Gender Roles In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath written by John Steinbeck reveals the gender roles and culture of its time. In the 20th century, feminism became more common as the patriarchal society evolved. Resultantly, Ma’s position in the Joad family changes throughout the novel and we see her gaining more power. However, due to the previous societal roles, Ma is restricted in how and when she can accept the role of leader. Ma shows her powerful leadership qualities only when dealing with issues of her own gender. Although Ma’s actions give the illusion that females in the novel are ascending to more conspicuous and regarded positions, it is the belief of Ma’s assertions that demonstrates that females rise in power only when they are protecting their own oppression.

The roles of the two genders are not questioned nor challenged towards the start of the novel; “Men stood by their fences and looked at the ruined corn – women came out of the houses to stand beside their men” (Steinbeck, 3). The females quietly and joyfully fulfill the needs of their family as support for their spouse. As males tended to play the role of leader in the family, “Men sang the works, and the women hummed the tunes”(Steinbeck, 194). This reveals that women had no voice and did not speak up but rather provided support and encouragement for the men. However, throughout the novel, the roles of women transform. Ma specifically transforms from a powerless and voiceless women and turns out to be more vocal about her choices and the way she needs things to be