History

1. Identify and discuss the author s thesis Were you convinced by the author s argument Important Note This is the most important question, therefore, most of your paper should be devoted to discussing the thesis (15 points).

In the article Fear Itself Depression of Life, the author, Robert McElvaine, talks about the depression era in the United States of America. The author uses a sort of ethnographic approach on the era that has caused so much pain and suffering for millions of Americans during the 30 s. The author s thesis can be found on the last sentence of the first page and on the first lines of the second  page.

By weaving together t he various types of evidence using one kind as a check on the indications found in another, we can begin to understand the lives and values of the American workers in the Great Depression. What follows is a composite of the Depression experience, using the words of Depression victims from all these sources. (McElvaine 1-2).

Basically, the article is a collection of letters that show the conditions of the people who were greatly affected by the Great Depression letters of all sorts that reveal how desperate the people were, how shabby their conditions were, and the depression s effect on the social structure of America, particularly on gender roles and race issues. The author is saying that it would be best to understand the full extent of the Depression by reading these letters because the people who wrote them were the ones who experienced the hardships firsthand.

I was convinced by the author s arguments because he has gathered substantial letters from the Depression years to validate his claims. He just practically collected pieces of evidence through the letters, and the letters speak for themselves. He need not prove a thing because he merely gave the material that would show readers what already is an accepted fact that it was indeed a hard time to live during those times.

2.  Discuss the most important new information you learned about American history from the article.

The most important new information that I learned about American history from the article is the irony that the Great Depression had created regarding the employment statistics in the United States  as jobs became more difficult to find, far more people began looking for work.  ( McElvaine 10-11). I always thought that the Depression would have caused people to be more lax in searching for jobs because there were not that many to find during that time. But I guess the tough times really meant that people really needed the jobs so they insisted on looking for jobs even if they knew very well that jobs were unlikely to be found.

3. Describe how the article reinforced or challenged ideas about American history that you have learned from the textbook and other reading assignments.

The article definitely reinforced my ideas about American history. I already have ideas about the nation s history, but reading the article further supported these ideas. I already knew that the Great Depression was a time of despair and poverty for the American people, but it is just simply that fact I never had an inclination to feel sorry for the people because we were just told that it was a difficult time to live in. However, upon reading the letters containing concrete examples that show real hardships that the Americans experienced during the Great Depression, I came to understand their sufferings better and realize how truly blessed I am.