Who does Tom meet when he stops to rest on his journey home?

• A. Ma Joad
• B. Jim Casy
• C. Pa Joad
• D. Uncle John

Answer: (B)

Tom meets Jim Casy, a former preacher now roaming as a wanderer, when he stops to rest on his way home. Casy’s recognition of Tom and their immediate conversation introduce a guiding, compassionate influence that shapes Tom’s outlook. This encounter matters because Casy challenges Tom to consider how individuals are tied to a larger community and to act for others, not just for himself. Their meeting foreshadows Tom’s growing sense of responsibility and solidarity with those who suffer, a theme that runs through much of the novel. The other characters—family members Tom will reunite with later—aren’t the ones he encounters at this exact moment.