The Great Depression Photography Analysis
John Steinbeck wrote “The Harvest Gypsies” as a way to inform the public of the real issues surrounding the migrant workers who were moving to California and to offer a practical solution for the problems the state and the workers were experiencing. In order to write these articles, Steinbeck went to the migrant camps to experience the way in which these migrants lived. His descriptions convey not only the poverty and hopelessness in the camps, but also the strong nature of the people who lived there. Another influential person who documented the historical significance of the Great Depression was the photographer Dorothea Lange. In fact, she is most famous for her many photographs depicting the struggle of the migrant workers.
For this assignment, you are to analyze Dorothea Lange’s most famous photograph entitled “The Migrant Mother.” Copy and paste the picture into your document. Then, choose one of the following characteristics that Steinbeck describes in “The Harvest Gypsies” (ashamed, desperate, or fearful) and analyze how effectively Lange’s photograph captures this trait. You are responsible for writing one full paragraph.
For your paragraph, you must use a direct quotation from “The Harvest Gypsies” about the characteristic you are analyzing and a citation (Steinbeck n pag.). You must also include a citation of the photograph as you refer to it in your analysis (Lib. of Cong. n. pag.), as well as a citation for any information you get from the Library of Congress or the video (CSPAN n. pag.). Since photographs do not contain words, your description and analysis will provide you with a way to practice your paraphrasing skills. You will also need to include a works cited page that includes “The Harvest Gypsies” the Library of Congress informational page and photograph, and the CSPAN video on YouTube. You can complete this works cited page at the end of your paragraph.
You will have tomorrow (Friday 9/2) to work on this assignment in class. If you do not finish it, you must do so on your own time over the weekend. This assignment is due on Monday, September 12, 2016. It is worth 30 points.
Document Formatting:
· Use the appropriate MLA style heading for your assignment: Your name
Teacher’s name
Literature 11
Due Date in appropriate format
· Title your assignment in MLA format
· Paste your picture into the document under your title.
· Write your paragraph.
· Include your works cited information on the next page (you should have three sources – the video, the LOC website, and the Harvest Gypsies).
Works Cited Page Formatting: (you must create your own citation for the Harvest Gypsies. The necessary information is below. The other citations may be copied and pasted into your works cited page. Make sure to change any font issues.)
“The Harvest Gypsies”
Author: John Steinbeck
Title of Articles: “The Harvest Gypsies”
Title of Newspaper: San Francisco News
Date of publication: 5-12 Oct. 1936
Page number(s): 3-33
Medium of publication: Web
Date of access: 2 Sept. 2016
Library of Congress Website/Photo
Lib. of Cong.U.S. Govt. Web. 10 February 2012. https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/128_migm.html
Dorothea Lange Video
CSPAN. "Story of "Migrant Mother" Photograph."YouTube. YouTube, 30 Nov. 2012. Web. 2 Sept. 2016.
Expectations for a well-written assignment:
Ø Remember the structure of a strong paragraph:
o Strong introductory topic sentence
o Context from “The Harvest Gypsies” that explains the situation and provides an introduction for your quotation.
o Direct quotation from “The Harvest Gypsies” (Steinbeck n. pag.).
o Analysis of quotation- How does this quotation prove that the trait you are analyzing exists in the migrant community?
o Transitional sentence to the photograph. This should be a complex sentence.
o Description of what is happening in the photograph (Lib. of Cong. n. pag.).
o Any background information that may be helpful to your analysis (CSPAN n. pag.)
o Analysis of photograph- How do you know that the photograph conveys the trait you are analyzing?
o Strong concluding sentence
The Great Depression Photography Analysis Rubric
FCA’s (Focus Correction Areas):
1. In-depth analysis of both the photograph and chosen quotation that demonstrates understanding of chosen trait (ashamed, desperate, or fearful).
2. Strong topic sentence, conclusion sentence, and transition sentence between the photograph and article analyses.
3. Use of correct MLA format including title and photo placement, font and font size, spacing, citations, and works cited page.
4. Correct grammar and spelling usage throughout the paper.
______/ 10 points
______/ 10 points
______/ 10 points
______/ 5 points
TOTAL: ______/ 35 POINTS