Toward Los Angeles

This is a Dorothea Lange photo called 'Toward Los Angeles', taken in 1937. It depicts two men walking down a dusty road. To the right of them, there is a sign which is contradictory to the situation in which the men find themselves. There is use of juxtaposition in the photo, as the men walking along the road obviously cannot afford to "relax" and use the train, otherwise they would not be walking on the road. The men themselves are both carrying large bags which suggests that, due to their lack of wealth, they would be carrying all their possessions with them. In addition, the fact that the photo is entitled, 'Toward Los Angeles', implies the men are both heading to LA for a fresh start and to find work in the 'Golden State' of California. The 1930s saw a mass migration of farmers from 'Dust Bowl States' (e.g. Oklahoma and Arkansas) to California. By 1940, 250,000 had arrived. It is unclear in what line of work these men specialised, but due to their clothing and the year in which their photo was taken, it can be assumed that they may be agricultural workers.
With war on the horizon for the United States, this photo could highlight the negativity of the 1930s and the hopelessness that was rife throughout the nation (they weren't to know that the Second World War 1939-1945, would help the USA become the global super power that it is today). There is no sign of other people or towns or cities in the photo, suggesting the men still have a long way to go to reach 'Los Angeles'. The concept of distance could refer to the USA's struggle with tackling the dire demands of the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the subsequent hyperinflation and poverty. The remaining road ahead of the men, is where they (representing the USA) need to go. But it will be a long and uncertain journey, in order to reach their destination.
The photo also highlights the divisions of class in the United States during this period. The man depicted on the advertisement, is clearly middle class, as he is wearing a nice suit and looks less rugged than the working class men on the left. This suggests that there was a lack of action by the government to rectify the more pressing issues, such as unemployment, poverty and starvation in the US. The fact that there were adverts around aimed at the wealthier people, while there were men having to walk for miles in the hope of finding any sort of employment, suggests the system was somewhat backwards and didn't give working class/unemployed men the opportunities they so desperately needed.

References:
http://www.50states.com/bio/nickname1.htm
https://migration.ucdavis.edu/rmn/more.php?id=1355