Dig deeper into the idea of childhood and the changing American family. These photos were taken in a documentary tradition that emerged in the United States around the turn of the twentieth century. Dorothea Lange was intentionally providing specific narratives about families and children. Lange has more than 5,000 images and documents archive at the Library of Congress. Most of her work was done for the Farm Security Administration 1935 to 1943. She documented migrant farm families during the Great Depression and the Dust bowl. Analyze the varying conditions of childhood and family life in American society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Lange has more than 5,000 images and documents archive at the Library of Congress. Most of her work was done for the Farm Security Administration 1935 to 1943. She documented migrant farm families during the Great Depression and the Dust bowl.
Using the photo above:
Briefly describe who is in the photograph, what they are doing, and why? (Most of the pictures will have a caption or background information that will help you gather basic information)
Explain in detail what you see in the photograph – content and composition. This gives you topics for analysis such as child, family, mother and baby, group of men, etc. How are people presented? For example, what are their occupation, dress, age, race or ethnicity, class status and gender? What possessions do they have, and what setting are they in? If there are multiple people in the photograph, what is the likely relationship between them? Is there a hierarchy?
Provide the sociological and historical context of the time period to help the observer understand how the photographs relate to the larger social world. The photos are a starting point for your discussion about the changing family and childhood experiences. To understand them fully you must place your photos in historical and social context supported by analysis from Coontz, Mintz, and Franklin as well as course media as it is relevant. Cite your sources.
