when we catch up to him next. He has learned that organization is the key to defeating the beast in this case Californian landowners. While in prison if one man stood up and complained about the foods the guards did nothing but if all the inmates rose and complained then new food was brought. Jim even leads a strike at Hooper >Ranch fighting for the worker.
"You fellows don�t know what you are doin�."
Jim has translated the love he had for people into an effort to show them that their strength lies in collective security. Jim wants his love to serve a useful purpose, "together they have power; fragmented, they don�t stand a chance against your oppressors." This is not taken lightly by the authorities and Jim is now a wanted man. The owners with not stand up for unionization, Tom is being paid five cents a basket to pick peaches, no family can love off that. All there is risk Jim devotes his life and ultimately gives it to the union movement. On the night that Jim and Tom reunite men come after Jim and bludgeon to death Casy with a pick.
If the question ever arose on whether Jim Casy on what road he takes it would be quite obvious. All his actions were done for the better good of all not just thinking of himself like the rich California landowners. Although some of his actions could be considered hellish all had justification, even the sexual relations with the girl. Who can blame a guy who has been a priest his whole life? Some may argue that a man in his position has no right taking advantage of an individual in such a way but if that is the worst thing that Jim Casy ever did I wish the world was filled with Jim Casy�s.