American Gothic

Despite the fact that this painting is an American Icon and I've encountered it as frequently as the next person, I have to admit I never gave it any consideration or recognition. I'm just putting that out there as a preface to the observations I'm about to make... it's not like I've ever thought long and hard about the symbolism of "American Gothic". How many of us really have? I know it's a very small percentage... how seemingly pathetic considering we're Americans and this is painting is classic piece of "Americana". To be fair though, as American college students in the 21st century we are so far from the America that is being portrayed here, right?It is a dark depiction of the post depression era of the 1930's, the struggle of a time that I'm not very familiar with. This is probably part of the reason why I am one of those who sees American Gothic as being way too "read into", and I thought that many of the interpretations of this painting discussed in class seemed a little far-fetched. Given it's status as a symbol of American culture, I can appreciate it for the statement it is making about American life and struggle in the past.