Family in GOW

The normal idea of a family is a group of people, consisting of both parents and children, who all live together in the same house. While this is a true definition, family is much more, especially when you take a look at families through the perspective of John Steinbeck in his book Grapes of Wrath. In his book we see more than just a group of people who are related by blood and live together, we see a strong unit. The main female character, Ma Joad, adds to this image even more by keeping everyone together and relying on the idea a family in order to stick together. She cares more about the family staying together than making it to California, because to her family is everything, and if she doesn't have family in her life there will be nothing to really live for. This is why we see her getting upset by the idea of Tom getting into trouble and leaving her, and feeling so upset by Rosasharn wanting to leave the family to live in a city with Connie. Any parent gets disheartened when their child grows up and prepares to leave their home to start a life of their own, but it is much harder for Ma Joad because her family is the most important thing in her life. I think Ma's love for her family contributes to Steinbeck's message in a big way. He is setting up this story of a family being uprooted from their home, a place they have lived in for an extremely long time, and going on a devastating journey to the West; throughout their journey they face many trials that have the potential to break them apart, but instead it only makes them a stronger unit. Ma's love makes in this more meaningful because, despite the hardships, she is persistent in wanting to keep her family intact and isn't letting going to let anything Steinbeck throws into the plot rip her family apart.