In his novel, Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck maintains one fundamental theme in his writing, the concept of going from "Me" to "We" through the beliefs and actions of the Joad family and former preacher Jim Casy. In Depression-era Oklahoma, the Joads have been forced off their land and have set out to California, as like numerous others, in hopes of finding jobs in the "promise land." Along the way, they encounter a number of obstacles; however, with each impediment the family is a step closer embracing the vast human family. The movement from the concept of "Me" to "We" can be seen throughout the novel though the metamorphosis of the characters from having a religious-based philosophy of life to a humanity-based one.
             Steinbeck expresses the amalgamation of individuality and a devotion to all mankind through the education and reincarnation of Tom Joad. Tom Joad, completely flawed and human, is the main character of the novel and, with the teachings of Jim Casy, shows the most development through the moral journey from self to community. Throughout the novel, Casy shares his theories that all souls are just a small portion of a larger soul–the human spirit. Tom and Casy however, follow reversed paths in the development of their love for the larger mankind. Casy, an observer and critic of humanism, Tom on the other hand acts on the here and now, an obvious pragmatic. However, after Casy get in contact with inmates in jail, he moves from a position of observation to one of action. On the other hand, Tom works in the other direction, from a action to one of rumination. Once he stops moving and acting, he begins thinking "I been all day an' all night hidin' alone. Guess who I've been thinkin' about? Casy!...now I been thinkin' what he said, an' I can remember...I know now a fella ain't no good alone," (Steinbeck 535). Upon hi...