My Fathers Life

After World War 1, America had to demobilize and revert back to a peace time economy. During the 1920’s, it was viewed as a prosperous economy since there was a new labor force due to demobilization, new inventions, and a new infrastructure. Also moral spirits were high since America along with the Allied Powers defeated Germany and the Great War was finally over. However, America began making many economic policies and decisions that will eventually lead up to the Great Depression.

When World War I ended on November 11, 1918, President Warren G. Harding proposed “a return to normalcy”. This promised a return of the United States prewar mentality, without the thought of war contaminating the minds of the American people. With this in mind, the 1920s began- but Americans in the 1930s witnessed dramatic changes in their lives from the 1920s. The 1920s was a period of prosperity and economic success, while the 1930s was a time of economic downfall. The economy fluctuated between times of great prosperity and times of undoubtable depression. Following these economic downturns was a period of rigorous attempts to recover from severe economic loss. It did not take long for this economic hardship to lead to some more

The Short Story “My Father’s Life,” by Raymond Carver illustrates the difficult task of a son trying to find his own sense of identity and individualism while watching his father’s life unravel. Carver explores the relationships of his parents and his own struggle with sharing the same name with his father and the similarities and differences between them.

The stock market crash of 1929 sent the nation spiraling into a state of economic paralysis that became known as the Great Depression. As industries shrank and businesses collapsed or cut back, up to 25% of Americans were left unemployed. At the same time, the financial crisis destroyed the life savings of countless Americans (Modern American Poetry). Food, housing and other consumable goods were in short supply for most people (Zinn 282). This widespread state of poverty had serious social repercussions for the country.

The author’s melancholic, yet, optimistic tone arouses mix feelings from his readers. Bragg clouts his readers’ perception of his father with harrowing, however, coveted recollections of the past. In the author’s comparative recount of the Father’s demeanor, he paints an unsettling, yet a hopeful life of his father:

Economically the United States had its highs and lows. One would have not wanted to be an American during the time period of the "Great Depression". The depression lasted from 1929-1940 and brought hard times for any family across the continent. In Midwest families who relied on farming were hit with sudden and drastic economic droughts known as The Dust Bowl. Along with the depression came unemployment and sent the United States into a tailspin. These rates of unemployment were at all time highs. These times were as hard as they get if you are American. Although they developed programs to help people in the depression rebound from

He obviously loved his father enough to write poems about him, so poetically so it even brings nostalgia to the audience who recall their parents and their childhood with them.

America during the 1920’s is often described as a time of prosperity and change that allowed the United States to peak. However, what is commonly overlooked is that this era was conflict filled in which society was blinded by luxurious lifestyles and the entertainment industry; preventing any solutions from being formed that could deal with the various issues. It was the people’s ignorance and the problem filled cities that slowly pushed America into the great depression within a decade. After World War I finally came to an end on June 28, 1999 through the Treaty of Versailles, the United States became the most powerful nation in the world since it was the least affected by the war compared to Europe. In fact, American industry and economy

America (U.S) has economically hit its highs and lows over its 2 ½ centuries of its existence, but none have been more surprising than the Great Depression period from 1929-1933. During first major low in society the stock market crashed due to citizen’s overuse of credit. This wasn’t the only problem there was also a great drought in America’s agricultural plains. Many farmers lost their crops and most of their land, creating a small scale famine in the U.S. People were laid off and people couldn’t provide for their family. One citizen during this time still had a vivid memory of these times,”In New York neighborhoods adults stood in so called 'bread lines,' children begged in the streets.”

The United States has faced many struggles and hard times along with many great accomplishes that has formed the nation the way it is today. 100 years ago in 1914 World War I began and ended with approximately 17 million deaths along with 20 million injured. Following the First War, Great Depression took over the nation, lasting about 10 years, causing banks to close and people to severely struggle. The Nation declared a second war known as World War II in 1939 that lasted 6 years with 60 million casualties. Both of the wars changed the economics, social, and cultural aspect of the nation, machinery technology that was used also changed, and the .

The way of life before World War I (WWI) and the way of life after greatly differ. This new way of living is the indirect cause of every direct cause of the Great Depression. During the Industrial Revolution, or time before WWI, people all over the country worked, not only men but also boys, because “the Industrial Revolution transitioned the United States from a rural to an urban society” (The Industrial Revolution in the United States, 2014). They worked long hours and had low pay. According to statistics, “most workers in the worked over 10-hour a day, yet earned between 20 to 40 percent less than the minimum pay necessary for a decent life” (The Industrial Revolution in the United States, 2014). These people’s lives revolved around having very few money and only having necessities. People already had a hard time coming across food, so when WWI began, obtaining food became a big problem. This was not only because they need to feed soldiers, but also their allies’ soldiers. During this time, farming had to expand to feed the citizens of the Unite States and of the Allies. Farming expanded, but a lot of the crops and food went to away from US citizens and there became a need for rationing. Food had to be rationed by the government. The rationing was called “Food Will Win the War” (Food Will Win the War: On the Homefront in World War I, 2014) to encourage voluntary food conservation. It was said to have been voluntary because the government did not want to force businesses

When the citizens had bought all that they could buy, there was a decrease in demand. Suddenly, the industries had an excess of goods and no one to sell it to. At this point, the Fordney-McCumber Act began to cripple the economy of America. Other nations introduced high tariffs to boost their revenue and to spite the United States. Sadly for the United States, these high tariffs and low demand were instrumental in the depression that America experienced. When the stock market crashed on October 29th, 1929 or “Black Tuesday”, the united states, along with other nations were in economic turmoil and the widespread prosperity of the 1920s ended abruptly. The depression threatened people's jobs, savings, and even their homes and farms. During the heart of the depression, over one-quarter of the American population was out of work. For many Americans, these were extremely hard times. When Roosevelt was voted into office, he introduced the New Deal. While this plan tried to help the united states out of it’s isolationist rut, the second world war was the final solution. Mobilizing the economy for world war finally cured the depression. Millions of men and women joined the armed forces, and even larger numbers went to work in well-paying defence jobs.

American life prior to World War II may have not been the best from 1931-1939. Already in the Great Depression that started in 1929 people were left very discouraged and hopeless. In 1932 the economy was the worst it had ever been, it had hit rock bottom (p. 850). Many had lost their jobs and over 11 million Americans could not find work (p. 850). America was at its worst and people were hungry, suicide rates had risen and people were having less children than ever before. People’s reaction to the

The world had faced two main economic problems. The first one was the Great Depression in the early of 20th Century. The second was the recent international financial crisis in 2008. The United States and Europe suffered severely for a long time from the great depression. The great depression was a great step and changed completely the economic policy making and the economic thoughts. It was not only an economic situation bit it was also miserable making, made people more attention and aggressive until they might lose their lives. All the society was frightened from losing money, work and stable. In America the housing market was the main factor of the great depression. A crisis of liquidity appeared in the banks forming a credit crunch. This period was influenced by over extended stock market shortage of water in the south and over trusting. The American government put down some regulations to control the productions which were essential for the war.

I would like to share some things that have made me think of late, mainly of the short comings that I have faced myself, as a father (yes, I have been guilty on occasion), and now Grandfather, although time is on my side to correct this, as my Granddaughter is about to turn 3 years old in December.