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How the World Became Effected After World War I

Elizabeth Mitchell
University of Texas at El Paso
RWS 1302 16901
14 September 2016
Ronald Straight

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Post World War I was an expressive time for many artists and authors in the United
States. The ones that we are focusing on are F. Scott Fitzgerald and Dorothea Lange. Each
known for their impressive pieces of work, yet both broadcast a different message to different
audiences. Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby has become an iconic book, one that has carried on
through the decades, it shows of a simpler time in life. Whereas Langes Migrant Mother has
carried on in a different way, this photograph has shown the dark times many Americans faced
after the Great War. These two are very different pieces of media that help understand why this
has influenced our thinking in recent years, and why certain actions are taken in order to prevent
any tragedies to befall America once again.
Both genres have very different, yet similar audiences that they are sending their
messages to. Fitzgeralds audience is the upper to middle class of America. His ideas were
presented in a novel form to entertain people. This was to provide a certain awareness of the
clash between the upper and middle class thinking. He is showing the shallow and carelessness
of the upper class in the characterization of Jay Gatsby and his disposition. Gatsby, who has risen
himself from the lower class, shows how he no longer cares for the trivial things by driving
expensive cars and throwing lavish parties in his ornate mansion. This is also shown in his chase
for Daisy Buchanan, the rich debutante who was once a love interest of a young Gatsby.
Fitzgerald is also showing the need to fit into the norms that we are not accustomed to in the
characterization of Nick Carraway, a young man who moves into East Egg in hopes of gaining
money and a name for himself and is dragged into Gatsbys antics.
The audience is likely to know that Nick and Gatsbys relationship is not a healthy one,
rather one of manipulation. Fitzgerald is trying to raise awareness of the lengths some people in
the upper class would go to do certain things for themselves. The audiences attention would be

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on what Gatsbys next move would be, how would his persona create a new challenge for his
loved ones, as he is a chaotic neutral.
The presentation of the original novel cover is very interesting. It is mainly blue,
showcasing a somber tone, yet it includes splashes of reds and yellows to indicate surprise or joy
in parts. This helps with the understanding of the novel, as the message Fitzgerald is trying to
portray about the middle class is one that is somber and to be taken very seriously, yet the
splashes of warm colors show the happiness thriving through the decade.
The information in this genre is very simple to grasp with Fitzgeralds motifs and his use
of pathos. It is often easier to understand it after reading a second time, and it becomes clear how
the true meanings he is conveying show up in the novel. What does help is that the language is
very informal, but there may be some terms that would have to looked up, as it is slang from the
1920s.
Fitzgeralds use of ethos is apparent, as he was living through the era. It helps the
purpose, as it helps cement a bond between the audience and author. This novels use of pathos is
very important in the delivery of the message. A tragedy is what helps the audience understand
the impact of the careless upper class and the out-of-place character. Fitzgerald creates an
atmosphere that helps the audience gain a better understanding of how life was once lived in the
1920s, the endless celebrating after the war, the inflation that made many feel that they were
safe once again. The feelings of triumph are running wild in the 1920s, until the Great
Depression makes its way to torment the majority of the world, including the United States.
This ties into Langes Migrant Mother as they both have a strong connection to pathos in
their use. They also convey the lifestyles many Americans lived or had seen before. These two

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genres are very different when coming to the messages they are broadcasting. While The Great
Gatsby showcases hope, light, manipulation and a sense of peace within the world, Migrant
Mother shows the difficult lifestyle many had to live after the Great Depression hit. The feelings
that run through Migrant Mother are hopelessness, depression and even desperation.
Langes Migrant Mother is intended for the people of America. The purpose of the
picture is to inform the people of America how desolate and poor some people were living during
the Great Depression. The way the audience ties into the genre is the first person point of view, it
is trying to help the audience gauge the horrible living conditions many Americans underwent
while going through the Great Depression.
The audience is able to see clearly the struggle the mother is facing, she is holding her
two children to her and has a pensive look on her face. This shows how many mothers underwent
the conflict of trying to find food for their children, to be able to protect them fully and not have
them worry. The audience would want to know what she is thinking of, as there is not a
definitive answer to what she may be thinking of.
The audience would typically spend fifteen to twenty minutes looking at the picture to
fully understand what Lange is trying to portray through the picture. The body language is very
informal, and it helps further grasp the idea of a frail, broken mother trying to help herself and
her family.
Langes use of ethos is shown in the photo, she physically went to each of the people in
this photo series, talked to them and took a picture of them. She built a relationship with them,
and it is apparent in the photo. The black and white tone of the photo also helps give a somber

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feeling to the tone. It helps cement the seriousness of the topic and how many people were
hurting from the economic decline.
The close up of the woman photographed shows the audience in great detail how they
struggled. Her and her children are covered in dirt, and none of them are smiling, like how most
people would in a traditional photo. The background also provides more information, as she is
seen outside what is most likely her home, but looks to be a tarp. The mother is in the foremost
ground, indicating her as a point of focus, yet her turned children also show their embarrassment
or repentance of having their photo taken with them in such conditions.
Migrant Mother was more effective in showing their message, as it provides a visual and
many people can fully see what citizens were going through during this time. It provided a better
insight into how an event can heavily impact someones daily life. Genres help one gain further
understanding in real events by placing them in easy to understand outlets.

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Works Cited
Fitzgerald, F. S. (1925). The Great Gatsby. New York City, NY: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Lange D. (Photograph). Migrant Mother [digital image]. Retrieved from
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/08/woman-famous-great-depressionphotograph/