Growing Up In The Great Depression: Growing Up By Russell Baker
analytical Essay
739 words
Growing up in the Great Depression
"Growing Up" by Russell Baker is an autobiography on the troubles him and his family faced during the Great Depression.. While the United States is enormously changing from war to war, Russell tells his story of growing up in an extremely depressing environment. During the Depression, the major problems that Baker faced through the novel were about the financial difficulties that his family endured, ending in result of his father passing away, the struggles of moving from rural life to urban life, and the lack of Medical attention around the area.
According to the novel, Russell Baker was born in rural Morrisonville, Virginia on August 14, 1925. There were many issues that him and his family had faced during the great depression. The first main issue that Baker and his family faced was financial stress. It started when Russell was five years old, when his father passed. Russell’s mom, Elizabeth, decided to leave the past behind and move out of their home. Russle and his family ended up moving into Elizabeth’s brothers home, in the book she stated, “For the first time in her life she needed charity.” This shows that upon the death of her husband, the whole family no longer had the money to live the lifestyle they had and they needed a little bit of help to get started with creating a new life. When Russle turned eight years old his mother had suggested for him to get a job, so he began working at Journalism Company.
In the novel we see many examples of transition of America interfering on the Baker family. One of them is his when his mother debates on Women’s suffrage in 1913. During the change of America, his mother saw the difference of men and women. Russell Baker describes his mo...
... middle of paper ...
...the Baker family.
In conclusion, The Baker family went through a lot through the great depression, and it affected there lives in many ways that they thought it wouldn’t. This autobiography on the troubles him and his family faced during the Great Depression. During the Depression, the major problems that Baker faced through the novel were about the financial difficulties that his family endured, ending in result of his father passing away, the struggles of moving from rural life to urban life, and the lack of Medical attention around the area. During the depression, in Morrisonville there was a common occurrence as many towns people died from common illnesses like phenomena, or whooping cough. This book has much to offer to teenage readers who are interested in the story of one individual’s growth, development, and struggles of his life in the Great Depression.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how russell baker's "growing up" is an autobiography on the troubles he and his family faced during the great depression.
- Explains that russell baker was born in rural morrisonville, virginia on august 14, 1925. he and his family faced many issues during the great depression.
- Analyzes how russell baker describes his mother's attitude as a "strange blend of twentieth century feminism and victorian romance".
- Analyzes how russell's mother had said that russell was blessed with a rare determination to make something of himself. in chapter 3, we learn about russell’s grandmother, who was very old fashioned and portrayed her views on modern medicine.
- Explains that the great depression was an immense tragedy that placed millions of americans out of work and was the beginning of government involvement in the economy and society as a whole.
- Concludes that the baker family went through a lot through the great depression, and it affected their lives in many ways that they thought it wouldn't.
Related
- analytical
- explanatory
- narrative
- The Plight of Ordinary People during the Great Depressionanalytical essayThe Great Depression touched people at every race and income level. It seemed no one was exempt from the emotional and economic toll of the downturn. Lives were turned upside down, and many did not know how to cope. With the financial collapse, kids lost their college funds, and families lost their homes. Families had to resort to making shelter any way they could. Communities were erected in almost every state that consisted of shelters made of crates and metal sheets; these communities were known as “Hoovervilles” (Leuchtenburg, pg. 251). Others would seek refuge in caves, subways, and under bridges (Leuchtenburg, pg. 252). The life savings of many were lost before anyone could comprehend what was happening.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the great depression affected people at every race and income level, and how families were forced to make shelter in crates and metal sheets.
- Explains that many businesses felt the impact of the depression, as funding dried up, iron and steel production slowed to levels never before seen, and farmers in rural america were displaced by drought and falling crop prices.
- Explains that men and women suffered from unemployment and reduced wages. the average demographic of the person on relief were white males in their thirties usually unskilled and uneducated.
- Explains that in 1933 more than 25% of the workforce was out of work, of which four hundred thousand were women. the federal government made it a priority to hire heads of household, but this resulted in the firing of women who were mostly secondary household earners.
- Explains that coal miners were hit hard by the depression, their wages were cut drastically, and many babies starved to death after going days without food.
- Analyzes how virginia miners' children were so poor that they never tasted milk and went without clothes. they wrote to eleanor roosevelt begging for help to pay household and medical expenses or for clothes so they could attend school.
