As the former Rev. Jim Casy explains, "Ain't got the call no more. Got a lot of sinful idears – but they seem kinda sensible" (4.15), religious commitment and the clarity between right and wrong has been diminished in The Grapes of Wrath. The "grey areas" of "sinful idears" that somehow seem "sensible" are the result of the tremendous social upheaval of Depression Era America. This makes sense as the back-breaking struggle to survive described in Steinbeck's novel would cause anyone to question the role of God or any higher power. Jim Casy has begun to question life, delving into the philosophical underpinnings of human interaction, in stark contrast to stubborn Ma Joad who always knows what to think and do about the details of life. The tremendous suffering that Steinbeck details should remind us all that life is not fair, that adverse conditions test the fabric of our society, and that our ability to treat our fellow human beings with care and compassion is made stronger when a higher power is absent.
The loss of religion and spirituality is the opportunity to define and strengthen our basic humanity. This seems to be the case even more so today as popular culture and the media in general inundate us with "sinful idears." Can we find the pearls of truth and sensibility amongst the debris generated by our 21st century media? Sin and redemption are basic tenets of American culture and the cornerstone of the American dream. Steinbeck's uncompromising view of misery and misfortune in 1930s America can be considered a call to arms to right those wrongs. Some might argue that the idealism and rebellion that took place in the 1960s was America finally responding. We seem to be at a similar crossroads today; I hope we can rise to the occasion.
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