She maintains a stoic composition despite these difficulties. By the end of her trek she has become head of the Joad family and solely focused on surviving. She recognizes that she has become the head of her family when she says that “Pa’s lost his place” and that Pa “ain’t the head no more.” She reduces these living conditions to being “just like animals.” Catalysts for change include when Pa Joad was not able to perform as head of house anymore so Ma, the stronger of the two, took over. Another was when Ma kept a calm front when Grandma died so they could bury her in California. Ma faced many challenges and conflicts that led her to change. She lost her home and multiple family members over a brief period of time. The resolution of these challenges and conflicts formed because when the goal is simply survival, no one cares who is the head of the family. At the Keene Ranch, the owner asks if everyone, including women and children, can work. This film treats patriarchy like a privilege only the rich can afford, and therefore as detrimental to the essential well-being of a