Walker Evan During The 1930's

Like the American population during Great Depression, the characters in the story faced many hardships they had to overcome, including but not limited to those mentioned previously. In brief, the Great Depression was a devastating event in the history of America’s economy and Capitalistic standpoint, that had the potential to abolish the United States’ world power status

5. How did the depression affect ordinary Americans, both economically and physiologically? How do the stories of Gordon Parks and Odie Stallings illustrate the personal tragedies that people and families faced during these economic hard times?

One might say that the Great Depression was a time of despair and feeling vulnerable from those who lived through it. However, writings have shown that some Americans during this era did not give up and had an optimistic view as opposed to a pessimistic view. In “Anacostia Flats” by John Dos Passos, it shows that the ex- service men during the Great Depression had a sense of determination for getting their bonus. The film 42nd Street demonstrated the tenacious spirit of Americans who worked on a play during The Great Depression. Meridel Le Seur’s “Women in the Breadlines” depicted the reality of struggling without employment but having the will to keep trying. During these times, society had not surrendered as several of them stood up for

McElvaine book reveals a collection of letters of the forgotten men, women, and children who suffered through the Great Depression. McElvaine puts the reader in direct contact with Depression victims, showing a feeling of what it was like to live through this dilemma. The writers of the letters came from different kinds of people:middle-class people, blacks, rural residents, the elderly, and children. By looking at the Great Depression from the perspectives of its victims of diverse backgrounds and McElvaine gives the reader a better understanding of their struggles on a more personal level.

The suspense of the “hidden streets,” however, contrast sharply with the “haunting loneliness” Nick also feels, hinting that there is another side to the idealized American dream. Additionally, the jovial and exciting mood characterizing the first part of the passage contrasts very starkly with the somber descriptions of the clerks who “loiter in front of windows waiting until it was time for a solitary restaurant dinner,” revealing an underlying decline in the lower echelons of American society that result from the rapid industrialization that dehumanizes individuals and distinguishes the lower class from the wealthy. Here, Fitzgerald also uses dashes and repeatedly mentions “young clerks” to emphasize the solitary lives many young working-class people can have. The poor conditions of working-class people such as the clerk, whose lives do not consist of parties or endless fun, show that the American dream, contrary to popular belief, does not include everyone. Not everyone reaps the benefits of the “dream” nor is the dream necessarily morally upright or

Although this book may a fiction work, it still hold a great deal of the mood of the 1930’s. The Americans of this time period were going through a huge economic depression. Most people were out of work and extremely poor. Food was scarce and homes were even harder to find. Many people lived in Hoovervilles made of tarp and tin. This book goes through the life of one family through their troubles. Although the family is made up, this would represent the untold struggles of thousands of American families.

Propaganda was a big tool for the United States during the Great Depression as it was used to uplift everyone’s spirits and keep them hopeful. This was presented through photos and messages such as “There’s no way like the American way” even though the conditions during the Great Depression was awful as there was no food or jobs but the public ignored the terrible conditions because of the propaganda presented to them and believed that life was becoming better in America. Harper Lee presents a key theme of the Great Depression and the stock market crashing through characters, The Cunningham’s represent “country folks, farmers” as the crash affected them badly because no food means no produce growing which alternately means no income of money. Also, the fact that during the Great Depression propaganda was used as a tool to keep the citizens motivated to live meant that they were being presented to false image of how life was and truly believed that life was getting better in the United States. Whereas, if they were shown a true representation of things were the people would not have a false idea of how great life was but rather a true portrayal of how starvation, unemployment and suicide rates increased during the years of the Great

Walter Evans depiction of Buds Fields and his family during the Depression of the 1930’s shows insecureness, loneliness, and abandonment. In it, a family that is desolate and powerless sits in the only room that they live in and share. Their faces are insecure with the fact they do not know if they are going to live through the Great Depression and disappointment for their young kids and baby who may not get the chance to truly live and grow up with what they should. Their postures in this photo shows that they are alienated from a happy life. Only the older adults are sitting down while the younger kids are standing up. Although, it shows respect towards the fact that the older are weaker and need to be sitting down while the kids can stand

