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... Bacher
Honors English
13 December 2004
Casy, the Turtle, and Christ
The Grapes of Wrath is strongly focused on symbolism, which connects characters. ... The most versatile character in the novel is Jim Casy. Throughout the novel, Casy is linked to both the turtle and Jesus Christ. Steinbeck’s intent was to make Casy, the turtle, and Christ interchangeable. ...
In chapter three, readers are introduced to a box turtle. Following a description of the turtle, readers are introduced to a man with many of the same qualities as the turtle:
It was a long head, bony, tight of skin, and set on a neck as stringy and muscular as a celery stalk. ...
This appears to describe a turtle, but actually describes Jim Casy. ... Readers are also informed that Casy is a former preacher. During his time as a preacher, following his services, Casy would take the girls out in the grass and copulate with those he ‘saved’. ... Casy’s sex drive following his services equates the turtle’s custom of preceding copulations with a courtship ritual, which makes the female turtle receptive to the male, (Brown 4).
Casy is also linked to the turtle through his actions. When Casy and Tom Joad reunite, following Tom’s release from prison, they discuss the turtle. Casy states how a turtle cannot be kept, how it will just work and work and one day get up and leave and go off somewhere. Tom decides to let the turtle go. The turtle, like Casy said, started to go somewhere headed southwest. Like the turtle, Casy cannot be kept. Casy travels with the Joads for a period, but elaborating the metaphor, he is destined to go his own route southwest.
Approximate Word count = 1379
Approximate Pages = 5.5
(250 words per page double spaced)
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