Summary:
Discusses the John Steinbeck classic, The Grapes of Wrath. Describes Ma Joad's position as the matriarch of the family. Considers her importance to the family's survival.
In John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, the character Ma Joad was the courage, wisdom, and matriarch of the family.
Whenever the Joads were ready to give up, Ma Joad would reinforce them with enough courage to go on. At one point Pa Joad was weak and losing place as head of the family. She told him on page 193, "besides, us folks takes a pride in holdin' in. My pa used to say, 'anybody can break down, it takes a man not to.'" Her advice kept Pa going for at least a little longer. She was the strongest person in the whole family. When they were weak she would be strong and keep them going. She always had something reassuring to say such as "why Tom, us people will go on livin' when all them people is gone. Why Tom, we're the people that live. They ain't gonna wipe us out. Why, we're the people, we go on." Her never-ending confidence kept the family going.
Ma Joad was also a fountain of wisdom and knowledge. When someone needed reassurance or advice, Ma Joad was there and willing to give it to them. She seemed to have the answer to everything but deep down inside she was just as scared as they were. People even looked at Ma and saw how wise and experienced she was. The first description of her showed this. It said on page 100, "Her hazel eyes seemed to have experienced all possible tragedy and to have mounted pain and suffering like steps into a high calm and super human understanding." This shows her as someone whom everyone trusts and feels like they can be guided by. When someone was acting like they shouldn't she would advise them on how to act. For example, on page 451 where she tells pa fiercely, "You ain't got the right to get discouraged. This here fambly's goin' under. You just ain't got the right." Ma guided her family with a firm yet loving hand.
Finally, Ma Joad was the head woman, or matriarch, of her family. This is a constant theme throughout the book. It is shown every time she makes an important decision or every time she easies someone's mind by telling them how they will be okay. She is always strong and helpful, wise and courageous. Everyone feels safe and comfortable with her. This is shown on page 94 when Tom sees her. It says, "Tom heard his mother's voice, the remembered cool, calm drawl, friendly and humble." In the book when Pa loses his place as head of the family, Ma takes charge. She isn't happy about it though, she'd rather have her husband be at the head of the family which is his place. She shows this on page 606 where she says, " Use to the man was furst . It ain't so now. It's anybody." This is how Ma Joad is the quintessential mother figure in this book. She is not only courageous, but wise and motherly.
This is the complete article, containing 502 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).
