I would describe this photo as a depiction of the hard struggles many families faced during the 1930s in the Dust Bowl. Families in the middle of the country experienced horrible dust storms that would harm people’s health and destroy crops. I chose a photo taken by Dorothea Lange that pictured a mom and her two kids living in the terrible conditions of the Dust Bowl. The two kids are sitting next to a tree on the ground, which has no grass on it, only dirt. Behind them is a tent that looks very torn, which is probably the family's home because many people could not afford it and did not have the materials to build a real house. The children and the mother both have tattered clothes and no shoes on their feet. I think the clothes are probably …show more content…
I analyzed this photo taken by Dorothea Lange as an intricate picture that shows many details of the hardships that were faced during these times. Lange paid attention to the different shapes and balance of the photo. In this particular photo, there is a big tree in the middle of the picture that is surrounding everything. There is a shadow cast by the tree lying over the kids. I think this shadow represents the darkness and despair these people feel as they try to survive. There is clutter lying all around in the empty space which can show the living conditions and lack of supplies. If I look at the ground they are sitting on I can see that it is very dry and crumbly which are direct effects of the dust storms. The bark of the tree and the sky behind it do not seem to have much color, everything is spiritless. The children are sitting very close to each other, and the mother is not too far behind them. My interpretation of why they are so close is because of the cramped living style. Also, their closeness shows how dependent families are on each other. The use of natural shadows and spacing can show what living conditions and connections looked like during the Dust …show more content…
This family is not thriving or living to the fullest, they are just trying to make it through the day, they are surviving. There are obvious struggles these people are also facing. I can see that their clothes and house are not like my house or a normal house during this time. Everything seems to be homemade. I interpret this photo as an example of how resilient the people of this period can be. When I evaluate this photo, my immediate reaction is a feeling of hopelessness. It is a very sad and depressing photo. I would not want to be a part of the people who had to live through this time. I have learned from this photo to be grateful for what I have. I am lucky enough to have a nice house and a good environment to learn and grow up in. This is something these kids are not as fortunate to have. I think another reason Dorothea Lange took this photo was not just to show how strong people are, but to be thankful for what they have. In a time like the 1930s or the Great Depression, many only focused on what they did not have instead of what they were fortunate to have. I think the theme of this photo is to keep on going when life gets tough because there are people in worse circumstances who have made it through and you will