Jorena Pettway from Gee’s Bend, Alabama is clearly taking
her work seriously. She is focused and intent. I noticed first the canning jars
that are lining the shelves of her smokehouse. Not only is Jorena working hard
to sort the vegetables she has on her lap but also there is a sense of
preparation that surrounds her by the very focus of the photograph. Arthur
Rothstein titles his piece that gives us a glimpse into Jorena’s world. He
tells us about the harvest in jars surrounding her to be “canned last year”. I
began to wonder how this woman sees herself in other roles she has in her
community. Perhaps being a mother, helper, provider, or a leader are some of
the hats that she wears in her life.
As I looked
at the photograph longer I noticed the cans or spools underneath the shelves.
No matter what they contain, the theme continued to resonate with me as one of
dedication. It is a picture of the work of her hands and her families. The
lighting seems to be bright and illuminate the shelving to draw my attention
in. The location of the smokehouse made me wonder if it was a cold day so she
decided to work indoors or even if a quiet place was her goal to be productive.
Arthur
Rothstein seems to take the picture from below Jorena or even with her as he
focuses on the complete view of the room. The snapshot is not only the work
being done currently but also in the past. It sends a message to me that not
only was tedious work done on the farms but much work was done in order to
prepare for the future and the unknown.
This tenant
community gave Rothstein a glimpse into their everyday lives and in doing so
exemplified a people with frugal means creating something bigger than them.
Rothstein in my opinion is focusing on the results of hard work, dedication and
focus that created a community of stability in the middle of tough economic
times. To me, the photograph of Jorena suggests that resources used wisely
created hope of a future generation overcoming challenges.
-Caroline
Caroline, I really like the fact that you focused in on the hard work she has been putting in to organizing the cans and jars on the shelves. A part of me wonders if she did all the work by herself. Is she lonely? Where is her family? What other jobs she may have? However, I can tell that she has patience, this image sends out a message of hope for the future and the challenges we (citizens) will have to overcome in everyday life. I enjoyed the thoughts you had about the woman and her family, and what roles she played in her community.
ReplyDelete-Kayla
Caroline, I'm impressed by seeing you notice all the little details in this photo, such as the jars, lighting and the location of the smokehouse. I do have some questions though on just how much work was typically done in this kind of situation? What are the reasons behind doing her work? Does she enjoy it to some extent? I can see by the image that it certainly gives off a message of understanding the situation in that time period, and also the sense of what lives were like for tenant farmers back then.
ReplyDeleteCaroline has made a strong case for dedication and frugality here. I like how you have tied together all of the food storage---both what has already been completed and what is currently being produced. Your analysis provides an image that contrasts sharply with what some people call our "throwaway culture" in contemporary America. Facing the reality of hardship at this moment in history, the subject of this photo clearly intends to create some security, at least with regards to putting food on the table all year---insurance for leaner times.
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