- Explains how eleanor roosevelt eased the suffering of children through programs such as the national youth administration (nya) which helped youth attend high school or college by offering grants in exchange for work.
- Analyzes how minorities and immigrants, who were already suffering, found conditions intolerable. for african americans, unemployment was the highest in the countryside of the south.
- Opines that they couldn't ask just any body to do this. they had to ask someone who has money and who is good and kind to colored people and does not hate them.
- Explains that the indian reorganization act of 1934 was the new deal for indians. it was intended to ease the injustices that they suffered at the hands of government.
969 wordsRead More - Down And Out In The Great Depressionanalytical essayDuring the 1920’s, America was a prosperous nation going through the “Big Boom” and loving every second of it. However, this fortune didn’t last long, because with the 1930’s came a period of serious economic recession, a period called the Great Depression. By 1933, a quarter of the nation’s workers (about 40 million) were without jobs. The weekly income rate dropped from $24.76 per week in 1929 to $16.65 per week in 1933 (McElvaine, 8). After President Hoover failed to rectify the recession situation, Franklin D. Roosevelt began his term with the hopeful New Deal. In two installments, Roosevelt hoped to relieve short term suffering with the first, and redistribution of money amongst the poor with the second. Throughout these years of the depression, many Americans spoke their minds through pen and paper. Many criticized Hoover’s policies of the early Depression and praised the Roosevelts’ efforts. Each opinion about the causes and solutions of the Great Depression are based upon economic, racial and social standing in America.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how franklin d. roosevelt became the nation's only hope after the hoover years. the middle-class pleaded with the roosevelt administration for help, but remained anonymous.
- Explains that the black americans, when writing letters, explained their fear of signing their name. they were unhappy with the relief efforts, like the elderly, sick, and poor.
- Analyzes how the cynical and the desperate viewed the new deal with skeptical eyes. they questioned the motives of the roosevelt administration.
- Analyzes how many americans blamed other classes for their misfortune, including the rich, poor, middle class, and blacks. roosevelt's success didn't stop his popularity.
- Explains mcelvaine, robert s, ed., down and out in the great depression: letters from the forgotten man.
- Explains that america was a prosperous nation going through the "big boom" and loving every second of it. however, with the 1930's came the great depression, and many americans spoke their minds through pen and paper.
1337 wordsRead More - The Great Depression Essayexplanatory essayThe Great Depression occurred from 1929 and lasted to the early 1940’s. It was a deep and tragic period of time where everyone was affected in some capacity. This period marks the longest most widespread depression in American History. It has devastating effects to both the rich and poor. Cities all around the world were hit hard by this crisis.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the great depression occurred from 1929 and lasted to the early 1940's. it was a deep and tragic period of time where everyone was affected in some capacity.
- Explains that before the great depression, the united states was flourishing with technology and consumer spending. the roaring twenties brought prosperity to the economy.
- Explains that life expectancy began to decrease during the 1920s. suicide peaked when unemployment rose. men felt useless and worthless to their families once they lost their jobs.
- Explains that the jazz period took its wings in 1933. the eighteenth amendment prohibited alcohol, even though it did not ban the consumption of alcohol in most households.
- Opines that the grapes of wrath, written by john steinbeck, was their favorite book about the great depression.
- Explains that the great depression began with the stock market crash of 1929. stockholders lost more than 40 million dollars two months after the crash.
- Explains that over the 1930's more than 9,000 banks had failed. with people spending less money, fewer items were produced, and thus less jobs were needed. the drought conditions in the mississippi valley contributed to the loss of farmers land.
- Explains that the smooth-hawley tariff act stopped european trade due to high taxes on importing. it was not productive and not helping the depression.
- Explains herbert hoover was the president at the time of the stock market crash. he founded government agencies, supported local aid for public works, appealed to every outside source for funding except the federal government.
- Explains that investors started taking their money out of banks because they didn't feel safe. hoover and his administration did their best to fix the situation.
- Explains that president roosevelt introduced "the new deal" to announce a four-day bank holiday and addressed the public over the radio. he thought it was important for the american people to know what was going on.
- Explains that he needed reform and to protect the banking industry. he created the fdic (federal deposit insurance corporation) and the sec (securities and stock exchange).
