When Bonnie was in high school she was good student. Her favorite class was English! She had dreams of being either an actress or a writer. Or both! But, when the Great Depression hit, life just got in the way. She had to drop out of school and work as a waitress or a prostitute. There were no other options for girls like her. That is, until she met Clyde. He stole cars. Salvador chose Bonnie and Clyde, not only to report on their infamous crime spree, but to provide important insight to one of our nation’s most difficult historical eras.
Bonnie and Clyde: Products of the Great Depression
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were an American criminal couple who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. They were mostly known for their bank robberies. However, they preferred to rob small stores or rural funeral homes. Their crime spree captured the attention of the American press and its audience during what is occasionally referred to as the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934. In 1934, Bonnie and Clyde were ambushed on a highway they were riddled with bullets and that was the end of their crime spree. The police used them as a way to show their authority and to set an example for anyone trying to follow their footsteps. The article "Shredding the Glamour from Bonnie and Clyde” states, "It turned Parker and Barrow into the iconic figures they had been more than 30 years earlier when their exploits captured the imagination of the public suffering during The Great Depression.” Bonnie and Clyde distracted people from their struggles of the Great Depression. Many people disliked the banks because they were robbing them. They were also idolized because they were lovers on the run. They were outcasts which really attracted the public.
How did the Great Depression play a role in the criminal lives of Bonnie and Clyde? During the 1920’s, the United States economy grew rapidly, and many Americans became more prosperous. The stock market began to fluctuate and on July 8th, 1932, it reached its lowest value which caused the Great Depression. Banks and investors lost large sums of money, and this caused uncertainty about the future of the economy. Consequently, it led to consumers to cut back on purchasing goods and services. These factors contributed to making the Great Depression worse which lasted a total of eleven years from 1930 to 1941 and is now a big part of our history. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow became criminals due to their upbringing. Both were poor, and to add to that the Country was heading into the Great Depression which caused uncertainty of the future of the country's economy. In "Stock Market Crash of 1929" We learn about the collapse of the United States stock market, which was one the biggest contributing factors that led to the Great Depression. In the article it talks about where it all started which is in the 1920's.
During the 1920’s, the United States economy grew rapidly, and many Americans became more prosperous, the average price of stocks on the New York Stock Exchange increased about six times from 1921 to 1929. The increase in share prices caused many people to believe it would keep going up and many people begin to speculate, which means to invest in stocks, property, or other ventures in the hope of gain but with the risk of loss. The stock market closed on October 23rd, 1929, The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which tracks stock prices of 30 major firms, shows the price trends of stocks traded in the United States. The following day, October 24, known as “Black Thursday,” the stock market average dropped. On October 28, share prices fell again and the stock market lost nearly 13 percent of its value. On Tuesday, Oct. 29, 1929 known as "Black Tuesday "shareholders panicked. A massive sell-off of shares caused the stock market to fall almost 12 percent. By mid-November, stock prices had dropped about 48 percent. After the big drop in stock prices, the stock market began to fluctuate and on July 8th, 1932, it reached its lowest value which caused the Great Depression. Banks and investors lost large sums of money, and this caused uncertainty about the future of the economy, which led to consumers to cut back on purchasing goods and services. These factors contributed to making the Great Depression worse which lasted a total of eleven years from 1930 to 1941 and is now a big part of our history.
* To read Sal's complete Film History Research Paper, please click on the following link: Bonnie and Clyde.
* To find out "What The World Never Knew About Bonnie And Clyde," please click on the following video:
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In this first section of Friends of the Earth,
students take the time to introduce themselves through their reading.
Instead of the brief mention of their hobbies and pets, they reflect on
a memorable literary experience. You might not judge a book by its cover, but here we learn
what is often hidden inside of others.
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