One of Dorothea Lange’s photographs, on pages 242-243, features a couple with their young child. It looks like a sunny day in the field with a tree helping to shade the couple. The drought refugees from Oklahoma are waiting in a makeshift tent near the road, both hoping to find work in the cotton fields. The poor conditions for the refugees are clearly discernible, from the ragged bedding and clothing to the dirty faces. Their facial expressions also show signs of exhaustion, anxiety, and uncertainness. The man in the right half of the photograph is lying down with his hand resting on his temple, and his expression seems to be a mix of boredom and worry for the future. The woman behind him, probably his wife, is looking out into the distance, and has a very worried and tired looking expression. She is also clutching her young baby boy, who is holding onto her tightly. Unfortunately for the child, who is probably no older than two, the family of seven is down on their luck, and he seems to know it – even the child’s expression is one of unhappiness. Overall, this photograph clearly depicts the dirtiness and distress that was typical for drought refugees in 1936.
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When I first looked at this picture, the first thing that caught my attention were the facial expressions of the mother and the father. Similar to what you had mentioned, they look like they have given up hope. The mother looks like she is worried about what she will do for her child that is in her arms, as well as the other 6 children that she had. The father looks tired of the condition that he is in. It is hard to be hopeful for the future, when your just tired of everything around you.
Another thing that I noticed when reading the caption of the photograph was that this family are originally from Oklahoma, but the photo itself was taken in Riverside County, California. Its mind-blowing to realize that this couple along with their 7 children, most of whom I am assuming are very young children, half way across the country in order to find some work. Looking at their living conditions, it is safe to say that they lack the funds for a comfortable plane or bus ride. So it is very possible that they walked or hitchhiked all the way from Oklahoma to Southern California.