- Explains that fdr produced a series of programs to boost the economy and create jobs for the people in 1933 when he took office. there are ten major programs that helped accomplish these goals.
- Explains the ccc, the civil works administration, and the national recover act.
- Explains that fdr enacted as many programs as possible to help the recovery of the banks, unemployment, and losses that everyone felt. he put into effect the emergency banking act.
- Explains that the new deal led to increased federal regulation, introduced many programs for the labor force, and a growing power of labor unions.
- Analyzes how fdr's wife, eleanor, was a strong advocate for black rights but the new deal programs prohibited discrimination. she helped her husband during his presidency.
- Explains that fdr created various programs to address the high rates of unemployment and poverty that echoed across the united states.
- Explains that fdr initiated a series of programs for the homeowners, such as the hola (home owners loan act) of 1933 and the fha (federal housing act).
- Explains that the united states housing act created the u.s. housing authority and built public housing. shanty towns were created for people who could not afford to live in their homes.
- Explains that the great depression was the worst economic crisis in the u.s. world war 2 ended the depression with better balanced markets and lower taxes.
- Opines that after many years of hardships and recovery, our world is standing tall. the depression was definitely a gruesome and difficult time for many.
1558 wordsRead More - Essay On Hardships In The Great Depressionanalytical essayHardships in the Great Depression The economic crisis of the 1930s is one of the most recalled periods of American history. Scholars have studied the economic crisis from all angles and have gathered facts about the depression, analyzing reasons of the great depression, showing the effects. The great depression began in 1929, following the stock market crash, arguably and lasted for almost 10 years. The depression began on October 29, 1929 when the stock market crashed causing banks to lose money and people to lose their investments. The loses in the stock market made people feel poor, resulting in a decrease in demand for goods.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the economic crisis of the 1930s, which began in 1929, following the stock market crash, and lasted for almost 10 years.
- Analyzes how the depression characterized poverty and a damaged economy. people were forced to steal to feed their families, eat leftovers, pick up trash, etc.
- Explains how farmers' incomes dropped, causing them to go bankrupt and lose their farms. the average american family's income dropped from $2,300 to $1,500 per year.
- Explains that the name of the towns originated from herbert hoover's name, along with "hoover stew", a famous soup kitchen dish.
619 wordsRead More - American Culture and Lifestyle During The Great Depressionexplanatory essayThe Great Depression was one of the most important historical events that has happened within the last century that impacted every Americans life one way or another. There were many factors that could be an explanation of why The Great Depression happened, but there is no one definitive list of the reasons of what caused The Great Depression. It was a mixture of events in the United States and outside of it that probably led to this period of time to happen. The main reason that everyone could agree on was the event of the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Because of The Crash, it made people go on a bank run which made thousands of banks to close because they simply did not have all the money for all the people wanting to withdraw their savings. Because everyone was trying to take their savings out, most people were turned down by the bank and essentially lost of their savings in the bank. The banks were failing and because they had no more money left, this stopped the banks from having available credit for people to use which made matters even worse for the people. This leads people to poverty and were left with nothing. Because people were poor and were scared of spending their money now, it made people stop buying extra things that weren't essential to live. This was the cause of the unemployment rates during this time period because if no one was buying anything, then there was no reason to keep extra workers for things people are not buying.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the great depression was one of the most important historical events within the last century that impacted every american life one way or another.
- Explains that the smoot-hawley tariff act of 1930 increased the tariff rates on almost everything that was imported from other countries. the dust bowl caused massive destruction of american agriculture.
- Explains that even though the great depression officially started at the end of 1929, things were already tough on the americans. the smoot-hawley tariff ruined a lot of the world economy.
- Analyzes how the start of world war ii helped end the great depression in the united states by creating millions of jobs for americans. sports and entertainment became different, but people were waiting for change.
- Explains that entertainment became less important during the great depression, but it was also an escape for people. the government tried to get some of the entertainers back to work through programs.
- Describes how e. y. harburg was affected by the stock market crash and shut down his company with lots of debt. ira gershwin suggested him to start writing song lyrics for the song brother, can you spare me a dime?
- Describes how they were relieved when the crash came. they were released. being in business was something they detested. when they found that they could sell a song or poem, they became me.
- Explains that jazz was a big part of the music industry at the time and they would listen to songs like it don't mean a thing and all of me by louis armstrong.
