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This theme is displayed when Tom is speaking about Casy on pages 570-573 in The Grapes of Wrath. Tom says, "On'y
the wind, Ma. I know the wind" (571). This is a reference to the Over-Soul, because the wind blows over and connects all people.
Also, Tom is becoming more and more like Casy, who sacrificed himself for the good of the people. Tom is also sacrificing
himself, but doing it by leaving his family so that they are not persecuted because they are connected to him. When becoming
more like Casy, Tom grows closer and closer to the idea of the Over-Soul, because Casy was the one that was most aware
of the central soul of all people. Tom also says, "I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry an' they know supper's
ready. An' when our folks eat the stuff they raise an' live in the houses they build - why, I'll be there" (572). Saying this,
it becomes obvious that Tom is aware of the Over-Soul. This whole example shows how Steinbeck is advocating the need for all
people to stay together because he is acknowledging the Over-Soul and furthering his idea that all people have part in it.
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Steinbeck shows the organization of the government camps in an attempt to promote the idea that all must
help each other in order to survive. By showing the highly efficient camp and the happiness and organization of all involved,
Steinbeck expresses that the "Okies" have the potential of achieving many goals given the opportunity. According to Jim Rawley,
the camp manager, "[the people] keep the camp clean, they keep order, they do everything. I never saw such people" (415).
Within the government camp, Steinbeck uses the incident of the croquet game to illustrate the failure of the individual.
Ruthie insisted on playing the game immediately, breaking up a rather serious existing game of half a dozen children.
Rather than resisting, the other children let Ruthie play alone and watched her with expressionless eyes. Ruthie "stared at
them, and then she flung down the mallet and ran crying for home" (434). By illustrating the failure and unhappiness of an
individual against the rest of a society, Steinbeck advocates working with people in order to achieve and survive.
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