The Revolution That Could Not Be
The Revolution That Could Not Be In the book The Grapes of Wrath we encounter the character of Jim Casy, a former preacher and advocate for basic human rights. Jim attempts to spearhead a revolution to end the brutal domination of the migrant workers by the farm owners. However, this revolution fails and Jim is murdered in the process. By examining Jim's character and his actions, we can see that his revolution was destined for failure because of certain character traits that Jim possesses, such as desiring passive resistance, turning the other cheek and a willingness to sacrifice himself. These are detrimental to his efforts because without Jim as the leader for this revolution, it has no chance of success. In the book, Jim wishes to rebel against the type of slavery that the farmers have created for the migrant laborers. The farmers drive down wages in order to reduce the laborers to beings that are subhuman and starving them and their families. By doing this, the farmers hope to have the laborers work for virtually free and increase their profit from the crops. We can see this type of tyrannical oppression when Mr. Thomas says, "I don't know how long it can go on. I don't know h
------------------------------------------------------------------------**Bibliography**. This shows me that he is not only willing, but happy to give himself in for punishment, especially in a situation where any other character would run off and hide. When I read this passage I visualized Jim shaking his head in sorrow while never giving in to his anger like Tom does, he simply turned the other cheek and continued his campaign of passive resistance against the farmers. Jim Casy was the figurehead and leader for a revolution against the despotic farmers, but because of his beliefs in passive resistance, forgiveness and turning the other cheek, and his willingness to sacrifice himself for his cause, the uprising could not occur. The farmers take adva!ntage of his forgiving nature by killing him and ending the threat of the revolution. ow you men can feed a family on what you get now. Jim's words and actions were still needed by the workers to convince them to join the! strike and because he was silenced before his message could be spread, the revolution came to a screeching halt. This is the role that Jim fills, starting a strike against the peach picking camp in an attempt to force the wages higher. This is the key to the entire revolution, for without the violence to enforce their strike and protect themselves, the farmers are able to kill the leaders and disband the revolution. Thomas are very negative and also contain a sense of violence in the revolution against the farmers. We can see this trait in Jim when he is confronted by the farmers beneath the bridge, "Shut up you red son of a bitch," said one of the farmers to Jim, "You don't know what you're a'doin," he replied. This belief may have propelled Jim into the upper ranks of the revolution but it ruined any chance for the revolution to succeed. We have seen Jim give himself into to punishment twice in the book, once in Hooverville after attacking the policeman and once when he dies beneath the bridge. Thomas also believes that the wage cuts can only go on for so long before someone attempts to stop the farmers. His reply shows that he disregards the insult and turns the other cheek while still trying to dissuade the farmer from using violence.
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