CP-I- Ch-10-Analysis of The Great Depression
Part-1: As we Watch the Video the Cinderella Man & Shadow the character assigned to
you that is listed below throughout the movie & answer the questions in regards to your
character.
****Do the Character assigned in Your Period to the First letter in your Last name
listed below!
Character Period 1 Period 2
Jim Braddock Group 1 Group 5
Mae Braddock Group 2 Group 4
Joe Gould Group 3 Group 3
Max Baer & Jimmy Johnston Group 4 Group 2
The Braddock Children Group 5 and Group 6 Group 1
Part-1: #’s-1 & 2-are specific to your character #’s-3-6 are dealing with movie in
general.
1. Who are they? & Describe how their life changes from the start of the movie pre-depression to life during the
depression, include the challenges they are facing?
The character given to me was Jim Braddock. James J. Braddock is the main character of
the movie Cinderella Man, in the beginning of the movie, or “pre-depression”, we can see
that Jim is a wealthy and popular man and makes his money off of being a world-renowned
boxer. Jim was known for his amazing performances and many people bet their money on
his victories. As time goes on, and Jim gets older, and the depression starts to hit, Jim hits
a decline he becomes easier to fight and less able to fight when he breaks his hand. The
first break he hides and keeps from his agent, but as he continued to fight with it the break
grew. He eventually was pulled from his commission. After this Jim’s family, who was
already struggling, beings to grow worse. One of his children grow sick and they have no
money for food, electricity, and heat. His wife then sends his kids away, but as Jim
promised his son, “he would never let that happen.” Jim fights to get money back he turns
to old friends and picks up extra work shifts. His agent comes back with one last
“goodbye” fight. He unexpectedly wins and here’s when his life takes a turn around. He
gets back on his feet and gains back his stability by winning against the reigning world
champion. He’s able to get his family what they need and is able to provide them with a
real house and more.
2. How are they coping with depression, physical & mentally & cite/describe a specific example of their coping or
struggles coping & what they do?
Jim is physically struggling during the period when his hand is broken of course. But other than physically you can see the
emotional and mental strain that takes of the Braddock family. But you can see that when his wife sends away the kids Jim
feels immediately he needs to find a solution to keep his family together. Through this though you can see that Jim keeps
hopeful that he will be able to upheld his family’s needs.
3. In looking at the big picture did your character handle the depression in a positive manner or not in your opinion,
cite evidence to support your answer.
I think Jim had a more positive view because he told his kids he would never send them away, and he was determined to
keep that promise. He was very determined to beat the depression.
This study source was downloaded by 1016709 from cliffsnotes.com on 05-13-2025 18:51:00 GMT -05:00
https://www.cliffsnotes.com//study-notes/27235696
, 4. In the movies Jim first goes to the New Jersey relief office, how do people react to Jim in seeing him there what
does this tell you about the depression overall?
People were very surprised to see someone who used to be so successful, in a place for the poor. This tells that the
depression affected all people, even people who were previously wealthy and successful.
5. Jim returns to the New Jersey relief office & what does Jim do? Why was that probably unusual & what does this
tell you about Jim?
He goes to the office and he gives back the money they had given him. This was probably unusual because many people
went out and used up all the money they were given but Jim was able to gain it back and so he wanted to help and give back
the money he didn’t absolutely need but others might have needed.
6. During the press conference for the championship bout, what does Jim Braddock say he is fighting for this time
round? & What do you think he means by this?
Survivors of The Great Depression Tell Their Stories
Part-2- Pick 2 of the accounts of people who lived during the depression & are
highlighted from the accounts below & list who it is & answer the 2 questions listed at the
bottom of the page.
Wanda Bridgeforth, who is from the Bronzeville area known as the "Black Metropolis," says she has rich memories of
those years. It was a fairly affluent neighborhood — jazz great Louis Armstrong lived there, and so did Ida B. Wells — until
hard times came.
"In the Depression, the men could not get jobs, and especially the black men," Bridgeforth says. "Here was my father with
a degree in chemistry, and he could not get a job." Bridgeforth's father was humiliated, she says. He fell apart, so her
mother took what work she could find as a live-in domestic worker. Bridgeforth, who was in grade school, was boarded
out.
"She told me that this is the way it has to be," Bridgeforth says. "So we either do it and survive, or don't do it and don't
survive." Bridgeforth was sent to live with relatives and sometimes with strangers. "One house we lived in — there were
19 of us in a six-room house," she says. Bridgeforth did learn to share and cooperate, she says, but so many years going
without left a mark on her. "The kids do say that I'm a pack rat," she says. "And they say, 'Well, what are you going to use
this for?' and I say, 'I don't know, but I'm going to use it.' "
Surviving Winters Near Lake Michigan
In Chicago's oldest Mexican neighborhood, near Lake Michigan in South Chicago, Henry Martinez says the winters were so
cold, they huddled around the potbelly stove.
Martinez's parents had 13 children, and they lived hand-to-mouth in a flat with shared bathrooms.
"You wanted to take a bath, you heat up the water in these big cans," Martinez says. "It was always a challenge to keep
warm — we hugged each other on the floor. We had little beds that open and close. When I think about it, it was horrible.
It was horrible. And then the sanitation of the community — garbage was just put in the alley — and did that create a
condition? Yes it did: TB [tuberculosis]. I know my sister came down with TB. Sometimes I like to block that out and just
say,
This 'Thanks
study God
source was you're here.'
downloaded " from cliffsnotes.com on 05-13-2025 18:51:00 GMT -05:00
by 1016709
https://www.cliffsnotes.com//study-notes/27235696
Part-1: As we Watch the Video the Cinderella Man & Shadow the character assigned to
you that is listed below throughout the movie & answer the questions in regards to your
character.
