It has been proven over the course of the centuries that women are more .
Women respond to the emotional needs of others, their .
lives are constantly changing. Men respond to the physical needs of others. They .
find a place in the world, and when they are suddenly ripped from their place and .
tossed into the world, they become lost. "Woman can change better"n a .
man Man, he lives in jerks-- woman, it's all one flow, like a stream- These .
were the wise words spoken by Ma Joad in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of .
Wrath. .
Ma Joad is the main character in Steinbeck's novel. Every aspect of Ma .
exudes strength and comfortableness. Steinbeck describes her as being "heavy, .
but not fat; thick with child bearing and work strong, freckled arms were bare to .
the elbow, and her hands were chubby and delicate, like those of a plump little .
girl. Her full face was not soft, it was controlled, kindly. Her hazel eyes seemed to .
have mounted pain and suffering like steps into a high calm and superhuman .
understanding." (pg. 95) Ma is the families" pillar of strength; the battery that .
powers the family. "She seemed to know, to accept, to welcome her position, the .
citadel of the family, the strong place that could not be taken." (pg.95) She puts .
everyone before herself and suffers privately, which is demonstrated most when .
the family is traveling through the California desert and Ma rides alongside .
Granma's corpse so the family can complete the treacherous journey. The family .
not only looks to Ma for comfort and strength, but also joy. " when a joyful thing .
happened, they looked to see whether joy was on her- (pg 95).
Before leaving for California, Ma has high hopes and dreams for a new life .
" I like to think how nice it's gonna be, maybe, in California; never cold. An" fruit .
ever"place, an" people just bein" in the nicest places, little white houses in among .
the orange trees. I wonder-that is, if we all get jobs an" all work-maybe we can .
