F06 :: Feminist Film Studies

I chose this picture because it reminded me of one that I had recently seen. I was going though some pictures with my grandmother and we came across one of my great grandmother. I come from a long line of farm families and this picture was taken right near the end of WWII. What struck me about the photo was how strong my great grandmother looked. Not just physically strong but her chiseled facial features showed a life of hardship and perseverance. Knowing that all four of her sons were sent to war and her having to handle the farm herself for four years, I could understand why. Even though I have never met her, I respect her greatly and what she had done to help my family pull through in hard times.

This is a photo taken of a pregnant farm woman in maybe a little different time period but with the same look of strength. She is the focus of the picture and placed right in the middle. She is in the middle of a field on a sunny afternoon. She knows that she is having her picture taken but still doesn’t smile for the camera. Although the picture is in black and white it is easy to figure out the somber mood. She is on an old dirt road in front of an open field with dead plants and old tree stumps. She almost looks like she is completely alone except for her unborn baby that she has her hands crossed around. You can tell by her old clothing and by the cut of her hair that she is not a woman of great importance. The look on her face seems to say that she is not happy to be where she is but she will do what she needs for her child to have the best it can.