A Man with Four Eyes

A Man with Four Eyes

Along with the idealized attributes that contribute to a utopian society, a new vision had prevailed because of the gold rush movement. “Americans did not want ‘to work for’ someone else,” writes Carey McWilliams, this indeed was the feeling that had been apprehended by the souls of the native and upcoming Californians (46). This quote relates much to a painting which depicts a group of six men walking through the mountains with nothing but the clothes on their skin and the essentials that are needed to mine the gold. To many, finding gold was the only way to let loose of the iron ball of misery which had drastically drained the energy out of individuals of whom were slaves in their own workplace. In the forefront, the picture portrays two men and a donkey that are all holding a number of tools that are needed to not only mine the gold, but to mine away their incarceration of employment; a pickaxe, sleeping bag, buckets, pans, and a shovel. The figures in the background aren’t as physically detailed as those in the front, possibly stating that it wasn’t only white settlers who wanted to attain such success to work by themselves, but even those of different nationalities, lifestyles, and like where the figures themselves stand, backgrounds. California’s gold rush has shown the desperateness of men from all over the world who wanted to be given an opportunity to saw off the extra pair of eyes that have molded themselves quite comfortably on their shoulders, constantly watching what they do as if they were experimental lab rats. The Irony of this painting is the voyage of attaining such dream by oneself is nearly impossible, however along with individuality, the only way to achieve such success is to be around those who too have the same dream; The dream of working for oneself, but not alone, in California.

Works Cited

McWilliams, Carey. California: The Great Exception. New York: Greenwood Press, 1949.

Kean Collection, “Miners travelling to find new diggings during the California Gold Rush era.” 9 Sep. 2008. span>

<http://www.jamd.com/image/g/51363106>.

Comments

[monique holden]

I belive that those problem are still present today. who wants to work for someone else to have them constantly looking over your sholder critiqueing everything you do.And for that matter who wants to be alone, whether your at work, home, or school. The get rich quick or with minimal effort put into it is the dream of many Californians i believe this all started during the gold rush and has carried on to our adolecent society today.

[sean dembrosky]

thats sounds really good. i really like a lot of the analygies you used to discribe some of the possible reasons people left for the dream like "....iron ball of misery which had drastically drained the energy out of individuals..." i could really get a sense of people wanting to get out of their lives because they felt trapt. some of the sentences however seem a bit run-on.

[Carol Felldin]

How lucky these men were, to live in an era when such was possible! To be able to drop everything and migrate to a different land with not more than the clothes on ones back and just a few tools. The hardships were many but the camaraderie and adventure was as rewarding as finding the gold that they searched for. How true it is, that one needs others to succeed. To be around those with the same aspirations and dreams is so vital to ones own success.

[Lindsey Bollerud]

I really liked this piece. It said a lot about the era and used a lot of really good metaphors. I especially liked the metaphor about the eyes on their backs, and how it tied in with the title. You picked a lot out of a painting that many people would just glance at. The writing could use a few revisions, but it's very interesting. You're off to a really great start.