While I was thinking of different aspects of The Grapes of Wrath, I looked through different photos from the Great Depression, especially those of Dorethea Lange. These photos not only provide us with historical information, but also give a face to citizens in the 1930s. Looking at these images gave me a better mental image of Joads and the people that they meet along their way. Of course, the film gives a general image of these people, but I liked being able to let the characters develop in my mind.
I vaguely remember watching the film of The Grapes of Wrath in my high school American History class after discussing the novel. I feel like the portrayals of the characters were accurate to Steinbeck’s writing, especially the portrayal of grandpa and Tom. While I think that the film is somewhat accurate, I feel like the images of this time convey the message of the text better. For instance, take the photo “Migrant Mother” by Dorothea Lange:
http://americahurrah.com/PhotoShow/migrantmother.jpg
In my opinion, this brings more emotion than can be conveyed in a two hour film. The emotion on the mother’s face truly shows how difficult this time period was for everyone. She looks horrified of the unknown. The children cling to her in desperation. The absence of the children’s faces makes this even more moving.
Nothing against Thomas Hart Benton’s illustrated version of The Grapes of Wrath, but I think that a version with photos from different photographers of the Great Depression would have been compelling. It may not display characters as well, but I feel like it would give a piece of history, both written and captured in photos, so that the Great Depression is kept alive in future education. I’m sure with careful searching of archives, it wouldn’t be difficult to personify the characters throughout these different photos.
-Allison McDermid
Allison--very good points. Benton is really reinterpreting the book, whereas the photographs, since they were created independently, offer an alternate narrative and therefore do not intrude upon our understanding of the text. That said, Ford's Grapes of Wrath, since it was done in 1940, is really also a contemporaneous document, just as Lange's photographs are.
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