Known for symbolizing the common man, Woody Guthrie's songs have the ability to resinate to a vast variety of people. In Studs Terkel introduction of Woody Guthrie he really hits the nail on the head when he quotes Guthrie, "I am out to sing songs that will prove to you that this is your world[...]." Guthrie connected with so many different walks of life because he made them feel significant and validated. Guthrie was also set on bringing honesty to the American people. For that reason he ridiculed Irving Berlin's song "God Bless America." In a time when people felt ashamed and embarrassed about the places they came from, he was a source of strength and pride. In particular as a local to Oklahoma, he was part of a place that was most discriminated during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression.
For this week I focused on Guthrie's song, "So Long It's Been Good to Know You." A decade into living through the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, most of America connected with his lyrics about the troubles that come when being forced to leave the place they call home. The Dust Bowl pushed people out of their homes and because it occurred around the same time as the market crash the places they migrated to were not welcoming.
The beauty and appeal to Guthrie is in his capacity to convey a genuine story in his songs. Because I too wanted to be genuine with my response to his song I drew inspiration from the thought of losing a friend, which is a very persistent reality as a college student. In this image I focused on portraying emotion because, like Woody Guthrie, I want this piece to connect with all walks of life that may have a different story than my own.
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