Essay Questions

Why is Agee putting more emphasis on the Gudgers, the Ricketts, and the Woods families?

The author is dedicated to highlighting the plight of the suffering people who are neglected in the country. The author is a journalist and spy by profession, and his main goal is to highlight what the government does not want people to know. The three families discussed by the author live in Alabama under abject poverty. According to the author, the members of the described families are thin and malnourished. The three families are a symbol of poverty that has devastated Alabama residents for many years, but the government has not come in for their aid. Similarly, the author notes businesses in Alabama are closing because there is a low circulation of money since people are too poor to afford basic needs. Sadly, people are dying in the Southern Landscape of Alabama because of poverty, and the government is doing nothing about this harsh reality.

What is the central theme in the book 'Let Us Now Praise Famous Men'?

Human agony and endurance emerge as the main theme in the book. The people of the Southern Landscape are suffering due to unequal distribution of resources and social disorder. According to the author's pictures, people cannot access basic needs such as food, water, and clothing. The result is devastating because people are dying helplessly. After reading Agee's book, readers ask themselves questions on whether the government is aware of the suffering of the people of Alabama. Nevertheless, the author reminds readers that it is good to be thankful and mindful of others because survival is a gift from God.

How has the author employed imagery in his literary work?

The entire book is full of imagery, which helps the reader visualize the southern landscape's actual situation. For instance, the author uses pictures to describe the three families to highlight their plight. The reader realizes that these families' members are malnourished and subjected to absolute poverty in the photos. Consequently, the sense of sight is majorly depicted to readers by the author, and this plays a critical role in helping them understand the setting of this book.