- Explains that books were a great way for people to escape reality, since they dealt with issues like the common person during the great depression.
- Explains that baseball was the most popular sport in america back then, but the numbers in the audience were almost cut to half during this time. football was another good sport for people to watch.
- Explains that the 1932 summer olympics were held in los angeles and many of the athletes were not able to attend because they had no way to pay the travel fee's.
- Explains that children would play outside without toys and play cheap board games like scrabble and monopoly. the family could get hours of entertainment with the radio.
1532 wordsRead More - The Great Depressionexplanatory essayDuring the Great Depression, people all across the United States faced many hardships and life changing adversity. In fact, some men went the entire Depression without finding a job and found it very difficult to accept financial and material help from the government. The Great Depression affected all groups, ages, and races of people. African Americans and business owners were two groups particularly affected by the Great Depression. They share similar and different Great Depression experiences. Many men walked out on their families because they felt like they had failed their families and could not look at them the same anymore. The same concept happened with teenage boys, they would leave their families to lessen the burden on them. These kids were called “Wild Boys”, most of them would move out west to find work.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the great depression affected all groups, ages, and races of people, including african americans and business owners.
- Explains that roosevelt created a national banking holiday and worked relief from the civil works administration (cwa), although it was criticized as "make work."
- Explains that franklin roosevelt's new deal years were characterized by a belief that greater command would solve many of the country’s problems.
- Explains that the national recovery administration (nra), created in 1933, set codes of fair competitive practice to promote more jobs and hence more buying. the 1935 national labor relations act (nlra) described unfair work practices and gave workers the right to bargain through unions.
- Explains that the new deal sponsored legislative enterprises, but did not end the depression. president roosevelt financed economic and social measures to fight poverty, counter unemployment, and distribute a social safety net.
- Explains that the republican party chose alfred m. landon, the liberal governor of kansas, to go against franklin d. roosevelt in 1936, despite all the complaints aimed at the new deal.
709 wordsRead More - Essay On The Great Depressionexplanatory essayThere were many events that led to the Great Depression. Every event affected the people worse and worse over time. The Great Depression started in the early 1930’s during Hoover’s presidency. However, before the Great Depression life was great, there were many new technologies that made life more advanced. Nobody expected such a horrible event to occur during the time of the “Roaring 20’S.”
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the great depression started in the early 1930's during hoover’s presidency, but before it, there were many new technologies that made life more advanced.
- Explains that the "roaring 20's" was a time when life was great. there were new inventions and technologies.
- Explains that the economy was doing very well during the 1920’s and the stock markets were doing just as well. the stock market crashed on october 29, 1929.
- Explains that the dust bowl was a giant wind storm of dust/dirt in the midwest. many veterans and families marched in washington d.c.
- Explains that president fdr had three r's — relief, recovery, and reform. relief is the immediate action to help the united states.
601 wordsRead More - The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depressionanalytical essayThe Great Depression tested America’s political organizations like no other event in United States’ history except the Civil War. The most famous explanations of the period are friendly to Roosevelt and the New Deal and very critical of the Republican presidents of the 1920’s, bankers, and businessmen, whom they blame for the collapse. However, Amity Shlaes in her book, The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression, contests the received wisdom that the Great Depression occurred because capitalism failed, and that it ended because of Roosevelt’s New Deal. Shlaes, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a syndicated financial columnist, argues that government action between 1929 and 1940 unnecessarily deepened and extended the Great Depression.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that government action between 1929 and 1940 unnecessarily deepened and extended the great depression.
- Analyzes how amity shlaes tells the story of the great depression and the new deal through the eyes of some influential figures.
- Analyzes how shlaes supported wendell willkie's vision as president of commonwealth and southern, arguing that growth and production fit better the goals of the u.s.
- Analyzes how shlaes is more sympathetic to the willkie's forgotten man than roosevelt.
- Analyzes shlaes' example of the schechter family, who ran a kosher-chicken business. they were brought to trial by the government for selling unfit chickens.
- Explains that by 1940, world war ii had already begun and roosevelt and his colleagues had begun to lose their desire for reform and confrontation.
- Analyzes the government policies in the great depression and argues that the private sector could have done more to restore the country had it not been subject to attack on the tax and legal fronts.