****Do the Character assigned in Your Period to the First letter in your Last name
listed below!
Character Period 1 Period 2
Jim Braddock Group 1 Group 5
Mae Braddock Group 2 Group 4
Joe Gould Group 3 Group 3
Max Baer & Jimmy Johnston Group 4 Group 2
The Braddock Children Group 5 and Group 6 Group 1
Part-1: #’s-1 & 2-are specific to your character #’s-3-6 are dealing with movie in
general.
1. Who are they? & Describe how their life changes from the start of the movie pre-depression to life during the
depression, include the challenges they are facing?
The character given to me was Jim Braddock. James J. Braddock is the main character of
the movie Cinderella Man, in the beginning of the movie, or “pre-depression”, we can see
that Jim is a wealthy and popular man and makes his money off of being a world-renowned
boxer. Jim was known for his amazing performances and many people bet their money on
his victories. As time goes on, and Jim gets older, and the depression starts to hit, Jim hits
a decline he becomes easier to fight and less able to fight when he breaks his hand. The
first break he hides and keeps from his agent, but as he continued to fight with it the break
grew. He eventually was pulled from his commission. After this Jim’s family, who was
already struggling, beings to grow worse. One of his children grow sick and they have no
money for food, electricity, and heat. His wife then sends his kids away, but as Jim
promised his son, “he would never let that happen.” Jim fights to get money back he turns
to old friends and picks up extra work shifts. His agent comes back with one last
“goodbye” fight. He unexpectedly wins and here’s when his life takes a turn around. He
gets back on his feet and gains back his stability by winning against the reigning world
champion. He’s able to get his family what they need and is able to provide them with a
real house and more.
2. How are they coping with depression, physical & mentally & cite/describe a specific example of their coping or
struggles coping & what they do?
Jim is physically struggling during the period when his hand is broken of course. But other than physically you can see the
emotional and mental strain that takes of the Braddock family. But you can see that when his wife sends away the kids Jim
feels immediately he needs to find a solution to keep his family together. Through this though you can see that Jim keeps
hopeful that he will be able to upheld his family’s needs.
3. In looking at the big picture did your character handle the depression in a positive manner or not in your opinion,
cite evidence to support your answer.
I think Jim had a more positive view because he told his kids he would never send them away, and he was determined to
keep that promise. He was very determined to beat the depression.
This study source was downloaded by 1016709 from cliffsnotes.com on 05-13-2025 18:51:00 GMT -05:00
https://www.cliffsnotes.com//study-notes/27235696
, 4. In the movies Jim first goes to the New Jersey relief office, how do people react to Jim in seeing him there what
does this tell you about the depression overall?
People were very surprised to see someone who used to be so successful, in a place for the poor. This tells that the
depression affected all people, even people who were previously wealthy and successful.
5. Jim returns to the New Jersey relief office & what does Jim do? Why was that probably unusual & what does this
tell you about Jim?
He goes to the office and he gives back the money they had given him. This was probably unusual because many people
went out and used up all the money they were given but Jim was able to gain it back and so he wanted to help and give back
the money he didn’t absolutely need but others might have needed.
6. During the press conference for the championship bout, what does Jim Braddock say he is fighting for this time
round? & What do you think he means by this?
Survivors of The Great Depression Tell Their Stories
Part-2- Pick 2 of the accounts of people who lived during the depression & are
highlighted from the accounts below & list who it is & answer the 2 questions listed at the
bottom of the page.
Wanda Bridgeforth, who is from the Bronzeville area known as the "Black Metropolis," says she has rich memories of
those years. It was a fairly affluent neighborhood — jazz great Louis Armstrong lived there, and so did Ida B. Wells — until
hard times came.
"In the Depression, the men could not get jobs, and especially the black men," Bridgeforth says. "Here was my father with
a degree in chemistry, and he could not get a job." Bridgeforth's father was humiliated, she says. He fell apart, so her
mother took what work she could find as a live-in domestic worker. Bridgeforth, who was in grade school, was boarded
out.
"She told me that this is the way it has to be," Bridgeforth says. "So we either do it and survive, or don't do it and don't
survive." Bridgeforth was sent to live with relatives and sometimes with strangers. "One house we lived in — there were
19 of us in a six-room house," she says. Bridgeforth did learn to share and cooperate, she says, but so many years going
without left a mark on her. "The kids do say that I'm a pack rat," she says. "And they say, 'Well, what are you going to use
this for?' and I say, 'I don't know, but I'm going to use it.' "
Surviving Winters Near Lake Michigan
In Chicago's oldest Mexican neighborhood, near Lake Michigan in South Chicago, Henry Martinez says the winters were so
cold, they huddled around the potbelly stove.
Martinez's parents had 13 children, and they lived hand-to-mouth in a flat with shared bathrooms.
"You wanted to take a bath, you heat up the water in these big cans," Martinez says. "It was always a challenge to keep
warm — we hugged each other on the floor. We had little beds that open and close. When I think about it, it was horrible.
It was horrible. And then the sanitation of the community — garbage was just put in the alley — and did that create a
condition? Yes it did: TB [tuberculosis]. I know my sister came down with TB. Sometimes I like to block that out and just
say,
This 'Thanks
study God
source was you're here.'
downloaded " from cliffsnotes.com on 05-13-2025 18:51:00 GMT -05:00
by 1016709
https://www.cliffsnotes.com//study-notes/27235696
