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Documenting Hardship
> Dorothea Lange
> Biography
Dorothea Lange: Biography
Dorothea contracted Polio at the age of 7. She was one of a rare
few cases in her area, and doctors were lost in trying to help her.
It disease was mostly confined to her right leg, although it did
considerable damage. She was constantly limping because she couldn't
flex her foot and pick her toes off of the ground. She wore a shoe
that was half a size smaller than her left because of the lasting
effects of the disease.
The damage done by the disease wasn't all physical - it left permanent
scars that shaped her personality throughout life. When she was
a young child, other children would tease her with names such as
"Limpy", but Dorothea learned to ignore those
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Dorothea took pictures that reflected
her own experiences.
Walking Wounded, 1954
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immature remarks as she grew older. The real lasting impressions
on her were from her mother. When Dorothea was young, her mother
would tell her to try to walk normally. Dorothea became angry with
her mother, because she was constantly concerned with others thought
of them. Instead of accepting the effects of the disease and coming
to terms with them, Dorothea's mother always wanted to hide and
appear normal to the outisde world.
Her mother was never supportive of what Dorothea was doing until
someone else gave her praise for her actions. At a young age, she
was smart enough to realize that her mother was overly concerned
with the opinion of others, and it bothered Dorothea. She resented
those people who were overly concerned with appearances, instead
of the character within. Dorothea was very outspoken about the powerful
ways Polio and her physical disabilities affected her.
"No one who hasn't lived the life of a semi-cripple
knows how much that means. I think it was perhaps the most important
thing that happened to me. [It] formed me, guided me, instructed
me, helped me, and humiliated me. All those things at once. I've
never gotten over it and I am aware of the force and power of
it."
Dorothea felt that her disability helped her, however, to document
situations through photography. Others felt sorry for her, and were
more willing to let her take pictures of them, instead of someone
who had no disabilities. She felt that others felt more comfortable
around her, and she was able to relate to her subjects on a more
personal level. Apart from taking pictures, she was more in tune
with the problems others were enduring and wanted to help in any
way she could. She was able to use her experiences to harness the
problems of others and work to improve their situation. |
