Ma Joad was a persistent and strong character through out the novel grapes of wrath. She endured and dodged many obstacles for her family's sake. Ma Joad was a terrific mother to her children. The great capacity of her love is shown through her every move and waking sound because she is selfless and cares for her family first before anyone else on the face of planet earth. She even cares for them before she even considers herself. Ma Joad is known to keep her emotions and feelings inside of herself, but she shows great compassion by her ability to care for her family to such an extent where she does not think about herself. In the end of the novel, we see Ma Joad direct and guide her daughter Rose of Sharon complete a selfless act; nursing a starving man to prevent his death and just to save is precious life. She is her family's strongest rock and support system who guides them gracefully through the troubled obstacles of what is known as the The Grapes of Wrath. Ma Joad's entire purpose in the journey the way i saw it was to keep the family together. That was the common goal. Although, life got in the way and the facade of the family picture crumbled. She kept a great outlook to make sure Rose of Sharon did not fall into her normal, extreme selfish ways.
"She seemed to know, to accept, to welcome her position, the citadel of the family, the strong place that could not be taken. And since Tom and the children could not know hurt or fear unless she acknowledged hurt and fear, she has practiced denying them in herself. And since, when a joyful thing happened, they looked to see whether joy was on her, it was her habit to build up laughter out of inadequate materials, from position as healer, her hands had grown sure and cool and quiet; from her position as arbiter she had become as remote and faultless in judgment as a goddess. She seemed to know that if she swayed the family shook, and if she ever really deeply wavered or despaired the family would fall, the family will to function would be gone.(Steinbeck 74)"
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.
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