Question

this photo, titled \migrant mother,\ was taken during the great depression.

how would knowing the true background of the photo most likely affect a reader?

it might make the reader disregard the story told by thompsons daughter.
it might make the reader reconsider the emotions that the photo stirs up.
it might make the reader ignore this type of emotional image in the future.
it might make the reader distrust photos that appeal to peoples emotions.

Explanation:

Analyze the question and context

The question asks how knowing the true background of the famous "Migrant Mother" photograph (featuring Florence Owens Thompson) would most likely affect a reader.

Evaluate the options based on historical analysis

• Option 1 suggests disregarding the daughter's story, which is incorrect as the true background often validates or adds nuance to their lived experiences.
• Option 2 suggests reconsidering the emotions the photo stirs up. Learning the actual context, the staging, or the subject's real thoughts often changes how a viewer emotionally processes a famous documentary image.
• Option 3 and Option 4 suggest extreme reactions like completely ignoring emotional images or distrusting all emotional photos, which are too broad and cynical.

Determine the most reasonable impact

Learning the true background provides deeper context, prompting a reader to re-evaluate and reconsider their initial, purely emotional reaction to the iconic image.

Answer:

• It might make the reader disregard the story told by Thompson's daughter.
• It might make the reader reconsider the emotions that the photo stirs up. (Correct answer)
• It might make the reader ignore this type of emotional image in the future.
• It might make the reader distrust photos that appeal to people's emotions.