"All we got is the family unbroke. Like a bunch a cows, when the lobos are ranging, stick all together. I ain’t scared while we’re all here, all that’s alive, but I ain’t gonna see us bust up. The Wilsons here is with us, an’ the preacher is with us. I can’t say nothin’ if they want to go, but I’m a-goin’ cat-wild with this here piece a bar-arn if my own folks busts up."
– John Steinbeck
The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 16. Ma Joad is a powerhouse of strength and unifying force for her family, which she doesn’t want to see break no matter what. She believes that by staying together they are better equipped to fight danger and overcome obstacles. She uses a simile to compare the Joads to a bunch of cows being threatened by wolves – their survival chances are better if they stick together.