Picking just one hero from The Grapes of Wrath isn't easy especially compared to The Old Man and the Sea that really only has one main character. With that in mind, I had to choose two characters in the novel as being heroes, and I will tell you why. Both of the men I chose have some bad memories in their past that they had to work through, but to me that's what makes a great hero. Someone who can get past a tragic event and find the good in the future is worthy of the title, which is exactly what Tom Joad and Jim Casy did.
Tom was sent to prison for murdering a man, but as soon as he got out on parole he was ready to start a new life with his family. Judging by the positive reaction made by his family and friends, it is obvious that Tom is a nice person. He acted as the protagonist in the novel and has to witness quite a bit of nasty behavior along his travels. Instead of sitting back and taking the discrimination, Tom stood up for not only his family, but also other migrant farmers by becoming an activist. A 'do something' attitude is an honorable trait to have.
Similar to Tom, Jim Casy admits that he too has made mistakes in his past. He repeatedly claims that he is no longer a preacher. "Just Jim Casy now. Ain't got the call no more. Got a lot of sinful idears (Steinbeck 20)," he admits to Tom. Although the Joad's thought they were being generous by allowing Casy to travel with them, it was Jim Casy who supported the family during the entire trip. He helped motivate the family after the deaths of granpa and granma. He also helped Uncle Tom get over his fear of causing his wife's death. Jim told him, "Sure I got sins. Ever'body got sins. A sin is somepin you ain't sure about (Steinbeck 224)." He proved to be a great advice giver and was always there to hear them out.
[Bibliography]
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.
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