William Gropper

 This painting by William Gropper to me means that the people in the sweatshop have lost their individuality they are like unhappy robots because they get no say in anything they do. They are not their own person and are doing what they are told. Everyone’s body movement looks similar. No one looks happy. How anyone can be happy if they can’t have no say in anything and can’t give their own input at work? They can’t express how they feel about the product they produce and feel proud of their hard work. Everyone’s end product is the same.  By the painting you can tell that they have been working for a long time because of the way the slouching and the area around their eyes are really dark. You can tell they haven’t got a lot of sleep. Another thing I noticed in the painting is that you can’t really see any of the people who are sewing faces. Their work conditions do not look that great. It also looks like they don’t have a bathroom and the room is just set up, so there is enough room for each station. While a man is sewing there is another women knitting. You can tell this owner is working their employees. The painting is also done in black and white which give the cold and lonely affect. Overall, I believe that William Gropper did a great job with this painting and made it easy to feel how horrible working at a sweat shop felt and how people lost their identity and who they are.

Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell was born February 3, 1864 and deceased November 8, 1987. He was a very famous 20^th century painter and illustrator. Rockwell is most famous for illustrating scenarios of everyday life, which was different then what people were used to. Rockwell did a lot of work for the Boy Scouts of America.  The painting I have chosen to present on is “The Problem We All Live With” this painted was painted in 1963 to mark the 10^th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education. During the time period that this painting was painted was during the time that schools were being desegregated and the majority of white people had a problem with it.  They felt that school should be segregated because color people did not deserve to have the same education as a white child. People at that time believe that not everyone was created equal. Another interesting thing about Rockwell was that he was one of the first person to be released from the unwritten law that no blacks should be shown unless in roles where they are in chains or in obedient roles. This painting has a strong connection to social justice because it is showing civil rights. This painting really makes me think and wonder why anyone would have so much hatred for a little girl that they have to throw tomatoes aggressively at her, it’s crazy that its adults that are doing this to one little girl.  I love the fact that the little girl keeps walking nice and straight showing no fear because not only was she changing her life, but also the life of many colored children fighting for a better life and equality.