Introduction
“The Migrant Mother” is a black and white photograph taken by Dorothea Lange in 1936. It is a photograph that captures the life of a mother and her two children during the height of the Great Depression.
The Desperation of the Mother and Children
This photograph of Florence Owen Thompson from Nipomo California captured the life of the peasant out-of-work pea pickers at a time when the hunger was biting, and economic crisis had led people to migrate to better lands in search of greener pastures. According to Lange, the thirty-two-year-old mother and her children had been surviving on frozen vegetables from the surrounding farms and the birds that her children hunted. She had sold the tires from her vehicle to buy food. The picture grew to be the icon of the Great Depression. This compelling image of a mother and her two children amplifies the level of destitution that was present at that time. Besides, understanding the circumstances that surrounded the image makes the audience empathize with a situation that so many people in the world endure, both in the past and in the present. It also underscores the vulnerability that faces women and children in moments of crisis.
The Ambiguity of the Photo
This ambiguity in this photo is whether it was posed or not. The expressions of the characters in it are quite real. The picture is presented in a monochromatic aspect mostly for simplicity and minimalism with no props involved. Perhaps the dullness in the image is a representation of the melancholy and desperation on the faces of the characters. Their expression relays some form of intensity as the mother stares into the distance while the children hide their faces from the camera. The focal point of this work of art is the despair that may be symbolic of the state of the nation during the Great Depression (Nardo). It is quite obvious that the gloom of the photo is an aspect that highlights the vulnerability of women in situations of crisis. I chose this particular image for its simplicity in the representation of an otherwise intense moment of history.
The Reality Depicted in the Photo
I also chose this picture for the reality it represents. This is a photograph that was taken during the period known as the social realism. This is a period in which art drew attention to the daily lives of the people. In this instance, the photo drew the public to the reality of the effects of the Great Depression and as such elicits empathy. One significant aspect of realism in art is that it is easy to relate. It is rather obvious that the issue of poverty is one that is still rife in the modern world and as such an image such as “The Migrant Mother” highlights the effects it has on families. In this instance, figuratively, the absence of a father and husband implies the lack of help and the fact that the mother is gazing into the distance signifies that there is nothing to anticipate but more penury (Adams and Keene 51).
The Timelessness of the Message
I also chose this particular work of art for the fact that I believe the message in it is timeless. The photograph was taken in 1936 during one of the worst economic crises in the country’s history. I believe that even in the modern world, there are still aspects of crises, especially in the economic trends around the world. In light of this, one cannot wish away the impact of economic surges whether in the past or the present. Besides, the vulnerability of women and children is a constant phenomenon. In addition to that, it is quite obvious that crises often tend to create social dysfunctions. This implies that one is likely to come across broken families such as this one that seems to lack a father figure. However, having the lady as the focal point also highlighted the strength of women at that point (DePastino 218). The fact that the family had sold their property to have a meal is also one that one cannot ignore. It is still an occurrence even in the modern world.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “The Migrant Mother” is a great piece of work that captured and became the icon of the Great Depression. This is a picture that highlighted the state of many families in the United States during that moment of history. This photograph simply and minimally captured the desperation of families that could barely make a living off their farms as a result of the economic surge and had to live on the meager produce of what was left of their farms. The photo of the migrant mother and her children is a compelling but timeless depiction of a moment of crisis. It uses simplicity in depicting the vulnerability of a mother and her children in a moment of crisis when the male figure seems to be absent. It is relatable and at the same time elicits sympathy towards both the mother and the children and the entire population that lived during that period. In a nutshell, “the Migrant Mother” depicts a recurrent reality of life.
Works Cited
Starr, Kevin. Endangered Dreams: The Great Depression in California. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. Print.
Adams, Katherine H, and Michael L. Keene. Women, Art and the New Deal. , 2016. Internet resource.
Todd, DePastino. Citizen Hobo: How a Century of Homelessness Shaped America. University of Chicago Press, 2003. Print.
Nardo, Don. Migrant Mother: How a Photograph Defined the Great Depression. Mankato, MN: Compass Point Books, 2011. Print.