- Analyzes how shlaes sets the book because she does not advance a general interpretation of her own. she lets the reader arrive at the same conclusion as she did that the government made the great depression last longer.
- Analyzes how shlaes sees roosevelt and his republican antecedent herbert hoover as bad economists. roosevelt's sin was an urge to punish the rich and a lack of faith in the marketplace.
- Analyzes how shlaes's book, the forgotten man, shows that roosevelt and his men were prepared to act courageously by experimenting.
- Analyzes how shlaes' the forgotten man is seen as a sideswipe at the obama administration's efforts to tackle the recession.
- Opines that the forgotten man is an enlightening story that reminds readers of the dangers of excessive intervention and the difficulty one has to face in times of crisis.
- Analyzes how shlaes' "the forgotten man: a new history of the great depression," harpercollins, 2008.
1508 wordsRead More - Diary Of Man During Great Depressionnarrative essayDiary Of Man During Great Depression Dear Diary, I am 29 years old and I come from a lower - middle class family. My ancestors came from England but I was born in Australia. I haven't got married cause I am having a hard time supporting myself let alone have a family. I lost my job when the Great Depression began and I got one about three years later.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that they are 29 years old and come from a lower-middle-class family.
- Narrates how they lost their job when the great depression began and got one.
- Narrates how they heard on the radio that they were going to work on a tuesday.
- Opines that their rent was overdue and they may be turned on.
- Narrates how they thought of asking for help but their ego got the better of them.
- Narrates how they had heard of the horse named phar lap and he had a pretty.
- Opines that they should have gone on the dole earlier, but they thought it would work.
- Narrates how they stayed and were turned out on the streets so they moved back where they were.
- Narrates how they won quite a lot of money and it took their mind of their own.
- Narrates how they hoped to find a job as they were sick two weeks later.
- Narrates how the owner said they could have paid their rent for 2 weeks in a row.
- Opines that dad had done for them when they needed help, and they had let them stay with them.
- Narrates how they felt the shock of their life when they saw that they had been fired. they ran to buy a copy of the newspaper to see sixty people ahead of them.
- Narrates how they realized they were too late to get the job, so they walked into the local bar and had a drink.
- Narrates how they went around trying to do menial tasks to be able to buy some food and then pay off their rent. it was hard to imagine that they used to give away money.
- Narrates how they spent half their life savings on him and the next day he won. they were enthusiastic with the win but for some reason they never saw their winnings.
- Explains that income they were receiving a little bit was going to their mum and dad. they don't know how long they will live so they are trying to make their lives easier.
- Narrates how all the high hopes that they had came to nothing. the next week, the landlord said he had no option but to evict them
570 wordsRead More - Book Review - The Great Depressionanalytical essayReview of The Great Depression America 1929-1941 by Robert S. McElvaine The Great Depression America 1929-1941 by Robert S. McElvaine covers many topics of American history during the "Great Depression" through 1941. The topic that I have selected to compare to the text of American, Past and Present, written by Robert A. Divine, T.H. Breen, George M. Frederickson and R. Hal Williams, is Herbert Hoover, the thirty-first president of the United States and America's president during the horrible "Great Depression". Divine et al. , state that Hoover was a "sober, intelligent, and immensely hardworking" man. McElvaine concurs and explains that "at the age of 29, Hoover was a financier-promoter-geologist-engineer-metallurgist".
In this essay, the author
- Compares the great depression america 1929-1941 by robert s. mcelvaine to the text of american, past and present. herbert hoover was the thirty-first president of the united states during the horrible "great depression."
- Analyzes how divine et al. characterize herbert hoover as a "sober, intelligent, and immensely hardworking" man.
- Analyzes how mcelvaine explains that hoover "was the greatest secretary of commerce in our history".
- Explains that hoover won the 1928 election easily, according to divine et al., who states that he was a protestant who stood for efficiency and individualism.
- Analyzes how divine and mcelvaine describe hoover as "the great depression's most prominent victim".
- Explains hoover's position on the depression and how to assist the nation was based on voluntary actions and not government actions.
- Explains that hoover was not one to admit failure or that his ideals were unworkable, so he agreed to government intervention to help the nation's banks.
- Concludes that hoover was a proud man who didn't want to believe that he could make wrong decisions in regards to the needs of the people.
1002 wordsRead More