During the Great Depression, a devastating event occurred that included social, economic and natural forces to create a catastrophe known as the Dust Bowl.\u00a0 In Clayton Koppes\u2019 evaluation of the two novels by Paul Bonnifield and Donald Worster and their discussion of the Dust Bowl during the 1930s, his bias is clear when he assesses the novels as a play on the trend of the Gilded Age\u2019s capitalism.<\/p>\n
Prices<\/a>\u2019 observation of\u00a0Dusty Volumes<\/i> review on the detailed books relating to the Dust Bowl is strong in evaluating how Koppes uses this review as a platform to voice his own argument. Worster described the Dust Bowl as “primarily the work of man, not nature” (536), and Koppes uses this as an underlying theme for his overall argument and to also defend Worster\u2019s three beliefs of capitalist agriculture.<\/p>\n I found it interesting how Koppes includes the notion of the goal for the individual farmer to achieve profit maximization then, and even still today. The reliance on government cleanup has placed confidence in farmers that sustainability of the land will continue as long as technology proceeds to advance. Here is another \u00a0parallel from the Gilded Age to today, the ongoing theme of trust in technology. In Paul Bonnifield\u2019s argument (contrasting that of\u00a0 Worster) he claims, \u201cHe stresses that natural forces, not plowing, caused the Dust Bowl, although he concedes the farming practices made it worse. The problems could be solved, however, by technology technique, and (especially) larger farm size\u201d (538). It is apparent here that Koppes\u2019 displeased with Bonnifield\u2019s book when he says that the book has a possibility of provoking debate with Worster\u2019s argument, however fails under the pretense that the presentation is unsophisticated. Even in the video documentary, The Plow That Broke the Plains, <\/i>\u00a0proves the reliance on technology for economic benefits, and how that can ultimately lead to a disaster such as the Dust Bowl.<\/p>\n In the video and through photography, imagery played a large role into how historians were able to perceive the events of the Dust Bowl. With powerful images of farms, families and destruction people all around the nation reacted to the disaster and gave a plea for the government’s assistance. Relating to the plea of government intervention, Worster also brings up the distrust of the government and the policies within the New Deal and its theme of \u201cnormalcy\u201d, however, Koppes finds that an expansion on reflected the needs of capitalism in crisis would make his argument even more effective.<\/p>\n