Ma Joad’s Protagonist Abilities Who is considered to be a protagonist in the novel by John Steinbeck’s, “The Grapes of Wrath”? Ma Joad serves as an intellectual hero, based upon her influence of wisdom towards her family. As a caring individual for her sons/daughters, new recruits, and everyone else who serves as an asset to the Joad family, Ma is frequently keeping the family together on their exclusive journey to the “promised land”, California. Based throughout the story, Ma continued to watch over the emigrants, especially her son Tom, because he had went to prison for a murder crime and she does not want him to break his parole. Even though there had been some negative outcomes from their journey, Ma stood up for everyone when they were in miscommunication with the bank, salesman, and everyone else who was not in favor of the Joad’s arrival in California. When Steinbeck first introduced Ma at the beginning of the story, she did not act as a role model to the family, because Pa and the other men were in charge of the entire expedition. Ma was able to experience the exploration of happiness within every moment of dejection. She began her role …show more content…
Ma developed her role as a protagonist by being a caring, motherly, wife and friend. She was able to accomplish their goal of getting to the plentiful, yet difficult land of California. Even though many along the way tried to discourage her, she kept to her goal and strived to the end. Ma stood up for her family when times were rough, protected her children and others, and helped to comfort those when times were rough. Also, she was able to keep to her main goal, which was to keep her family together. Other than the death of gramma and grampa, they were all able to make it to california. Ma Joad helped many of her peers on their adventurous journey to California. She is characterized as a