Ma Joad- The Grapes of Wrath

There were a lot of characters in the novel The Grapes of Wrath, but there are only a select few that had a big impact. Ma Joad is the first of many characters, but one of the major characters. On their way to California the Joads do not have any idea as to what they are getting themselves into. They just set out to find a job in California. Once they get there some of the family members of the Joads were either leaving or they died on the way to California. Once they all left the family it was very easy for the Joads to go insane and just give up on life itself. Not for Ma Joad though she was the one who kept this family sane and she kept them together for as long as she could. When Steinbeck says, "It ain't no use, Noah said. I'm sad, but I can't help it. I got to go. He turned abruptly and walked downstream along the shore. Tom started to follow, and then he stopped. He saw Noah disappear into the brush, and then appear again, following the edge of the river. And he watched Noah growing smaller on the edge of the river, until he disappeared into the willows at last. And Tom took off his cap and scratched his head. He went back to his willow cave and lay down to sleep" (Steinbeck 209). The quote shows that Noah is leaving the family because he does not want to be their any longer with them. Ma Joad has to take charge in order to keep the family together and not just let their family separate. Throughout the novel Ma Joad shows courage, love, care, and trustworthiness towards her family. It could be very easy to go insane during the Great Depression, but Ma Joad showed the strength in order to keep her family as well as herself together. Ma Joad was a huge character when it came to this novel.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.