John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath has a very diverse group of characters. One way they are diverse is the way they develop over the course of the novel. Specifically, Ma Joad's character was very family oriented. When Tom Joad came home, she was so excited to have everyone together to go to California. Therefore, she wanted everyone to stay together as a family. In addition, Steinbeck made her the character she is for a reason. Later on in the novel, Ma Joad’s character did not change, in fact, her role as a mother was taken more seriously. She became more like the leader of the family when Grandma and Grandpa died. Overall, Ma Joad’s character did not change much at all over the course of the novel. Ma Joad started out, and stayed the …show more content…
She takes care of the people that are ill and nurses them back to health the best she can. This is especially incorporated when the Joads go on the road to California. People start getting sick, and Grandma and Grandpa Joad die. Then, her role of a mother and nurse really starts to take place in the family. Many members of the family either die or leave the journey to California, which is also why Ma Joad had to change her role a little to take control and try to get everyone back together.Even though Pa Joad is still there, he is not much of a provider for them, which is why Ma Joad stepped up and tried her hardest to be a good leader for the family and keep them together. For example, instead of having people get off the truck when it got too heavy, Ma burned some of her own possessions, as a sacrifice she made to keep her family together. In the beginning of the novel, she would not have done this. She would have most likely thought it was Pa Joad’s responsibility to make sacrifices for his family. However, her role changed, and so did her personality. In other words, she not only changed her role, she changed the way she thought. In Conclusion, her role later on in the novel changed, but her character did not as