During the time of the Great Depression, it was hard to have something to look forward to at the end of the day. Most people during this time were miserable. They did not have the opportunity to eat when they were hungry, could not keep themselves warm when it was cold, and could not afford to buy the clothes they desperately needed. However, the idea that kept people alive was the American Dream. The dream that would allow everything in life to be better. A gorgeous home, a plethora of cars, pockets full of money, and a happy family. Sadly only a few achieve the goal of the American Dream and others are forced to remain in poverty. There are two stories that showcase the clear winners and losers of the Great Depression. In Cinderella Man, the story focuses on a man (James J Braddock) trying to get back to where he was before the Great Depression had occurred and his never-ending battle to keep his family happy. In the …show more content…
Near the end of the excerpt in The Grapes of Wrath, it is seen that the family is going to have to face a catastrophic event. The family is told that they “have to get off the land.” or, “The plows go through the dooryard” (33). At this point, the family is left to question what they are going to have to do. They will no longer have a home to protect them from the elements, they will not have a place to sleep, and they will not have any job. They are facing the worst part of their lives, and they do not know what is to come next. On the other hand, the Braddock family comes into a good bit of luck. Mr. Braddock's manager Joe Gould finds a fight for James which he is told he is not supposed to win because the man he is fighting is number 2 in the nation. However, James Braddock knocks out the fighter and earns himself more fights eventually leading to him and his family getting back to where they were in life and living out their American