Grapes of Wrath
Henry is looking for material about the last depression. Jane has some suggestions.
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Jane: Margaret Bourke-White took some photos. And then there’s that Steinbeck novel.
Henry: Grapes?
Jane: Of Wrath. First chapter just three pages, describes the dust bowl of the late 1920s, when Oklahoma farmland became just dust, because of drought and no crop rotation.
Henry: Then it was made into a movie. Some powerful images in that.
Jane: Some powerful lines too. Like when the family is leaving the farm, house has been bulldozed down, they’re heading for California. Al says to Ma “Ain’t you gonna look back, Ma?” And Ma says, “We’re goin’ to California, ain’t we? All right then let's go to California. Never had my house pushed over before. Never had my family stuck out on the road. Never had to lose everything I had in my life."
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Labels: Grapes of Wrath, Great Depression, Margaret Bourke-White
posted by Barry Natusch @ 10:54 PM
4 Comments
4 Comments:
Reminds me of the interesting talks I had with Grandma in December 2006, about the depression.
I have a wee suspicion that the news media pounce on the observation "worst financial crisis since the great depression" and, by the power of association (and a few black-and-white-pictures of breadlines etc.), the need to sell news, and a few political/sociological factors to boot, easily get people to think/worry that "this financial crisis will create a situation as bad as the great depression".
Logically, the first statement doesn't imply the second, but its a really 'hot' news product!
Recession or depression? Difference is, something like, if other people are out of a job, that's a recession. But you yourself are unemployed, that's a depression.
Of course there are measures, eg declines in GDP >10%, etc which marka depression as opposed to a recession.
Media are having a field day, and following the formulae you succinctly itemize, so in the light of what's happened to the markets, I agree with you the media, in describing financial wind shear, have a not insignificant role in the recent financial turbulence. "Fasten your seat belts" as Bette Davis warned, "we're in for a bumpy night."
apropos bumpiness/volatility, an interesting charting analysis measure of market downturns is something called the "Hindenburg Omen" where market experiences certain volatility criteria. You gotta love the names they come up with.
oh, to be clear, the talks with Grandma were about the depression, not a recession. Hehe. "The" as opposed to "a". 1930s NZ.
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