Great Depression Thesis

The Great Depression affected many different people in many different ways. This was one of the most disastrous events in American history, economically wise. We are shown this by looking at the lives of the people in the Great Depression. Many people wrote to the president or the first lady in that time asking for aid. One group of people wrote about how they were so poor and had so many children that they could not provide all of the necessities for their families. Another group wrote about how they felt they were being abused through the relief programs running through the country. Then a third group felt they were being looked at unfairly just because they had been smart during times of prosperity. What if these people sat down and had
a conversation? Lets see what they would most likely say.

This first group felt that they could not provide for their families and desperately needed aid. In this time the husband was to provide for the families. But what can you do when there are no jobs good enough to be able to provide? When the economy failed and jobs were lost and then so desperately searched for, everyone suffered. But those who suffered most were those with many children. How can this nation survive when the youth hold our future but the youth cannot be cared for. So many hungry mothers cry out for aid, but not for the aid of themselves but the aid of their children. It is imperative that this country find the strength to give that aid. That way this country that is so young and was so hard fought for may carry on through this great struggle and survive. Proud is how i would describe those who ask for aid, one woman s=was so desperate for aid and yet all that she ask for was a coat saying “I feel worthy of asking you about this: I am greatly in need of a Coat.” (Proud but frightened 14) A coat, that is all this struggling mother felt she needed. The strength it takes to survive in hardship and stay humble is tremendous it is what carries this country through.

This second group focused on a different issue.
Even though slavery was abolished and African Americans given their freedom, they still were treated as a lesser people. This Great Depression is most depressing. Not for the rich white people of this country and not even for the poor white people. It is most depressing for the poor black people. All people have God given rights and yet no one seems to care when it comes to the African Americans of this country. America is facing a great calamity and when the government tries to help through relief programs they fail to recognize who runs the programs! Rich white people who take all of the good things for themselves. They take the blankets, the clothes and he money “and give us black folks, each one, nothing but a few cans of pickle meet” (A Worse Depression 38) Life in this time is rough as is, but when there is aid given and withheld from those who need it most it becomes rougher still. So it is begged to please provide a way for those suffering most to get what is so desired. American citizens who live and love this country are being put towards the back of the list. So please, give freedom and help to those that need it most and stop this depression inside the Great
depression.

Now this third groups issue is a bit different. They do not need anything because as they feel, they have been smart and are able to provide everything they need. Even if they step on everyone else to get it. “The poor are said to be shiftless, lacking in frugality, prone to drunkenness, never satisfied, overly reproductive, ignorant, and often foreign, Jewish, and Communist.” (The Conservative pg 1) That is what leads to this whole country being in trouble. This country wasnt always goinf through this struggle. This country was rich and booming and then it was ruined through foolishness and greed. So now oly those who were smart through prosperity are left prosperous. There is no bad luck only bad choices. And furthermore there is no racial bias affecting this. It is no fault but the coloreds own that leads them to be in need, or better said, want. They do not go out and get what they ask for they expect it to be handed to them on a silver platter. That is no way to survive especially in this time so do not listen to the whining and feel pity. This is a hard time for all and it is only survival of the fittest. Like a wolf pack if you cannot give worth and benefit this country you will be cut off. There is no wrong in doing what is needed to survive and that is what each prosperous person in this time has done.

As it has been shown through the composite characters, the Great Depression had many different effects to different people.
It was said in almost all of the letters of the first group that they did not want to write the letters. These mothers, as most of them were, felt proud but desperate and needed the aid they asked for. They felt so desperate that they went straight to the white house and begged through the letters. They needed everything they asked for or else they would not have asked for it. Then if this sad time wasn't bad enough it got even worse for some people. The colored people felt abused and wronged through this struggle. They felt cheated out of the relief they were promised, all because of the color of their skin. A sad line of thought that has been seen throughout history, just because they looked different they must be treated different. And finally a third party was seen. Those who felt it was unjust for them to be treated as monsters. These people felt they were completely right in prospering during this time. Even if it meant others went without. All three felt their points of view and requests were completely justified and needed. It makes sense that people argued and fought during this time. When it comes to survival it is easier to think selfhishly about yourself and family. And this crisis was the most terrible people had seen causing them to go straigh to the whte house with their letters asking for assistance and aid. Whether it was helping with
clothing, food, rent, unfair treatment or unjustified accusations. Everyone had so many needs and wants that it made the Great Depression so much harder to bare, but they made it through and the country survived.