Part II: Research
Topic: I chose to read an article relating to the Dust Bowl.
Summary: This article discussed the main causes of the Dust Bowl and how people were affected by it. It talked about how the Dust Bowl took place in states like Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas due to the over-plowing of land, and severe weather conditions in those states. The article also discussed the role that the U.S. government played in the Dust Bowl and how it prompted a cultural response from authors like John Steinbeck.
Evaluation: This text relates to the assigned reading because it talked about how the Dust Bowl forced many people to move out West, similar to how the Joad family, in chapter 9, was preparing to migrate west. Also, throughout the first 9 chapters, there is a lot of imagery pertaining to dust, so it was interesting to find out the actual reason why there was so much dust.
MLA citation:
Foner, Eric, and John A. Garraty, eds. "Dust Bowl." History.com. Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, n.d. Web. 5 Dec. 2013.
<http://www.history.com/topics/dust-bowl>.
Part III: Philosophical Questioning
1. Can you think of other events that were similar to the Dust Bowl? What other events had
similar causes and effects to the Dust Bowl?
2. Do you believe that the Dust Bowl truly signified the destruction of the old Jeffersonian ideal of
agrarian harmony with nature?
3. Would living under the old Jeffersonian ideal of agrarian harmony be more beneficial to the U.S.
and its people? Would it promote a peaceful way of life or would it have negative effects because our economy would be prone to suffer?
4. In general, do you think that people in the U.S. would trade happiness for money? Or vice versa, (why or why not)
Part IV: Discussion
Part V: Reflection
The most memorable moment of my discussion with my dad, was how he claimed that people in countries that mainly practiced subsistence farming, were generally less happy than people in countries that practice more commercial farming. This sparked a bit of a debate between us because I believe that people in countries that are developing or practice more subsistence farming, generally tend to be happy. It seems like people in the U.S. live a fast-paced life style where they do not stop to take a break and appreciate the simple things in life. I felt like people who practiced subsistence farming, generally are happier with a slower-paced lifestyle where they can appreciate the simplicities of life. However, my dad brought up the point that many people who practice subsistence farming, in China, for example have migrated to the city for work, thus showing they are unsatisfied with their lives. My counter argument was that a lot of the people who migrate to the city do it because they have no other choice, and they need a way to earn money for basic necessities. Anyway, this moment during our discussion was memorable because it sparked an interesting debate. One thing that I was satisfied and surprised about during my discussion with my dad, was that, we were able to maintain a rational tone when we had conflicting views on certain issues. Normally, when he and I disagree on things, we get annoyed and sometimes we bicker, but we were able to maintain a rational discussion, which was nice. One way I could improve my questions is by putting less in one question. I made a lot of questions, that had multiple questions within themselves, so next time when I make my questions, I should be more specific. Lastly, I could improve my questions by relating at least one of them to a theme from "The Grapes of Wrath" and a truth about human behavior in the real world.
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