His mother remembered how lovingly the mother-in-law was looked upon at meal time. She wanted that. She wanted, of course, every good thing for her son. She started reading cookbooks as though they were novels. Then, she discovered the Food Network.
Ruth realized that as much as she loved cooking that it made her under appreciate her father and not take time to learn about him or his interest because cooking was the big thing to her and her mother in their family. Doug learned that he didn’t have the family structure as Ruth did and he always yearned for family would listen and talk to him about his accomplishes and things he enjoyed. Ruth’s whole outlook on this chapter is to inform us about a part in her life as she does in every other chapter. It’s very hard to relate with Ruth’s made point in this chapter because I have never experienced a feeling like Ruth has. So I cannot really relate to how she feels.
I bought her a hot-water heater, and another one when it wore out…They were tiny things, inconsequential things. I did them because I was supposed to, because it was my turn to do things for her, and because I was trying to make up for any wrong I had ever done her.” (Bragg, pg. 151) His mother made many sacrifices for her boys when she was growing up, and Bragg was compassionate to his mother. He loved her so much and wanted her to live a comfortable life. This can strike a note with most readers, as most people feel attached to their mothers and would do anything to make them happy.
She isn’t the traditional American house wife that watches the children, cook meals, and wash and make clothes for the family. Ma Joad keeps all of her emotions to herself and hates family separation. She is Strong, hopeful, willful, and unbreakable and the most valuable supporter of the family during the period of hard times. Ma Joad as a main Character of the book drives her family into spiritual survival. All characters in The Grapes of Wrath bear moment's of deep self disappointment; however, Ma does not create a chance for them to stumble.
She did not find that a marriage service generated love; she did not enable her husband to recapture his youth through hers; nor could she compensate for that by running his home in the manner of an experienced housekeeper.” This quote illustrates that Elias Strorm was very cruel to her that she died after her second child was born. She was a beautiful, young woman who Elias turned into a very dull person. She always wanted him to be happy and be a good person, but that did not happen, he was just unfair and unpleasant to everyone. To conclude Elias Strorm’s wife is a good supporter of her husband as well as Emily Strorm. The role of women does demonstrate bystanders and supporters of their husbands and family member.
Mama finally stands up to Dee and realizes the beauty in Maggie. Mama is a simple woman. She has worked hard her entire life and has done the best to support her family. Although Mama may not agree with Dee, it seems as if she is caught up in Dee’s opinions and behavior. Almost as if she wants to be enough for Dee because she knows she never has been.
Nothing more, nothing less. The only thing I am thankful for are the generous Canadians back home who have provided us with food rations. It is heartwarming that Canadians back home are sacrificing some of their own food supply to feed us troops overseas. But don’t get me wrong brother; the meals we get are soggy and tasteless. You’re lucky that you get to eat Momma’s delicious home-cooking everyday.
And still, the husband loved her, but unfortunately she could no longer fulfill her role of being a mother or a wife any longer because of her depression. Sadly, the husband understood the pain of his wife was going through, and knew he had to obey her demands of isolation for the safety of the child. No one will ever really know how the little boy must of felt; having little communication with his mother, this must have been tough on him. Even though he was not capable of writing notes, he still managed to communicate with his mother by drawing pictures. Unfortunately, he never got back any response because his mother only looked at the drawings.
When Dee finds out that the quilts were already given to her sister, Dee gets furious and believes that she deserves the quilts more than Maggie and that Maggie would not take care of them as well as she would. Poor Maggie says to her mother "She can have them Mama...I can 'member Grandma Dee without the quilts". Maggie is used to never getting anything. Throughout the entire story, it says that Maggie gives up many things so Dee can have what she needs or wants. Dee is quite ungrateful.
Dee only wanted to lord over them her superior intelligence and education, therefore boosting her own ego. Dee does not hide her shame for the way that her mother and Maggie live by writing “no matter where [they] “choose” to live, she will manage to come see [them]. But she will never bring her friends.” Dee's harsh criticisms are not just pointed at her mother and Maggie as can be seen when the narrator points out “When [Dee] was courting Jimmy T she didn't have much time to pay us, but turned all her faultfinding power on him. He flew to marry a cheap city girl” (Walker 105). Notice the emphasized word flew.