The short story “Marigolds” by Eugenia Collier explores the impact of Great Depression poverty not only in the lives of the adult, but also in children. The confusion of despair and fear of the future is explored throughout the story. During the Great Depression, many works of art and literature reflected these working-class concerns. One piece that stands out is “Cotton Pickers,” by Thomas Hart Benton. The oil painting depicts a setting similar to that of the short story with its depiction of a poverty-stricken area and the feelings that both works exude. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay When the narrator, Lizabeth, recalls her childhood, she remembers her lack of understanding of the poverty that surrounded her. The narrator describes the living and financial situation of her town as being "just as hungry and poorly clad as we are" (Collier). This shows how widespread their poverty has become and their lack of communication with people elsewhere. Benton's painting also evokes the poverty of African Americans during the era of the Great Depression. The artist shows a young child sleeping in a makeshift tent because, most likely, his mother works all day. The artist does this to show how, during this time, families had to work long, hard hours to provide for their children. The large area of ​​farmland depicted by Benton reflects the idea that Lizabeth conveys when she says that poverty was all she knew. The similar ameliorative contexts in both works provide a better understanding of the lives of African Americans during the Great Depression. The novella also addresses the struggles Lizabeth's family endured to maintain their income and provide for their family. His mother “works late at night” (Collier) and his father struggles to find a job. Although the artwork depicts people with jobs, Benton does a good job of showing the atrocious conditions in which they work. This painting gives a glimpse of what Lizabeth's mother might have faced on a daily basis to give to her family. The huge plantations they had to pick in the heat, with only the help of a few horses to transport large loads of cotton to the owner, were daily struggles these African American workers faced. Both plays show the struggles workers had to stay alive during the Great Depression. The author of “Marigolds” and the artist of “Cotton Pickers” both show the realities of African Americans during the Great Depression. While Collier focused on Lizabeth's inner struggle, Benton shows the workers' outer struggles. Despite this contrast, both describe the strength that the poor working class maintained in the mentally fatigued state of the Great Depression..