Abstract Traditional explanations of the DustBowl emphasize the lack of rain as the fundamental cause of the severe dust storms that struck the southern plains. This paper discusses additional reasons for the DustBowl such as poor agricultural practices and years of sustained drought. The paper describes the effect the DustBowl had on the inhabitants.
From the Paper "Americans tend to confuse the "Dust Bowl," a region plagued by dust storms in the 1930s, with the mass migration of "Okies and Arkies" to California that occurred in the same decades. Many people were forced to leave the Dust Bowl for California. But the majority of 1930s migrants, even migrants from Oklahoma, came from regions of the country largely unaffected by the dust storms.
The whole concept of a Dust Bowl migration is a wonderful misnomer. Most of the people had nothing to do with the Dust Bowl region. Most really weren't victims of the drought either. A lot of them weren't even farmers."
A paper which shows how John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" and the article "Steinbeck, Guthrie and Popular Culture" by Elaine S. Apthorp, depict California's DustBowl era.
Abstract The paper shows how the era of the DustBowl was an era of mass migration as thousands moved from the region where drought and other factors had ruined the farmland to California, believed to be the land of milk and honey and opportunity. The paper explores how the DustBowl and the mass migration it fostered are well illustrated in the novel "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck, and both the novel and the era it depicts are further illuminated by the article "Steinbeck, Guthrie and Popular Culture" by Elaine S. Apthorp. The paper further shows how the novel and the article complement one another and contribute to our understanding of the era and of the way Steinbeck shaped that era into an artistic statement in his novel.
From the Paper "The didactic chapters referred to by Apthorp are the interchapters where Steinbeck performs the analytical task of reporting on the state of America during the Depression, the plight of the people, and other information included with a journalistic eye for what is most telling. In these interchapters, Steinbeck seems to step back from the story to examine the larger picture, but in truth, the author never forgets the reality faced by his characters. For instance, the different members of the family have characteristics which add to their problems and which also reflect larger forces at the same time. Grandpa Joad, for instance, is senile, and this symbolizes the vulnerability of the entire family."
Tags: migrant, workers, Great, Depression, Joad, family
Abstract This paper examines the causes of the original DustBowl, tackling issues such as soil composition, climatological factors, and farmer negligence. It also addresses the continuing threat of another DustBowl-like crisis and what needs to be done to ensure that it does not happen
From the Paper "The assertion that even without human-induced blunders there would have been at least somewhat of a crisis in the 30's seems like a distinct possibility. There was a definite shift in climate, consisting of severe blizzards, prolonged severe drought, and even a flood to start it all off. Temperature swings between summer and winter were even more severe than usual and dry spells and occasional downpours seemed to strike at the most inopportune moments time and time again (Bonnifield, 1979). Taking these things into account, it seems that even without over-planting, lack of erosion-control and other human mistakes, some sort of agricultural downturn would have taken place."
Abstract This paper addresses the possible causes of the DustBowl phenomenon and how and why it led to the mass exodus of people from the Great Plains to California.
From the Paper "The Great Depression marked a time of economic disaster in the United States. Between 1930 and 1941, Great Plains farmers witnessed the worst drought in the country's history (Henretta 709). This and many other factors led to the period that has become known as the Dust Bowl. This period in time is called the Dust Bowl because "Dust seeped into houses and blackened the pillow around one's head, the dinner plates on the table, the bread dough on the back of the stove" (Henretta 709). The term Dust Bowl was created by an Associated Press staff writer, Robert Geiger, in response to the things he saw in Guymon, Oklahoma. Within months, it was the term used throughout the nation to describe the wind-blown land throughout Kansas, southeastern Colorado, the Oklahoma Panhandle, the northern two-thirds of the Texas Panhandle, and northeastern New Mexico (Logsdon 3). The Dust Bowl affected the lives of everyone in the United States, not just those of farmers in the Great Plains area. Knowledge of the Dust Bowl is important because this disaster could be repeated due to both its natural, economic, and social causes. "
Abstract This paper examines David Cassuto's view on John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath," and discusses how the DustBowl may not have been only a natural disaster, but rather one exacerbated by economic hardships. This paper talks about the economic hardships and the unfairness of the economic situation as it is described by Steinbeck. The author shows that misuse of land to provide crops for the whole country during World War I led to a misuse of water which, in turn, led to the DustBowl.
