Sometime you just run across something that is phenomenal and you want to share it. This is one of them.
Click the picture to see the story of Florence Thompson from an episode of the Today Show. You can read the transcript first, but I wouldn't. Click the video window and let the story unwind in front of you. Enjoy.
12 comments:
Florence Thompson probably lived through one of the hardest times in American history in one of the worst possible conditions. Many times in the "American Stories" section of our textbooks, there are stories about single mothers not being able to support their family. Florence Thompson was able to do that, at a time when women barely left the home. She ended up having 10 children and raising them all to be responsible adults in a time when society gave her nothing. Her integrity and determination is a perfect example of someone women still idolize nowadays. Today, if someone was in her place, they would still struggle and likely not be able to accomplish all that she did. Also, in times like today, things are better for single mothers. She seems like she was a remarkable woman and definitely deserves the title as the "Mona Lisa of the Dust Bowl."
Wow. She was must have been incredibly strong emotionally to be able to keep her family together and alive like that. I was struck by the fact that, not only did she raise ten children, she raised ten children who survived to adulthood without starving to death or accidentally killing themselves due to lack of supervision or getting sick and dying from lack of medical attention. That seems like quite an accomplishment to me. I wonder if her kids helped work in order to make ends meet, or if they just watched each other while she worked. Also, did she ever receive any money for that picture? It seems like it would have helped.
This is truly an amazing story. Florence Thompson was not only a single mother but she lived and raised 10 children throughout the depression. Imagine any single mother raising 10 children now? Never mind during a recession. Her resilient attitude helped shape her children to be something and provide for themselves when they got older. Florence Thomson was the most self-less person, she did anything to make a living, not for herself, but for her kids. She gave them a sense that nobody owed them anything and this taught them to have pride for themselves. Florence Thomson not only represents America’s determination to survive in a desperate time, but also how much the meaning of family really means and how far it can take you. She is an incredibly women who persevered through times most people couldn’t imagine.
Florence Thompson is such an inspirational women. Her ability to get through those tough times is something that alone and in itself is astounding. But the fact that she had to look after ten others is truly amazing. It really shows her character and how if you want to succeed, don't ever give up. The story makes it seem like she was the only person who was responsible for the survival of all of the kids. I find that hard to believe that no one pitched in to help, because ten kids could make a difference. I was really surprised when I saw that today, she's living in a trailer. She, along with her kids haven't really seemed to adapt to modern society. I also admire how one of Thompson's daughters said her mother never gave them material things. It shows their ability to not just follow society, and that they can survive without material things. I really liked this story and I like the fact that Florence and her children (at least some of them) still stay in contact with her. I think this whole story shares the meaning behind determination.
I think that the story of Florence Thompson is story that will rarely be replicated in the present day. The ability to live off the land is hard to find in people in the 21st century. The vast majority of people in the world today get all their food from the supermarket and have absolutely no knowledge of how to do as Florence did. Florence was raised close to the earth and taught on how to cultivate and live off the crops that you grow with your own hands. So when you think about how Florence survived, especially with so many children, you really appreciate how hard it would be.
Of all the pieces of Florence Thompson's story, the one that most stood out to me was how she raised so many kids with so little money on her own. At her age, and all on her own, the majority of women would never be able to handle so much. She had to balance all of her kids and keep them fed, clothed, and housed. That isn't easy for people now and was even worse with the Depression. Her story should truly be an inspiration to women everywhere. She could never give up on them or her life. As we've been talking about extensively in english, she is the definition of a resilient person.
I thought it was especially inspiring that when asked if she ever lost hope, Florence Thompson just stated "If I ever lost hope I would never have made it." She went through so much I am surprised that she never felt hopeless. Like Allie and Shayna said, I agree that she is an example of a truly resilient person. She went through what mothers today wouldn't imagine going through. She was a single mother at such a young age, who was forced to raise 10 children during the Depression. She herself didn't have enough to eat but tried to do whatever she could just to support her family. That's amazing.
Florence Thompson is an amazing person. Not only is it unbelievable that she was able to survive the Depression but she was able to do so successfully while simultaneously raising ten children. According to Bob Dotson, Thompson had been 27 years old when the Depression hit which would currently make her about 109 (which doesn't make much sense) but either way I'm impressed that she was able to not only make it through the tough but continue her life for many years afterwards. It’s hard to believe that anyone could be so hard working and determined since nowadays I’m sure very few women exhibit such drive. Those who do are living in too much of different circumstances to even compare. During the Depression life required more physical labor due to a lack of machinery which we have plenty of in the 21 century. I think that the name given to Thompson was very well fitting. ‘The Mona Lisa of the Dust bowl.” The Mona Lisa -- the most famous painting in the world -- embodies the reality and actuality of life. Florence Thompson photograph, exemplifies the hardships that were dealt with during the Greatest Depression in American history.
Florence Thomas's story helps put into perspective the hardships of the time. The 1930s were known as a time of hardship but this example gives us an up close and personal experience of the incredible struggles one had to go through to support a family and herself. The resilience Thomas demonstrated gave insight to the severity of the situation and the clear struggle someone has to go through just to survive day to day. When reading the story it felt very far off and ages ago, but when realized the Depression was just two generations behind us, and these intense living conditions could probably be described first hand by someone living today. Overall, I thought the story was interesting, with the direct quotes creating a vivid image of the situation she was living in brought arealness factor that gives the story a lasting impact.
Pretty good story. It shows a lot of things, but one I'd like to touch on is how the struggles of one generation can lead to the success of the next. As the citizens of depression-era United States struggled their way through their lives, they were inadvertently paving the way for the next generation's success, in this case the golden age. This reminds me of the path of an American immigrant. Most first generation immigrants experience major hardship upon arrival, but the children of these immigrants - naturalized citizens - ofte experience a much better social and economic situation.
Funny what Thompson says towards the end:"“I don’t think you could take a woman today and put her out and do what I done to make a living..."' If this was a woman from another part of the country, say the northeast, I feel as though her response and scorn would have been much more measured. It goes to show just to what extent our upbringings play in our lives. And on another note, she isn't trying to hide her contempt, which makes me question her true feelings about the depression and what she had to go through. A person can't live through something like that, and work under such conditions and come out unfazed. Though she doesn't give any other real indication of where her emotions lie, her demeanor and speech do little to conceal her displeasure. Thus, personally, I feel as though that whole "we never lost hope" bit was for the cameras. A calamity of that magnitude would test even the strongest of wills, something that I am sure she didn't posses. Even if she did, we're all human, and that means feeling hopeless sometimes.
I find Florence Thompson inspirational. She lived at a very hard time, and was able to raise 10 children against all odds. I find it very interesting she is still alive and well, and that CNN was able to report on it. It's weird how many important historical figures, like those that star in various iconic photos, just fade into the background. It is easier for single mothers today, but I don't think many people could survive in that level of poverty now. I feel like that level of resilience is something everyone should strive to achieve, and the fact she was able to create a better life for her children is the main goal of parents everywhere.
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