Wall's parents don't really care about their children in the same way that Ma does. Their entire childhood is a series of stories and imagination. “Mom, however, told us that the FBI wasn't really after Dad; he just liked to say they were because it was more fun having the FBI on his tail than having bill collectors” (Walls, page 21). Children learn to go with the flow and listen to all the stories their parents tell them. Just as Ma was the glue that held the Joads family together, Jeanette is the glue that holds the Walls family together. She never stops supporting and loving her father, as the family grows further apart and grows older, she is always the focal point and encouragement to everyone. “Mom loved to encourage self-sufficiency in all living creatures” (Walls, page 77). Children learn to take care of themselves but can still rely on each other. With the children of the Walls always supporting each other, they have all learned to get through a very difficult time.