This is an interesting question. I certainly don't think the Joads turned their backs on God; this is witnessed through grandma's insistance on Casy remaining a preacher. There are examples from the past that the Joad children were baptized, they know Casy from his preaching days, etc. However, I certainly think the Joads have made the assumption that "doing" will get them farther than praying. Someone devoutly religious may have stayed on the farm and waited for God to provide or for a some definite sign of what to do. The Joads, like so many other Okies, took to the roads to take their chances. But again, I'm not sure this constitues a lack of religion.
Yes, they certainly relied on fellow travelers more than the power of prayer, but wouldn't the devout make the assumption that the willingness to help each other was a divine gift? You can probably pick whichever side of the fence to sit on you wish - the Joads weren't attending church services or kneeling down at the bedside to say their prayers every night, but they weren't in the middle of the road cursing God for their plight either.
No comments:
Post a Comment