WP1: Rough Draft 1

Wars propose a complicated situation for every country involved because the whole dynamic of the economy must change not to mention the emotional tribulations. The United States experienced these challenges during World War II. Although initially not trying to get involved in the conflict, the US retaliated after the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941. Sacrifices, both voluntary and involuntary, were made by citizens of the US to help the country prevail in battle. During 1943 the US government issued shoe rationing (three pairs of leather shoes per year), meat rationing (28oz per week), and standstill wages and prices to streamline the economy (A WW2 Timeline). With all the country’s resources all going to the war and people dying, the future looked bleak. However, there was a part of the US lifestyle that was thriving.


Job availability increased dramatically with the start of the war. With all the soldiers fighting overseas, new workers were needed to replace them. Also, new jobs were created such as weapon manufacturing, making cloths for soldiers, and transporting goods for the war. One of the businesses that profited greatly from World War II was the railroads. One such station, Ogden Union Station, played a major role in transporting military goods along with the usual passengers and cargo. Special “troop trains” would ferry around the soldiers from town to town. One interesting insight that an observer at this sight had was that the soldiers didn’t care where they were or where they were going. They were just happy to be traveling around the country. At one point during the war, a train rolled through the station every five minutes (How Trains Helped Win a War).


The photograph, Santa Fe R.R. freight train about to leave for the West Coast from Corwith yard, Chicago, Ill, is a prime example of the railroad business during this time period. It was taken by Jack Delano, an American documentary photographer, in 1943 as part of the Farm Security Administration-Office of War Information Collection. The goal of this collection of photographs was to capture American life during the heart of World War II. This specific photograph exemplifies the argument that blue-collar laborers during World War II were dealing with contrasting feelings: the somber sadness of the tragedy of war and the uplifting spirit of the economy due to increased job availability and productivity. This is evidenced through technical elements such as coloration, vectors of attention, and framing.

Contrasting hues play a major role in contributing to the argument in this photograph. The eye is first drawn to the black locomotive because it contrasts so drastically with the white surroundings. These two hues are exact opposites, forcing juxtaposition into the photograph. Also, the lightly saturated blue hues in the sky help make the steam from the locomotive stand out and not be immersed in the sky line. The front of the locomotive is highly saturated because it is facing away from the sun. This high saturation continues in the shadow the locomotive casts on the car on the adjacent track. This creates an overall darker feel in the right portion of the photograph, while the left (especially the upper left) is bright and has a more open feel to it. Such contrasting elements help portray the photograph’s argument that there was a clash of views during World War II.


Vectors of attention are very prominent in this photograph and help to further the argument. There are seven men in this photo and each has a unique vector of attention that helps the audience to glean information concerning their intentions. The men are positioned sporadically and facing different directions.

From the title we know that this train is about to the leave the station. Logically, we believe these men were loading the train and preparing it for departure. Three of these men’s vectors of attention are directed toward the right bottom corner of the photo (the tracks leading to the next destination). This presents an ethos of expectation or accomplishment since they have finished their job. The man furthest from the camera has a vector of attention aimed at the group of men gathered around the locomotive, especially the man on the far left. Concerning ethos, he seems distant and lagging creating pathos of loneliness and isolation. The man on the far left is staring at the locomotive with his whole body pointed toward it. It seems he has a connection with the locomotive, evoking feelings of losing a beloved friend.

Finally, the last and most intriguing man is addressing his attention to the window of the locomotive where the conductor’s torso is visible! From this observation one can infer that these two men have a deeper connection than the others do. The worker may be wishing the conductor a safe journey, requesting that he delivers a package to a relative, or warning the conductor about a possible malfunction or aversive weather.


Through these vectors of attention one realizes that all these men have a bond with this train and what it represents. The train is not only a source of income, but hope for the soldiers fighting the war. There is a clash of feelings between hopefulness regarding the train’s journey to its destination and the nostalgia of all the good fortunes the train has provided these workers.

The framing elements in this photo really accent the dependence of these men of the success of the train’s journey. The photo is taken at an angle to show both the longevity of the train and also a short stretch of track that represents the train’s future journey. It gives a sort of “before and after” snapshot of the journey. Although this is a military train that carries mostly cargo, one would expect at least a few passengers to be present. However, none can be found which leads the viewer to wonder if there are any waiting at the train station which is not visible. The fact that no passengers, train station, or other locomotives are present creates pathos of isolation. The reason for this is to put an emphasis on the importance of this one train and how its fate has repercussions throughout the country.

Santa Fe R.R. freight train about to leave for the West Coast from Corwith yard, Chicago, Ill uses coloration via contrasting hues, varying vectors of attention, and isolating framing to signify juxtaposition between somberness and hopefulness in Americans during World War II. War creates an uncertain future for a country and therefore the citizens of that country have a cornucopia of feelings that swarm them daily regarding their actions and their significance. Blue-collar workers during this time period felt saddened by the war and wanted to contribute in any way possible while still being able to support their family. A booming wartime business such as the railroad company exemplifies this phenomenon perfectly.

Works Cited

"A WW2 Timeline." World War 2 Timelines 1939-1945. 2006. www.worldwar-2.net, Web. 17 Feb 2010.

"How Trains Helped Win a War." Utah History to Go. 2010. utah.gov, Web. 18 Feb 2010.