Interview Analysis of Veterans History Project
The Veterans History Project collects first-hand accounts from veterans and civilians that played significant roles during wars. The Project provides an ample collection of letters, postcards, diaries, photographs, scrapbooks, memoirs and audio or videotaped interviews of all the wars from World War I until the Iraq war. One of the Oral history video-taped interviews was ofMedaBrendall, a 93-year-old woman that worked in a shipyard during World War II as a welder from 1941-1945.MrsBrendall shares her experience as a female welder, the importance of her job in the large frame of the war andjuggling her responsibilities as a mother and a worker. In addition, she shares her opinions on the war, welding …show more content…
The interviewer could delve right into topics that are directed towards the purpose of the interview, or could ask open vague questions and then narrow down to intentional questions. While this is based on the interviewer’s choice, the technique used shapes how much depth of historical account one can get. In this interview, which seeks to understand the war and its impact on a female who served as a welder at that time, the funnel questioning type would be most effective in enabling the historian understand life before the war, how the war changed or impacted people and the after-effects of the war. However, the interviewer started by asking MsBrendall where she served during the war and if she loved her job. This leaves important questions unanswered. Did MrsBrendall work before the war? Why did she choose welding or was that the only job available? Did she have an education and if so to what level of training? By leaving out asking fundamental background questions, it becomes more difficult to make logical analysis about the war and the way it affected her life, which could also be representative of the lives of other women during that …show more content…
MrsBrendall, who is interviewed, is about 93 years old at the time of the interview suggesting that while her mind is functioning properly as seen from the way she answers questions; she may have difficulty hearing. Not only is it difficult for MrsBrendall to hear the interviewer, the listener cannot hear the questions distinctly either. Being unable to hear the questions caused disturbing pauses in the conversation. This also made MrsBrendall stutter and get disoriented sometimes during the interview since she was not sure she was answering the questions asked. Also, it was difficult for the listener to keep up with the interview since he or she is trying to extrapolate from the response what the question was. Also for an oral historian, the way questions are asked shape the response of the interviewee. This is important for the oral historian when analyzing the individual’s’ account because subjectivity is one of the essential elements of oral history. During the interview, the interviewer seems to be guiding the interview instead of leading it. This causes a rougher transition between questions and also leaves holes in the historian’s mind. This is demonstrated in the interview when asked where she lived MrsBrendall said that lived in main street but moved to park avenue later. A follow-up question such as why did