From the Paper "However, in this novel, water creates economic divisions that are found in free societies generally. Cassuto notes that the primary difference between growers and migrants is in their relative relationships to water. "The growers--owners of the irrigation channels, centrifugal pumps, and watertight mansions, control it--while the Okies, starving and drenched, are at its mercy" (Cassuto, 1993, p. 67+).
The various types of economic conduct Steinbeck sprinkles throughout The Grapes of Wrath are predicated on the issue of having water, or not having it."
Abstract The author of this paper reviews environmental themes from the following five books: "DustBowl" by Donald Worster, "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck, "Everglades: River of Grass" by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, "Killing Mr. Watson" by Peter Matthiessen, and "River of Lakes" by Bill Belleville. This paper discusses the role that culture has played in environmental issues during the past century.
From the Paper "Douglas begins her book by describing poetically the area she was so devoted to for over fifty years. "There are no other Everglades in the world, they are, they have always been, one of the unique regions of the earth, remote, never wholly known" (Douglas, 5). She speaks of the enormous horizon, the sweetness of the winds, and the miracle of the light as it pours over the green and brown expanse of saw grass and water. She also details the origin of its name, pointing to the oldest English origin of the word "glade" which comes from the Anglo-Saxon word "glaed" meaning "shining" or "bright" (Douglas, 1997)."
A review of Woody Guthrie's "Talkin' DustBowl Blues" and Loretta Lynn's "I'm a Honk Tonk Girl" in light of the relationship between popular music and the industry.
1,400 words (approx. 5.6 pages), 3 sources, 2002, $ 53.95
Abstract This essay will examine Woody Guthrie's "Talkin' DustBowl Blues" and Loretta Lynn's "I'm a Honk Tonk Girl" in the context of Charles Seeger and Theodor Adorno's discussion of the relationship between popular music and the industry which seeks to shape and market it within a structure that values and privileges product and commodity.
Abstract This paper analyzes the film as an historical document. It answers the question: Why should this film be as important as more traditional sources to historians trying to make sense out of America in the 1930s? It explains that documentaries can entertain, inform, and dramatize actual historic events. It states that this particular documentary is a reliable and compelling account of the DustBowl and its effect on families in the region and is an excellent example of a documentary that not only informs, but does so with historical accuracy.
From the Paper ""The Plow That Broke the Plains" is a documentary film made in 1936, which recounts the story of the Dust Bowl and the massive immigration from the Central Plains when drought created one of the worst farming disasters in America's history. Thousands of farmers were displaced when their farmlands were literally blown away. The film opens with a graphic and compelling statement: "This is a record of the land, of soil, rather than people, a story of the great plains, 400,000,000 acres of windswept grass lands that spread up from the Texas panhandle to Canada--a high, treeless continent, without rivers, without streams. . . a country of high winds, and sun. . . and of little rain . . ." (Plow). This is an important and historic film because it captures such a central time in America's history, and because it shows the effect the drought had on people very visually. It is difficult to watch this film and not feel achingly sorry for the people who had to leave their homes and farms in order to survive."
Abstract This paper examines the history of federal support for farming and analyzes how effective it has been. The historical and economic background of the current crisis in American farming is also examined. The paper looks at the impact of the Grange movement, the DustBowl catastrophe, poor farming and land management methods and federal subsidies to farmers.
From the Paper "We tend to think of the current crisis faced by American farmers in which each year farmers are forced to leave a profession and a calling that their families have often practiced for generations sometimes ..."
