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Grampa: Expresses his strong desire to stay in Oklahoma. Grampa is drugged by his family with "soothin' syrup" to force him to leave, but dies in the evening of the first day on the road.
Granma: The religious wife of Grampa , she loses her will to live after his death. She dies while the family is crossing the Mojave Desert.
Role: Represent the past. They hold firm to the old ways, how things used to be. For example, when the whole family is packed up to leave their farm, Grampa stubbornly refuses to go.
Patriarch, also named Tom, age 50. Hardworking sharecropper and family man. Pa becomes a broken man upon losing his livelihood and means of supporting his family, forcing Ma to assume leadership.
Older brother of Pa Joad. He felt guilty about the death of his young wife years before, and has been prone to binges involving alcohol and prostitutes, but is generous with his goods.
Matriarch. Practical and warm-spirited, she tries to hold the family together.
Role: Leader. Pa is often the first person looked to when trying to decide matters of the whole family, such as where they will go next, or when they will leave. However, he is often ashamed because Ma often asserts more power, and his decisions are overruled.
Role: The "rock" of the family, the one who all depend on to stay optimistic and determine when they are finished.
Role: Seeker of forgiveness. John blames himself for the death of his wife, since she was in pain but he didn't call a doctor, even when she asked, so he tries to be generous to all. But sometimes his depression gets the best of him.
The youngest daughter, age twelve. She is shown to be reckless and childish.
A "smart-aleck sixteen-year-older" who cares mainly for cars and girls; looks up to Tom, but begins to find his own way.
"Winfield was still a trifle of a snot-nose, a brooder back of the barn, and an inveterate collector and smoker of snipes."
Childish and dreamy teenage daughter who develops into a mature woman. Pregnant in the beginning of the novel, she delivers a stillborn baby, suggested as due to malnutrition.
Rose of Sharon's husband. Nineteen years old and naive, he is overwhelmed by marriage and impending fatherhood.
Protagonist of the story; the Joad family's second son, named after his father. Later on, Tom takes leadership of the family even though he is young.
First to leave the family, planning to live off fishing on the Colorado River. Injured at birth, described as "strange", he may have slight learning difficulties.
Role: The younger generation. Ruthie is a twelve year old girl who, along with brother Winfield, is childish and daring, though usually not without a sense of accomplishment or egging on.
Role: Along with Ruthie, the younger generation. Winfield is 10 years old, younger than Ruthie, and is more of a curious troublemaker, always trying to get some enjoyment out of a situation.
Role: Pride, boastfulness. Al often tries to keep a good popularity for himself, although he does know when he is outmatched.
Role: Justified troublemaker. He often resorts to violence or hostility when he is opposed, but only when he knows that he or his family are getting the bad end of a bargain.
Role: The future American, she also shows the rapid change in a person when they are given a large responsibility.
Role: Deadbeat dad, abandons pregnant wife when he realizes how grim the situation is in California.
Role: The calm and collected person. Noah is one who has no problems that affect him, which is often seen as odd by others.