The great depression was the worst economic recession in the history of the industrialized world. Majority of the population was homeless and starving. People were running out of food and there were very limited number of jobs. Whenever a job came available, people were forced to move to support their families. The struggles and adversities citizens were obligated to face was unreal. The Migrant Mother photograph represented what people were going through day by day and the emotions he or she was forced to overcome. Just the basic picture itself has many meanings and interpretations. Dorothy Lange captured a heart wrenching image of a mother and her children. The contrast and shadows of the photograph give it a dark and grieving tone. The mother is positioned in the center as the focus, however, the children are surrounding her in the background. This represents how the children rely on her through this rough time in society. You can tell this mother has been through a lot of hardship throughout her life as her eyes are looking off in the distance and her palm is touching her blemished, wrinkled face. Her thin, chapped mouth appears to be frowning, like she is thinking of a plan, perhaps a way to feed her starving children. The end of her unwashed sleeves looks to be torn from the low paying labor she is forced to perform. Her bony …show more content…
The desperation and despair on the mother’s face sums up the tragedy faced by a downtrodden society. It represents the love of a mother that gives everything she must comfort her children while not knowing how they will get their next meal. While the Migrant Mother photograph evokes feelings of great sadness, it also shows the determination and strength of American workers. The photograph is a symbol of all that is great and dissolute in our society. It is a representation of strength, desperation, love and