John Steinbeck Sins And Virtues

Sin and Virtue. What is the difference? Christian society deems a “sin”, as an action or motive that is against God and his commandments. Some view a sin as merely the act of being immoral or inhumane. But in reality, who are we to judge whether a person has committed an offense? In this day and age we have altered views on what society should consider moral(virtuous) or immoral(sinful). So how specifically do sins and virtues differ in Steinbeck’s views, society's views, and my personal views. Steinbeck sees sins and virtues as similar, while the general society views sins as the defiance of God, with virtues being the correct way to appease good. In my opinion, virtues and sins have become too convoluted that it is difficult to differentiate between the two. The author of The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck has clearly identified sin and virtues through his eyes. Jim Casey, one of the stories side protagonists clearly states that sin and virtue are two very similar concepts, and even goes on to say that they are part of the same concept. "Just Jim Casy now. Ain't got the call no more. Got a lot of sinful idears – but they seem kinda sensible." (4.15) In this quote, Casy shows that the religious idea of sin and virtue aren’t as clear cut as people would like to believe. "Before I knowed it, I was sayin' out loud, 'The
Physical pain is placed onto this family as they are forced to leave their life, while also fighting against their sins and attempting to become more godly people. Throughout their plight, they realize that sin and virtue isn’t as black and white but a mixed grey. The realization that there is more to goodness than just religion is a major plot point encircling the main story. Societal opinion, personal opinion, and Steinbeck’s opinion on these concepts show that there is always more to an action than meets the