Chapters 16-19
f. Tom Joad has a few strong beliefs that he carries with him throughout the story so far. The first belief that he sets himself up with is his belief that every traveler during this time of hardship has the responsibility to help others out. He starts this when he exclaims this belief to the truck driver, who he then uses to get a ride back to his home town. While he does not act on his belief, later in the ride, he does show his earnestness about being truthful with the truck driver about his past sins. All throughout the journey to California, he expresses concern for other's well being over his own. He opts to bring Jim Casey along with his family to California. This in itself is a clear indicator of his supposed responsibility to others during this time. The other time that he shows that he believes he has a moral responsibility to others in times of duress is when the man is being shot by the sheriff without proper cause. Without thinking about his parole and for his own safety, he trips the police officer, effectively incapacitating him. The other value that Tom Joad holds on to, is his belief that there are instances when a man should be allowed to violate the law, or some supreme authority. The previous example also works to show this moral value. He decides to attack the policeman while others simply watched him shoot at an innocent man. Earlier in the story, even before we meet him, he murders a man to protect his honor and to protect himself physically. This disregard for authority is apparent in every interaction he has with authoritative figures, which are far and few. Another instance of Joad rejecting the established laws of the land is when he first sees the state of despair the land has been put into by tractors from the bank which destroy his neighbor's homes. He sympathizes with the farmers and eventually is forced to move out in the same way that they do, resentful and sad. All of these instances show Joad's top beliefs in this book: his moral decision to help others as everyone should, and the second being his unreliance on the established law to be fair and protect him in his home country.
f. Tom Joad has a few strong beliefs that he carries with him throughout the story so far. The first belief that he sets himself up with is his belief that every traveler during this time of hardship has the responsibility to help others out. He starts this when he exclaims this belief to the truck driver, who he then uses to get a ride back to his home town. While he does not act on his belief, later in the ride, he does show his earnestness about being truthful with the truck driver about his past sins. All throughout the journey to California, he expresses concern for other's well being over his own. He opts to bring Jim Casey along with his family to California. This in itself is a clear indicator of his supposed responsibility to others during this time. The other time that he shows that he believes he has a moral responsibility to others in times of duress is when the man is being shot by the sheriff without proper cause. Without thinking about his parole and for his own safety, he trips the police officer, effectively incapacitating him. The other value that Tom Joad holds on to, is his belief that there are instances when a man should be allowed to violate the law, or some supreme authority. The previous example also works to show this moral value. He decides to attack the policeman while others simply watched him shoot at an innocent man. Earlier in the story, even before we meet him, he murders a man to protect his honor and to protect himself physically. This disregard for authority is apparent in every interaction he has with authoritative figures, which are far and few. Another instance of Joad rejecting the established laws of the land is when he first sees the state of despair the land has been put into by tractors from the bank which destroy his neighbor's homes. He sympathizes with the farmers and eventually is forced to move out in the same way that they do, resentful and sad. All of these instances show Joad's top beliefs in this book: his moral decision to help others as everyone should, and the second being his unreliance on the established law to be fair and protect him in his home country.
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