Blog Post 11: Statement of Purpose

My purpose for this photo is that in today’s world, for the U.S., we don’t seem to have as many problems with poverty as there used to be. Granted there are still many places struggling, but not like the times when the Great Depression hit. I chose this photo to try and express to others of the hardships Americans had to face and the daily struggles to just simply get by. As you can see in the photo, this is most likely a family walking, together, inside the area of the Marcella Plantation located in Mileston, Mississippi. Whether they are walking to work for a hard day’s labor, or home from a tiring day, they seem to show no depression. This could just be from the point of the photo, but they are more likely encouraged by the family which surrounds them.

Mileston, Mississippi is a very low class town, with a wide variety of plantations to work with. During this time of need specifically, finding jobs was tough and plantations seemed to be a way of life. Family was really all you had, aside from a laborious job with a provided low pay. Because of the connection this photo seems to bring with family, my main audience is those with a strong bond to their own family. This is definitely not my only limit in providing a bigger picture though; I also aim this towards my classmates, friends, and anybody else who might be interested in taking a longer look at this photo to find what is really going on. I think that by having an audience who understands the development of a stung family bond would appreciate this picture, and would be able to see the connection.

The communication for this photo will take place online, in our blogs. This is for everybody to see, whenever they may wish to look. For the most part though, I would say my context would be taking place during class, on the days of peer reviews. Yes, I will be there along with everyone else. The context specifically applies to my audience because I am sure that there are students in the class that embrace the bond within family. This will help them to understand where I am coming from with my meanings. To my audience outside of the classroom, I wish for those who may be at a time of struggle in their life to look beyond materialistic items.

I think that this is a purpose which everyone could share, but it is also to my own interests as well. Most of us have had a time of struggle in our lives, but learn there after it turns out ok. This is definitely a purpose that I would want others to have so we can all develop a sense of reality. Rough times happen, and you need to take comfort in those around you who may also be in your same position; or maybe they have gone through it prior. We all seem to be so independent as time passes and pressure ourselves in thinking we have to do everything alone.

Personally, do not believe this and think that people today need to understand it’s ok to have those close relationships with others, and to still be able to accomplish things yourself. Family is one of the most important gifts that we all have in common, and what are we to do as we slowly push them away and then need comfort. Society today takes too much pride in not showing emotion and worrying about what everybody else is doing. Stop conforming and let’s rewind time. To a time when we relied on family to be there for us, like it wasn’t a choice.

Blog Post 10: Pre-writing assignment 3

This photo was taken in September of 1939 at the Marcella Plantation in Mileston Mississippi. The Marcella Plantation was strictly a cotton plantation and was located in Holmes County. Homes County is a relatively small place consisting of about 764 square miles, of which, 756 square miles of it is land and 8 square miles of it is water (Wikipedia). The county was founded in 1833 and is made up of two major cities, five towns, and four unincorporated places. Mileston is located in Thornton (an unincorporated place).

“As of the census of 2000, there were 21,609 people, 7,314 households, and 5,229 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile. There were 8,439 housing unit at an average density of 11 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 20.47% White, 78.66% Black, 0.12% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.07% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. 0.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race” (Wikipedia).

A majority of the households had other family members living with them, being under 18 years of age or over 65 years of age. The average income for a family was very low being $21,757. “Holmes County has the third lowest per capita income in Mississippi and the 41st lowest in the United States” (Wikipedia).

Because of the research that I have found over this particular county where Mileston, Mississippi is located, I know have a better picture of what life was like in this town. In the picture, I now see that family was probably a big priority because of the poverty surroundings. What do you do with your children when you and your partner need to make an income? You bring them with you to work in the fields. I am assuming that a lot of people living in these areas of Holmes County work in plantations because of the land amount being so large. This was probably a great way to find work, but very laborious as well.

I have also looked around at some other photos which were taken of the Marcella Plantation as well, and most of them show a type of housing and lifestyle in the picture. These houses were generally run down and looked as if there was a lot of labor taking place in the home (e.g., laundry hanging across the yard).

In my original photo, there are a couple of cars located in the background of the photo. Since my research, I still agree with what my first statement was that the cars belonged to the plantation owners. My reasons for still believing this are because income was so low in working families are cars are an expensive item to have. The plantation owners are more than likely wealthy, and their residence is located in the photo.

Works Cited

Wikipedia. Holmes County, Mississippi. 26 September 2009. 30 September 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_County,_Mississippi.