Depression Areva example essay topic

In 1929 the United States suffered from something called the Depression. Many things caused this to happen, some argue that the stock market crash did it. Whatever it was, it caused many hardships. There was a very unequal distribution of wealth at the time. Many farmers found themselves losing what had once been a high demand during World War I. Many peoples wages weren't enough to buy the products which would have kept the economy growing, and possibly kept the United States out of the Depression, but problems in one section of the United States would cause others to fail, which eventually cause the Great Depression. Although many people in rural areas weren't affected as much as those in urban cities, they were all affected in some way, such as a little girl named Areva Huish in Heber, Utah.

Life as a twelve year old girl during the Depression was hard for Areva. During the early years of the Depression Areva's loving mother died, so Areva's mining father was left with a family to support, and her fathers mining job disappeared shortly into the depression, so for awhile her father had know way to support his daughters. They had food, but very little besides that. Areva was a very lucky young girl though, because years before the Depression her father had built his family a large cozy home so their housing situation was wonderful.

Along with their home Areva's father owned four blocks, so they were able to have a garden with fresh vegetable, warm milk from their cow, chickens which supplied them with eggs., and a pig to slaughter in the fall. Although there were many great things about living in a small city there were also bad things. Since her father had been laid off from his mining job they didn't have very much money to spend on other things they needed such as clothing, each of her sisters was only able to have two dresses. In the later years of the Depression her father was once again employed building tings around Heber.

When I asked Areva what things were al luxury she said, "Everything but what we wore and ate was a luxury" but she didn't mind it because at that time she had realized there was more to life than materialistic things. Her family was very loving and supported her, so she was happy, and didn't feel like she was missing out. Sometimes her father would even sacrifice his needs to make his daughters happy by giving them money to see a movie on a Friday night, and they would go to church every Sunday. Along with movies, and church, Areva and her sibling got to go to school everyday of the week.

Every morning she would wake up, put her hair in curls, and walk to school, where she would enjoy arithmetic and reading. Then she would travel back home at three-o-clock. After her day at school she would go milk their cow, then she would eat dinner with her sisters and father. Later that evening they would play games, read, and then go to sleep dreaming of what fun things they would learn in math the next day.

It seemed to me that everyone would have hated life and wished for something better, but I found out that it wasn't like that at all. Since Areva lived in a small town she had plenty to eat, but her father didn't have a job so they didn't have very much money, but they didn't need the money, they found ways to get by without it. Areva said, "We didn't expect much, we had plenty to eat, and we didn't' feel like we were poor because everyone else was just like us."If I ever wanted something and my dad told me no, I forgot about it, he wasn't being mean, we just couldn't afford it". During the Depression everyone had to make sacrifices, it wasn't just one family, so know one felt less fortunate.

After the Depression Areva met a young man named Bob Huish and they were wed soon after that. They moved to Roosevelt and opened up a Pharmacy / Soda Fountain Shop, which was just like a little convenience store, which all the little kids loved to go to, so they could have their soda. Now Areva and Bob Huish still reside in Roosevelt, Utah near Constitution Park. Until this part winter they would leave Roosevelt and stay in St. George for the winter months, but Bob is 92 and Areva is 84 so it is hard for them to travel like that these days. In conclusion I believe that Areva's life was hard because her mother was taken from her life, and also with the Depression she was left to be a mother along with her other sisters. Overall Areva thinks that the Depression was a blessing in disguise because it helped her to know that she could live without all of the luxuries that we have today.

By: Heather I org.