Characters in "The Grapes of Wrath": Pa

Pa was a very influential character in The Grapes of Wrath. He was the man in charge, and he made the decisions for the family. He was very powerful, and the family depended on him to tell them where to go and what to do. He was heartbroken when he lost the farm, and it just tore him up inside. He knew that he had the burden and the responsibility of providing for everyone that was with his family, because he needed to be hospitable. He had to decide where to go, he looked for work, and he tried to work as hard as he could at everything that he did. Quickly, though, he loses his place of authority when Ma makes everyone do things her way. She threatens to hurt them if they do not, and since she has weapons in her hand, they all believe her. They quickly learn to submit to her authority. Pa may have suggestions, but he no longer has final say on what everyone does. Pa likes to be in control of the situation, so he has a hard time giving the authority in the family over to Ma. He oftentimes picks what he thinks the whole family should do. Sometimes Ma listens to what Pa has to say, but sometimes she completely ignores him and does whatever she thinks everyone should do. Pa is willing to sacrifice his body, mind, and soul to protect and provide for his family. Now that he has lost his farm, the only thing he has to live for is his family. They are the most important thing in his life, and he does not have anything else on his mind. All in all, Pa is a pretty simple-minded man, but he is willing to fight fiercely for his family, and he relies heavily on the ways of the old and his loving family.