What was the name of the former preacher in Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath?

• A. Tom Joad
• B. Ma Joad
• C. Pa Joad
• D. Jim Casy

Answer: (D)

Jim Casy is the former preacher in Grapes of Wrath. He’s introduced as a traveling, unassigned preacher who has left formal ministry but still speaks with a pastor’s concern for people. He travels with Tom Joad after Tom’s release from prison, acting as a moral voice and helping shape Tom’s understanding of solidarity and collective action. Casy’s ideas emphasize that people are connected and that communal, shared effort matters more than individual success, a thread that guides Tom’s decisions throughout the story. The other names are members of the Joad family and do not fit the description of a former preacher, so this character is the correct match.