Then, Casey tells Tom a story. "I'd take one of them girls out in the grass an' I'd lay with her....Then I'd feel bad, and I'd pray and pray, but it didn't do no good. Come the next time I'd do it again. Figgered...i was a damn ol' hypocrite," (Steinbeck, 1939, p. 15). This quote shows that Casey was using his power as a "Man of God" to do evil, or wrong deeds. He felt hypocritical because he was preaching about morals/virtue, but he himself had sinful ideas and committed sinful actions. Casey wanted to be a good person because he was supposed to teach them right from wrong--he was responsible for them--but he was only human, and like everyone, he wasn't infallible. He felt remorse for abusing his position, because he wanted--needed--to be a good person, for he had a responsibility to the people.
"There's me with all them people's souls in my han'--an' ever time, I lay with one of them girls.' He looked at Joad and his face looked helpless. His expression asked for help," (Steinbeck, 1939, p. 16). Here, it shows the emotional toll this took on Casey. He felt sick. He wasn't helping anybody, but he was still making it harder on himself, and even though he was trying to help others find the path of virtue, he himself was straying from it, and needed redirection. He felt he had a duty to service these people, to make them happy.
"[I asked myself,] Don't you love Jesus?'...No, I don't know anyone name' Jesus...I only love people. An' sometimes I love 'em fit to bust, an' I want to make 'em happy, so I been preachin' somepin' I thought would make 'em happy," (Steinbeck, 1939, p. 16). Here, Casey explicitly states he preaches to make people happy, not because he believes in the word of the Lord. This shows that he is a very compassionate person, and cares for the people in his community. Not only did he sacrifice his own happiness, but his own beliefs; he never said he was religious himself, but he thought it would make people happy and safe, so he preached it anyway. He turned his back on himself, to give a helping hand to others.
Do you agree, or disagree? Do you have anything to add? I'd love to hear your ideas!
Do you agree, or disagree? Do you have anything to add? I'd love to hear your ideas!
As long as the perception of infallibility remains, does it truly matter whether or not Casey is or is not fallible? Casey represented an ideal for the people to strive towards, he was offering the people hope of a better life. He wasn't claiming to himself be a better man, but preaching the value of it. As long as he remained that symbol, as long as he remained an ideal, does his own actions matter?
ReplyDeleteHis actions mattered to him. Religion was a beacon of hope, and he helped spread that hope of a better future to his community by preaching. However, this caused him emotional pain because he felt he was being hypocritical by committing these sinful acts which caused him to feel unworthy of his position as a preacher. In the end though,the fact that he made people happy was worth his consciousness constantly tormenting him; he was helping these people which fulfilled his self-given responsibility to the world, but his morality was in constant battle between helping people, or doing preaching what he thought was right.
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ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with your post Pablo. Casy did preach to make the people happy. He was a good preacher and he made people excited about the words of God. It was really sad to hear that Casy did not have the spirit of God in him anymore, but the reasons he stopped preaching were very understandable. He did feel like a hypocrite for presenting himself as a virtuous preacher and then submitting to the "lust of the flesh" by laying with those girls. " Me-I don't know where I'm goin'" (Steinbeck, 1939, p. 20). This quote shows how Casy is unsure of his life. He had been a preacher for a long time, and even baptized Tom. Casy should forgive himself, after all nobodies perfect. According to Romans 3:23, " For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God". This bible verse illustrates how every human being has sinned. The fact that he denounced Jesus, shows how remorseful he feels for sins. Casy faults are what make him human. Whether he wants to be a preacher anymore, he should not tear his self down because of his past transgressions. How we, as humans deal with our mistakes, is what really matter.
ReplyDeleteI agree. He was being hypocritical by committing sin while teaching people about virtue and morals. I also agree that he was trying to redirect his life. However, at a certain point he did try justify his wrong doings, "'Maybe it ain't a sin. Maybe it's just the way folks is. Maybe we been whippin' the hell out of ourselves for nothing" (Steinbeck, 1939, p. 23).
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