Wealth inequality
Although the Great Depression certainly did not pick sides—everyone was hit by it—there was a disparity between the upper classes and the lower classes, such that the Depression exacerbated the difficulties of life among the poor to such a degree that many people were forced to scavenge for food for lack of work. The Depression ends up being one of the most poignant, painful portraits of American wealth inequality, because it showed that some people are more insulated than others.
Imagery of the Crash
The pictures of the Crash are valuable and educational: the run on the bank is a portrait of social paranoia and the infectious nature of panic. The falling stocks are an ominous portent showing that in these great social constructs like economy, market, and currency, things can go badly in a flash. The Crash was so severe that it left an entire generation permanently shaped by the worry of another one. It was unprecedented in modern times.
Apocalypse
Because of the unprecedented nature of the Great Depression, there is an invitation to the empathetic reader to participate with the imagery of horror and apocalypse that a person alive during this time might have felt. The suicides of wealth traders and business owners, now destitute, are a haunting reminder of this life-shattering panic and dismay. This Great Depression represents a tonal shift in America from belief in the American Dream to paranoia and disbelief.
A "New" imagery
The government is tasked to offer something to its people to try to alleviate the public fear and panic. In response, we see FDR's New Deal, a package designed for economic stability and stimulation with public works programs to encourage the poor that their suffering will only continue a short while longer. Mostly, this is imagery, designed to engender hope in a better tomorrow. The "New Deal" imagery also comes with an urgent call on the people to believe in the government and economy, even though times are dark and trying.
