Hard Times: Arthur Robertson + Oscar Heline

It was impressive to read Robertson's many instances of success in his life, but what caught my attention was the nonchalance with which he mentioned his successes. For example, he says, "I recently sold it for $2 million. I bought it in 1933 for $33,000" (100). Robertson knows that his interviewer is aware of his wealth, so he makes sure not to center the conversation around that fact. Instead, Robertson talks of the lifestyle and the idiotic choices that were made by many that lead to the stock market's crash in 1929. He introduces such economic terms as "selling short" and "scavenging." Robertson reflects on all of the poor decisions people were making and how they're attitudes contributed to they're own downfall. He says, "Everybody in those days expected the sun to shine forever" (101). People were making purchases with money they didn't have and eventually this caught up with them. All of these people were trying to live the "American dream," however cheating and stealing was not the way to go about attaining it. One would think that we would have learned our lesson with this crash, however the same thing happened just a few years ago when we experienced yet another recession. The same poor decisions were made resulting in the same outcome.
Oscar Heline, on the other hand, introduced a much different tale. It says something about the community and the people who live there when in trying to find a single man, one has to go searching all around the town just to find someone who's heard of him. So was the case with Oscar Heline, a farmer living in a small rural community who reflects of his life in the pre-WWII and post-war life as a farmer. Heline seems like a good representative for his fellow farmers as he was very involved with the legislation of the time regarding farmers. Heline describes just how deep the depression hit the farmers. He recounts experiences of burning grain as it was cheaper than coal. This was the same grain on which they relied to make a living. It was as if they were burning their own money! It was because of this depressing introduction that when Heline begins to describe the alleviation of his suffering, the reader feels the same joy that he felt. Heline even brings himself to tears. He says, "New money was put int he farmers' hands. The Federal Government changed the whole marketing program from burning 10-cent corn to 45-cent corn. People could now see daylight and hope. It was a whole transformation of attitude. You can just imagine...(He weeps)" (123). Heline could really appreciate this transformation, even if it was just a little one. He was able to take advantage of his circumstances, and this display of optimism is an important quality of what it means to be an American. Being an American is having the ability to remain optimistic in the worst of times and to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself to you. In this aspect, Heline can be seen as a role model for all Americans.