The whole group watched the revolt. They watched Pa, waiting for him to break into fury. They watched his lax hands to see the fists form. And Pa’s anger did not rise, and his hands hung limply at his sides. And in a moment the group knew that Ma had won. And Ma knew it too.
– John Steinbeck
The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 16. There is an important shift in gender and family roles here, as Pa Joad backs down in the face of Ma Joad’s revolt against his authority. Pa had agreed with the suggestion that Tom, Al and Casy stay behind with the broken car, while the rest of the group continue on. But Ma refuses to go along because she doesn’t want to split the family. Despite his humiliation, Pa yields to his wife’s wishes and the Joads stay together. It is clear that the power in the family has shifted from the eldest male to the indomitable Ma Joad.