Abstract The paper examines "After The Face: The Art of Historical Detection" and shows how the authors, Davidson and Lytle, use interesting and vivid story-telling to bring the information to life. The paper focuses on two chapters; the account of the DustBowl, of struggling immigrants in California and the issue of Truman dropping the atom bomb on Japan. The paper highlights the effectiveness of the authors' techniques in writing this history book.
From the Paper "The "Dust Bowl Odyssey" (Chapter Eleven) in the Davidson - Lytle book, After the Fact, is a very well-illustrated and well-thought-out part of the book. This chapter uses factual historical data, literary references (such as passages from John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath), and the works of well-known photographer Dorothea Lange. Not only does Davidson show some of Lange's work, the authors tell her story, which is a far more interesting way of looking at American history than bland factual narrative."
Abstract This paper discusses interstellar gas and dust, listing the reasons why it is interesting. According to the paper, these reasons are simply that interstellar clouds can simply be enormous and appear at least as mystical and beautiful as the stars themselves., and more practically, the interstellar medium is capable of telling us very significant things about the nature of our universe, how it was formed, and what properties dominate it. Like most branches of astronomy, perhaps the most exciting application of studies conducted upon cosmic dust is to cosmology.
Abstract This paper examines how and why certain ads are accepted or rejected by the media while also delving into who ultimately decides which ads are broadcast to the viewing public. The writer of this paper focuses on the most recent Super Bowl which was broadcast on the CBS television network while detailing the reasons behind two specific ads which were rejected due to their content. This paper delves into the First Amendment to the Constitution and its relevance to this particular topic. The paper also analyzes the rules and regulations stipulated by the Federal Communications Commission and its resulting impact on the advertising industry as a whole.
From the Paper "Although the Super Bowl is a public event that is the most watched TV program, it is a privately produced show and the choice of what ads to run rests with the network, a private company. Once CBS network bought the rights to broadcast the Super Bowl it had First Amendment rights to choose what it would or would not broadcast. Under the First Amendment CBS has the right to exercise its editorial judgment regarding the content of Super Bowl ads."
Abstract This paper provides an examination of Michael Moore's documentary film, "Bowling For Columbine" as a work of propaganda. It looks at Moore's exposure of the roots of violence, his techniques and how they support his thesis. The paper also looks at Moore's desire to provoke as well as to inform.
From the Paper "When Michael Moore's film Bowling for Columbine was released it was certainly a controversial film. Closely following the tragic incidents at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado Moore's film set out to expose the root of the problems behind such acts of violence. In doing so he learns that the conventional answers of easy availability of guns, violent national history, violent entertainment and even poverty are inadequate to explain this violence when other cultures share those same factors without the equivalent ..."
Tags:bowling for columbine, michael moore, propaganda
This paper uses a local bowling center, Pompano Bowl, to illustrate the various changes over the years in the bowling industry, which is part of the entertainment industry.
Abstract This paper explains that bowling, one of the largest participatory sports in the world, is enjoyed primarily by the older population but has a place in the entertainment of pre-teens, families and middle-aged groups. The author points out that, due to the increasing costs of maintenance and equipment modernization, the cost of a family bowling night has increased dramatically making it more difficult to afford an evening out with the family. The paper relates that the decline in leagues has caused a steady drop in overall revenue in the industry; but open bowling style has increased, which indicates bowling is returning mostly to a recreational sport.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Provided Services
Service Demand
Cost & Technology
Market Structures
Economic Forecast
Conclusion
From the Paper "With the bowling lane now being controlled by computers, customers find that score keeping and other functions are very simplified. New computer software is used in controlling each lane and must be updated when available. The new computerized system was designed by the National Bowling Association, operates within the professional bowling guidelines, and costs over $100,000. A price increase was put in to effect due to the fact that the building was in need of repairs, such as new carpeting, new electronic consoles for each lane, and some roof repair. This necessitated a price increase. Several complaints and negative comments were made and the center also lost two of its regular leagues, who transferred to another bowler center."
