Beginning of Essay
In, The Grapes of Wrath, Ma Joad and Rose of Sharon graphically portray Steinbeck's themes of strength and sacrifice. They are universal characters, the people who hold up the fabric of society. Through them we view the need for unity and desperation of all thos ....

Middle of Essay
.... is each other and without that themselves to hold on to the have nothing. There is a saying "one finds comfort in numbers" however in this case it is "comfort" is replaced with survival. In addition, near the end of the book, when the boxcars have flooded and it seems all hope has been lost Ma leads the family to higher ground. Despite the despair she feels she overcomes it to do what must be done to insure that they survive to live another day. Her strength gives her the power rise above adversity and be the leader that she is. Ma's strength is what allows the family to hold up as long as they do. Rose of Sharon on the other hand shows the sa ....