Walter Evans photographed this photo of a tenant on East Sixty- First Street, probably between First and Second Avenues. He photographed an older man sitting on a doorstep outside an unknown building. With him being a tenant, probably his residence. The first thing that came to my mind when I glanced at the photo was distraught. An old man sitting on a door step, staring at the ground as if he is in some state of shock. He remains calm, eyes wide, and bewildered. If you look deep in the eyes of the old man, even though he isn't looking at the camera, you can feel the pain and worry that fills him inside. He is old and grey and still has so much weight on his shoulders. One wrong turn or mishap, changes everything. In the late 1920s and early 1930s disappointment, worry, and sadness filled the people of the streets on a daily basis. Evans wanted his audience to see an example of just that; the distress and uneasiness that comes along with change and 'Self-Help in Hard Times.' My interpretation of the photograph and caption, is that this poor tenant probably couldn't afford to stay any longer. One aspect of this image that might not get noticed at a first glance is how the person leaving the door is behind him. This could be interpreted in a few ways, but my thought is that it represents that all of the hard times are behind you. The man who is taking his residence and forcing him on the street is one bump in the road. It is behind him. In that day, in order to survive you didn't have time to weep and sulk in your own misfortunes; you had to keep moving forward. Overall, the mood is gloomy. The man has just been mentally and emotionally beaten down without ease. He sees no light at the end of the tunnel, even though there could be.
I think it is really interesting that you noticed the door open in the background of this picture. I was so focused on the man that I didn't even notice that small detail. But I do agree with you in the fact that the man in the door is taking his home and you can clearly see the sadness on the old man's face.I think you can see how lost and empty he feels. He seems like he is thinking " What am I going to do now". I think this is a thought that a lot of people have during this time which is also something that the photographer was trying to portray. He clearly portrays in this picture the fact that these peoples lives at this time were unsure and they just had to go day by day and deal with life's little challenges, like the man in the picture experienced that day.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the point you were making when you said that being forced onto the street is, "One bump in the road." The idea that the resident probably realizes there is nothing he can do to change the past but he can try and make his own future is very inspiring and emotional at the same time. While you view the image as gloomy I can also see how this photograph could be inspiring to some people because as you pointed out, people had to keep moving forward and I think everyone who view Mark Evans' photos will be able to see that in some aspect.
ReplyDeleteAlexandra does a good job setting up feelings of tension and anxiety in this photo. While it is, of course, unclear if the man is being forced out of his home, he does seem to be tired and worried. The stress of living paycheck to paycheck in a time when, as Alexandra says, one bump in the road can destroy one's basic securities and comforts, is certainly felt via her interpretive lens.
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