Tom turned his head and grinned. "Granma finally heard I’m home. Ma," he said, "you never was like this before!"
"I never had my house pushed over," she said. "I never had my fambly stuck out on the road. I never had to sell – ever’thing – Here they come now."
– John Steinbeck
The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 8. Tom Joad notices a change in his mother after the experience of the family’s home being taken away from them. This is foreshadowing of the many more changes that will come about during and after their migration to California. It also shows us a glimpse into Ma Joad’s great inner strength and calm that will get them through those difficult times.