Short Story Of Florence Owen's 'Migrant Mother'

748 Words3 Pages
Debra Hall Eng 111 Sept. 24, 2013 Writing assignment #2 The Migrant Mother The “Great Depression” caused many struggles and challenges for her family. She became an icon of the Depression, by the “Migrant Mother” pictures. Her story is a story of the many hardships and struggles of the American people during this depressing and impoverished time, and her story also encouraged the American people to become more giving and thoughtful to those in need and suffering. She was the average, everyday American wife in those days and times. Her name was Florence Owen. She was thirty two years old and married to Cleo Owen. She had lived a normal American life. Her husband worked to support the family and she was a stay at home mother, taking care of their children and household duties. Little did she know her life was about to change forever. Cleo supported his family financially, and without him working it would be impossible for a normal life for the family to continue. Cleo supported Florence and their children by working in a factory, but in 1929 the stock market…show more content…
The photographer was Dorothea Lange. Dorothea promised Florence the pictures would never be published, but she lied. The next day the pictures were all over every newspaper in the area. The pictures spread like wild fire from town to town. The people of America now were able to see the suffering of the “Great Depression” at its worst. Florence became known as the “Migrant Mother.” She was ashamed of these pictures and felt as if her true character had not been reflected. People started to come from all over to the fields where Florence’s little ragged tent was suppose to be setup to help her and the other impoverished families, but Florence had moved on. Sadly, she never received any kind of help from the pictures being
Open Document