Walter Evan’s depiction of life and the people during the depression of the 1930’s consist of poverty, love, and dedication. In the picture of Bud fields and his family, they almost look poor. That can be depicted by looking at the ratty clothes, them having no shoes and the only small room that’s holding six people while one woman looks pregnant. Because of that said it portrays a depressed expression on the faces along with tired and worn out. While that’s been pointed out, it can be drawn that they value the word family and love and are close together. They all look like something towards helping the family. The value and love that goes towards this family is shown in the picture by the pictures and shelf of nick-knacks on the back wall.

Depicted in the picture, “Bud Fields and his family”, the family of six produce a couple of emotions that people in today’s era can clearly feel. Walker Evan’s depiction of life and the people during the Depression of the 1930’s is empty , ashamed, and hopeful. An example of why this family feels empty is because in the photograph the family is shown as poor and torn. For instance the grandmother is the only one that is wearing shoes, but the shoes are falling apart and her hands look as if she has been working non-stop. The mother has the hands of a labor worker, which goes to show that she is helping provide for the family along with the grandmother and the father. Underneath the bed is kitten which is clearly malnourished, which is a perfect

F. Scott Fitzgerald was the model of the American image in the nineteen twenties. He had wealth, fame, a beautiful wife, and an adorable daughter; all seemed perfect. Beneath the gilded façade, however, was an author who struggled with domestic and physical difficulties that plagued his personal life and career throughout its short span. This author helped to launch the theme that is so prevalent in his work; the human instinct to yearn for more, into the forefront of American literature, where it would remain a common topic of writing to this day. Far below the partying and drinking front of F. Scott Fitzgerald lay a common man who wrote from the heart, and held nothing back.

Freedman discusses the lives of the American children affected by the economic and social changes of the Great Depression. Middle-class-urban youth, migrant farm laborers, boxcar kids, and children whose families found themselves struggling for survival. Freedman also writes about the faced challenges like unemployment, insufficient food, and shelter. Drawing on memoirs, diaries, letters, and other firsthand accounts, and illustrated with archival photographs. Freedman’s book features the voices of those who endured the Depression.

The Great Depression broke down security and belief in American society during the early 20th century and brought out hidden prejudices. The once optimistic mood during the Roaring 20’s turned to pain. The dire economic situation caused Americans to return to past social stigmas where certain groups of people were seen as inferior; as a result, the American Dream, where everyone could seek their ideal of success, was reduced to merely a dream. John Steinbeck observed these changes in social behavior and witnessed the plight of many Americans during the Great Depression. Like in his later work, The Grapes of Wrath, he was inspired by his environment to expose the lives of people during the Great Depression using Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck observed these changes in social behavior and witnessed the plight of many Americans during the Great Depression. Steinbeck demonstrates in Of Mice and Men through the characters that the American Dream was naturally discriminatory towards certain groups of people because of common perceptions held during that period.

Both Ann Marie Low in her diary entries and Andy Hansen in “A Farm Boy Remembers” recall what their lives were like on farms and due to the differences between their geographic locations, their lives on their farms were drastically different during the depression.

Walker Evan’s depiction of life and the people during the Depression of the 1930s is overwhelmed, depressed, and grim. A example of grim is the house, it looks old and dim with no light. Grim means uninviting so the house is that very much. The floor is wooden just like the walls and there’s cracks everywhere.There is only one bed in the home with only one window to. The clothes on the people are shaggy and falling apart. Another example is overwhelmed, only one person is wearing shoes? So this means that they are the only one working. This may make her overwhelmed by all the pressure of people in the household. For instance, the little boy in front may feel overwhelmed also due to the condition of house and the clothes that he is wearing.