the worst hard time
What lessons, if any, have we learned from the dust bowl catastrophe—about how human actions, well-intentioned or not, can lead to environmental damage? Is there anything comparable on the horizon today?225). What lessons, if any, have we learned from the dust bowl catastrophe—about how human actions, well-intentioned or not, can lead to environmental damage? Is there anything comparable on the horizon today? Drawing on more contemporary examples of environmental disasters or concerns, write a paper that explores how this debate continues to be timely or that takes a stand on this debate.
2. According to the Houston Chronicle, “The Worst Hard Time documents how government and business with the best of intentions can facilitate the destruction of an entire region.” Explain how this is true with regard to the Dust Bowl, and then extend your analysis to include the relevance of this statement to more recent events. What parallels to current events do you see? What are the implications for our society today?
3. Watch the 2012 documentary film by Ken Burns called “The Dust Bowl” (pbs.org/kenburns/dustbowl), and then write a comparative analysis of the documentary film and Egan’s book. Note any conflicting accounts of the dust bowl or the presentation of events or any additions of details in one account that aren’t present in the other, and then reflect on the significance of these differences. Do the accounts share the same purpose and audience? How do the messages vary? Analyze how the different medium and genre—a historical book vs. a documentary film—employ similar or differing strategies to appeal to the audience and carry out their message.
4. As noted at the end of the book, in the section on “Notes and Sources,” Egan conducted the research for the book using multiple methods and by compiling various types of data. Besides consulting public documents (like U.S. Census reports), local public library collections, local newspapers, and other historical societies
2. According to the Houston Chronicle, “The Worst Hard Time documents how government and business with the best of intentions can facilitate the destruction of an entire region.” Explain how this is true with regard to the Dust Bowl, and then extend your analysis to include the relevance of this statement to more recent events. What parallels to current events do you see? What are the implications for our society today?
3. Watch the 2012 documentary film by Ken Burns called “The Dust Bowl” (pbs.org/kenburns/dustbowl), and then write a comparative analysis of the documentary film and Egan’s book. Note any conflicting accounts of the dust bowl or the presentation of events or any additions of details in one account that aren’t present in the other, and then reflect on the significance of these differences. Do the accounts share the same purpose and audience? How do the messages vary? Analyze how the different medium and genre—a historical book vs. a documentary film—employ similar or differing strategies to appeal to the audience and carry out their message.
4. As noted at the end of the book, in the section on “Notes and Sources,” Egan conducted the research for the book using multiple methods and by compiling various types of data. Besides consulting public documents (like U.S. Census reports), local public library collections, local newspapers, and other historical societies
Links: to further questions for discussion or short writing prompts From LitLovers: A Well Read Online Community: litlovers.com/reading-guides/14-non-fiction/1181-worst-hard-time-egan?start=3 From Rochester