Ma is the superglue that prevents the entire Joad family from cracking into a thousand tiny pieces. Whenever a family member considers leaving the family, Ma tries her hardest to convince them to stay. Although the men are supposedly the leaders of Dust Bowl era families, in the toughest of situations, Ma is in charge of decision-making. Ma is a strong, loving caretaker for the Joad family. She will do anything to protect her family even if that means going against what her husband is saying.
Pa has an extremely hard time adjusting to his situation after leaving the farm. This is mostly due to the fact that he no longer has to fulfill his role as the sole provider of the family. He is extremely hard working and continues to search for a job even when the search seems hopeless. When Rose of Sharon was having her baby, the rain threatened to flood the Joad’s temporary home in a boxcar. Pa got all the nearby men to help him build a dam to stop the rising water(Steinbeck, Chapter 30). Through his disheartenment, Pa continues to show his commitment to his family. He slowly began to lose his role of group leader as the journey went on. He began having trouble making decisions and Ma stepped in when he froze or needed help. Ma stood against him when it came to Tom having to leave the family. He usually would have hit her for talking back to him but she was holding a weapon and the position of power, and he made the wise decision of agreeing with her.
Ma and Pa are happily married and seem to work well together. They used to clash in fights, but both of them know their place and it works as a very good support system for the family. They provide for their family in a time of great need and do whatever they can to ensure the survival of the people they care for, even if that means less food for themselves.
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