"I’m hungry," Ruthie whined.
"No, you ain’t," Ma said. "You had good mush."
"Wisht I had a box a Cracker Jack. There ain’t nothin’ to do. Ain’t no fun."
"They’ll be fun," Ma said. "You jus’ wait. Be fun purty soon. Git a house an’ a place, purty soon."
"Wisht we had a dog," Ruthie said.
"We’ll have a dog; have a cat, too."

– John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 30. The American dream is still shining bright for an optimistic Ma Joad, despite the family’s trials and hardships. When Ruthie complains about having no Cracker Jack or fun, Ma promises her not only fun, but a house, a dog and a cat. Ma is a symbol of hope and the glue that holds the Joad family together.