No Promises In The Wind Analysis

Jacob M. Padgett
Professor Jennifer Padgett
English 105
09 December 2016

The Emotional Effects of the Great Depression
Does a father love his son? Josh wondered if his father loved him many days during his younger years, and love takes on a whole new meaning in Irene Hunt’s book No Promises in the Wind. The book starts out in Chicago in 1932 during the Great Depression period, times are tough as Josh’s father is without work and putting a simple meal on the table is a blessing. Josh also finds himself resenting his brother Joey because when he was born was when all happiness in the family ended, due to Joey’s many medical problems. This is one of the reasons that prompts Josh and his friend Howie to run away and find a better life, while Joey

ends up joining them also due to the persuasion from Howie. In the story we see how losing a friend is burdensome, why begging for food leaves emotional scars, and how working long hours at a carnival to earn money can cause deep emotional torture.
Most kids are filled with hope and excitement and high on expectations when they run away, and Josh, Howie, and Joey were no different as they set out to find a better life. It all started with there being a limited amount of food at home, so one night Howie and Josh decided to run away while Joey tagged along. Josh did not agree with Joey coming, but Howie insisted he join them, as Joey was the only one of the three that could sing, especially if they still planned on being a musical trio. The next morning, the three of them walked along the streets to get to the train station and played music for pedestrians walking by and made enough money for a fine meal that night. They finally found a train that was suitable to sneak a ride on, but they had to be careful of the bulls who were police officers that would kick stowaways out of trains. Yet, they were still found by a bull who told them to get off at the next stop and they did but were greeted by an angry mob who didn’t want any more hitchhikers in their town. Immediately, a nice hobo who they had met said they needed to get back on the train now as it was starting to move away. The hobo kindly helps Joey on, climbs up himself, and then pulls Jeff up. Howie was right behind Jeff, and Jeff braced himself to pull him up be he didn’t jump instead he yelled, “Here, catch my banjo, Josh.” What happened next Josh had no idea because as soon as the banjo was in his hands Howie's body was lifted by the express train and thrown down the length of the tracks as if it had been a worthless piece of trash. Shortly after, once the train had reached its next station, Josh and Joey got off, in utter shock to weak to walk and feeling as if their hearts had been ripped out. They both spent the night under a bridge and cried, but in the morning Josh took charge and went out to find food for Joey and himself. Yet, Josh didn’t complain realizing that they needed to survive and they couldn’t sit forever mourning. This is one instance where we see the leadership similarities between Josh and his father’s, and one continues to see how alike both of them are as the story continues.
Being a homeless person and having to beg for food is physically taxing, but even more are the emotional effects that it leaves on Josh as he works to keep him and Joey alive.

On one instance they met a farmer and his wife, and while the wife invited them to dinner, the husband was reluctant at first do to money being tight because there were no jobs. Josh then says, “Maybe we shouldn’t, Joey and I don’t want to take food you need.” The farmer immediately replies no and invites them to his house for dinner. Josh and Joey almost starved on many occasions and sometimes the only way to stay alive was to eat food out of the garbage cans. Josh never told Joey this is where some of the food came from because it pained him to think about it, and Josh always made Joey stay behind on these occasions, so he would not see him picking garbage cans in desperation. Sadly, what was humiliating was having to go door to door and have people watch as one begs for food in order to stay alive another day. Josh noticed that after only a few weeks how all he thought about was food, and this is another similarity between Josh and his father. All Josh’s father thought about was putting food on the table, and Josh never realized how it could consume one till he had to experience it himself. To wrap up, one can see how begging for food is demeaning and how it can leave one with emotional scars, but it also makes one thankful for the simple necessities in

life.
Trying to find work was extremely difficult during the Great Depression, and it wasn’t any different for Josh and Joey. Yet, Josh was able to get a job at a carnival playing the piano for five dollars a week, and the job also allowed Joey and him to eat for free. The problem was that Josh was used to playing more quiet soothing songs and preferred to not be noticed while doing it. However, the job required Josh to wear tight-fitting pants, a bright red and yellow shirt, and a checkered vest. Josh made Joey go away because it embarrassed him having his brother watch. Along with this, Josh worked long hours at the carnival in order to try to build a stable place for him and Joey to stay. The problem was working long hours left wounds that took years for Josh to overcome, but when one is hungry they will do almost anything to get some morsel of food in order to stay alive. This is another instance where Josh and his father are alike because both of them tried as hard as they could to find work, but Josh was able to use his talent and age to help him find one. To finish up, working long hours at a young age in order to make a living is very difficult, and for some, this will leave emotional effects that one may never overcome.
Josh wondered on many occasions if his father loved him, but it takes him a while to realize what his dad is going through and how similar they are.

Also, we see how Howie’s death traumatized Josh and Joey and they carried the effects of this experience for the rest of their lives. Again, one sees how begging for food to stay alive can cause painful and emotional scars although in many instances the shame weighs down more than the physical hardships itself. Working long hours is taxing but having to sing, play a piano, and dance makes it all the more exhausting. To wrap up, even though Josh did not have many affections for his father, he later realizes how similar they are, and how much his father loves and cares for him which later prompts Josh and Joey to go home to their

family.