TOW #23 – “Migrant Mother” by Dorothea Lange

Early in the 20^th century, due to a variety of factors, the United States suffered the greatest depression to date. Along with the stock market crash, agricultural practices like shallowly planting seeds in the ground contributed to this depression, as this initiated the Dust Bowl. Lange’s sad, reflective image of a mother holding her children produces a strong appeal to pathos, producing an argument that in times of distress, family and love is invaluable. Lange primarily focuses her argument around the family dynamic; a protective mother holds her children and comforts them, displaying the value in having a strong central figure to look to in times of crisis. Likewise, the mother is placed in the center of the image because although she is facing the devastating effects from the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, she remained an important, loving figure in her children’s eyes. Lange captures the young children facing backwards as the mother directly sees the devastation that took place, representing the important job for parents to protect their children and ensure their safety. While the mom was traveling in attempt to find an income to support her children, even in this time of a collapsed economy and impacted agriculture, Lange shows America that through love, through persistence and will, these obstacles can be overcome. Although little could be done for the family at the time, this exposure of the problems that Americans are facing helps to begin a process of reconstruction and development. While some people were less impacted by the depression than others, Lange portrays an average American facing unfortunately typical circumstances for the time-period. Capturing an image for all of America to view, Lange displayed one family’s response to the depression. Although defined by disorder and suffering, and while this image does display sorrow and anguish, Lange displays a family’s love that remained strong the depression.

Mother with children during the Dust Bowl in the United States (Lange)

Works Cited

Lange, Dorothea. “Migrant Mother.” Wikipedia, 23 Feb. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Owens_Thompson. Accessed 18 Mar. 2017.