The Worst Hard Time Analysis

The book The Worst Hard Time was written in three parts; “The Promise”, “Betrayal”, and “Blowup”. In the introduction of “The Promise: The Great Plowup” it takes the reader on a quick journey of the Southern Plains towns in the area that was affected by the dust bowl. A few survivors shared their stories about life during the tragedy. In this section the important topics are introduced; ethnic tension, soul-searching, shame, a path to redemption, and settlement problems. This section follows a few settlers who had to live in a place that gives nothing back. This section also talks about the American dream and hope and having to deal with having no money to support their families. Section one ends with wheat prices declining, the stock market crash, and the first dust storm.

The government gave the people the land they needed to grow their wheat but shortly after both their land and their wheat prices shriveled up. Causing the people to have no food or money and now the environment seemed to be giving them a beating. The land was now being swept away and becoming a part of the storm. It was becoming harder for people to support their families and keep their dignity. These people also had to face the realization of the declining fortunes. Section three, “Blowup”, describes the struggles of the people on the southern plains. Dust storms have been worsening and have gained the east’s attention. People were contracting “dust pneumonia”, an infection of the lungs that causes fever, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and coughing, birth rates declined, and Roosevelt made new programs to help the southerners. These programs were known as the Soil Conservation Districts and the Farm Security Administration. Many of the towns still have not recovered from these storms.