America was founded on the idea of freedom and the pursuit of happiness. From the moment these words were spoken and written down, every Americans’ goal was to obtain them in this new promising land. For a while things were promising but every thing that achieves greatness has a downfall at some point in time and the Great Depression marked America’s. This time period was one that affected all Americans who were trying to achieve the “American Dream”. With the economy at rock bottom and people struggling to survive many began to question America’s promise of freedom and opportunity.
Reading Studs Terkel's Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression lets people verify that Americans felt lost and hopeless during the great depression. This has many personal accounts which are similar to the view that Woodie Guthrie had in "This Land Is Your Land", which is a famous song every American knows. Although most do not know of the last two verses that usually are not sung. Analyzing these last two verses shows us how many Americans felt towards the Great Depression and how they started questioning their freedom.
"This Land Is Your Land"
This land is your land, and this land is my land
From the California, to the New York island
From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf Stream waters --
This land was made for you and me
As I went walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway,
I saw below me that golden valley --
This land was made for you and me
I roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
All around me a voice was sounding --
This land was made for you and me
Was a big high wall there that tried to stop me
A sign was painted said: Private Property
But on the back side it didn't say nothing --
This land was made for you and me.
One bright sunny morning in the shadow of the steeple
By the Relief Office I saw my people --
As they stood hungry, I stood there wondering if
This land was made for you and me.
The line, “Was a big high wall there that tried to stop me, A sign was painted said: Private Property, But on the back side it didn’t say nothing” shows how most people felt America stood for freedom but yet there were still obstacles blocking them from achieving the “American Dream”. The land was made for you and me but there is a private property sign to symbolize the limits on how successful one can be.
Then the line, “As I stood there hungry, I stood there wondering if this land was made for you and me” also speaks to the suffering Americans went through just trying to survive during the Great Depression. The land was made for you and me but “you and me” are hungry and suffering.
Through these two short stanzas in the song we get a glimpse at how and why Americans were losing hope in America’s promise of freedom.
Reading Studs Terkel's Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression lets people verify that Americans felt lost and hopeless during the great depression. This has many personal accounts which are similar to the view that Woodie Guthrie had in "This Land Is Your Land", which is a famous song every American knows. Although most do not know of the last two verses that usually are not sung. Analyzing these last two verses shows us how many Americans felt towards the Great Depression and how they started questioning their freedom.
"This Land Is Your Land"
This land is your land, and this land is my land
From the California, to the New York island
From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf Stream waters --
This land was made for you and me
As I went walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway,
I saw below me that golden valley --
This land was made for you and me
I roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
All around me a voice was sounding --
This land was made for you and me
Was a big high wall there that tried to stop me
A sign was painted said: Private Property
But on the back side it didn't say nothing --
This land was made for you and me.
One bright sunny morning in the shadow of the steeple
By the Relief Office I saw my people --
As they stood hungry, I stood there wondering if
This land was made for you and me.
The line, “Was a big high wall there that tried to stop me, A sign was painted said: Private Property, But on the back side it didn’t say nothing” shows how most people felt America stood for freedom but yet there were still obstacles blocking them from achieving the “American Dream”. The land was made for you and me but there is a private property sign to symbolize the limits on how successful one can be.
Then the line, “As I stood there hungry, I stood there wondering if this land was made for you and me” also speaks to the suffering Americans went through just trying to survive during the Great Depression. The land was made for you and me but “you and me” are hungry and suffering.
Through these two short stanzas in the song we get a glimpse at how and why Americans were losing hope in America’s promise of freedom.
References:
Woody Guthrie. This Land Is Your Land. 1940. Lyrics.
"Woody Guthrie- This Land Is Your Land." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Hoar, Victor. "Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression, By Studs Terkel." Canadian Review of American Studies 1.2 (1970): 130-34. Web.
Woody Guthrie. This Land Is Your Land. 1940. Lyrics.
"Woody Guthrie- This Land Is Your Land." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
Hoar, Victor. "Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression, By Studs Terkel." Canadian Review of American Studies 1.2 (1970): 130-34. Web.