Ma Joad is a prominent character in John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath.” Throughout the book, Ma Joad, the matriarch of the Joad family, showcases her strength, resilience, and wisdom. Her words resonate with readers even today, as they offer valuable insights into the human condition and the struggles faced by migrant families during the Great Depression. In this article, we have compiled a collection of Ma Joad quotes that are sure to inspire and provoke thought.
Read these Ma Joad quotes
“I got to thinkin’ how we was holy when we was one thing, an’ mankin’ was holy when it was one thing. An’ it on’y got unholy when one mis’able little fella got the bit in his teeth an’ run off his own way, kickin’ an’ draggin’ an’ fightin’.”
“Maybe that’s what we look for when we find Jesus. Maybe that’s what Casy meant. We look for the Holy Spirit to light on us, like them doves, an’ say, ‘You’re okay. You’re one of my kind.’ “
“A woman got to have some wriggle room. Can’t always be on the kill. Got to have a little peace sometime.”
“Use’ ta be the fambly was fust. It ain’t so now. It’s anybody. Worse off we get, the more we got to do.”
“A fella ain’t got a soul of his own, just a little piece of a big soul, the one big soul that belongs to everybody.”
“You got to have patience. Why, Tom – us people will go on livin’ when all them people is gone. Why, Tom, we’re the people that live. They ain’t gonna wipe us out. Why, we’re the people – we go on.”
“I ain’t never gonna be scared no more. I was, though. For a while it looked as though we was beat. Good and beat. Looked like we didn’t have nobody in the whole wide world but enemies. Like nobody was friendly no more. Made me feel kinda bad and scared too, like we was lost, and nobody cared.”
“Seems like the country is movin’ around a bit, tryin’ to get its feet underneath it, an’ sometimes a fella gets a chance to help.”
“Use’ ta be the kids learned from the parents. Now it’s the parents who learn from the kids.”
“You ain’t learnin’ nothin’. Them people will go away an’ never come back. They ain’t gonna bump into you no more. You can hold your head up.”
“Ma ain’t nobody gonna take your place. I ain’t never seen no woman like you. You gonna make us a home.”
“Maybe all men got one big soul ever’body’s a part of.”
“An’ all the time the kids is watchin’ you. They ain’t gonna learn nothin’ if you don’ know what you’re talkin’ about.”
“I’m learnin’ one thing good. Learnin’ it all a time, ever’ day. If you’re in trouble or hurt or need – go to poor people. They’re the only ones that’ll help – the only ones.”
“Well, Pa, a woman can change better’n a man. A man lives sorta – well, in jerks. Baby’s born or somebody dies, an’ that’s a jerk. He gets a farm or loses it, an’ that’s a jerk. With a woman, it’s all in one flow, like a stream – little eddies an’ waterfalls – but the river, it goes right on.”
“When you’re huntin’ somepin you’re a hunter, an’ you’re strong. Can’t nobody beat a hunter. But when you get hunted – that’s different. Somepin happens to you. You ain’t strong; maybe you’re fierce, but you ain’t strong.”
“We’re sorry folks, but it ain’t our fault. We’re sorry as hell, but we didn’t do it, an’ it ain’t our fault.”
“Use’ ta be a time when we’d have to ask on our knees for bread. You folks don’t know what it was. You’re huntin’ work. We was on the road lookin’ for somepin to eat.”
“Use’ ta be the fambly was fust. It ain’t so now. It’s anybody. Worse off we get, the more we got to do.”
“A woman can change better’n a man. A man lives sorta – well, in jerks. Baby’s born or somebody dies, an’ that’s a jerk. He gets a farm or loses it, an’ that’s a jerk. With a woman, it’s all in one flow, like a stream – little eddies an’ waterfalls – but the river, it goes right on.”
These Ma Joad quotes offer a glimpse into the strength, resilience, and wisdom of this iconic character. They remind us of the importance of unity, empathy, and the human spirit in times of adversity. Whether you are a fan of “The Grapes of Wrath” or simply seeking inspiration, these quotes are sure to leave a lasting impact.
