The early 1930s was a bleak time in American history.  The Great Depression had just started in the United States, and therefore there were little to no jobs available.  Agriculture was one of the worst industries affected, in which crop prices fell by almost 60% leading to widespread panic around the region.  The idea of regionalism arose, as city dwellers grouped together and rural dwellers did the same.  Charles Wood was a forerunner for this new movement sweeping the nation.  American Gothic was brought to the Art Institute of Chicago by its painter, Charles Wood.  American Gothic was received in two different ways; some saw it as a mockery of Midwestern life, with others perceiving it as a tribute to the values of the region.  The way the public perceived the composition in American Gothic led it to be one of the most controversial and popular works in the history of American Art.

Specific elements in the composition led many to view Wood's American Gothic as a way of poking fun at Midwestern lifestyle in the 1930's.  The main element that pops out at the viewer is the stern-looking man and woman who are at the forefront of the image.  They both have long, narrow head shapes that many explained as representing the narrow-mindedness of the Midwest.  The boards that make up the house in the background even display the vertical element in order to enhance the longevity of the subjects' faces.  They are placed vertically instead of in the traditional horizontal pattern.  The man, who many believe is supposed to represent the blonde woman's father, is holding a pitchfork in a manner in which he is protecting his daughter.  The whole image is almost shut off by the two people as they have dominance of the space.  The father is stern and does not appear to be easily unsettled, while the daughter looks at something not pictured with a scowl.  The white house in the background occupies most of the rest of the area.  It has a gothic window design one would often find in churches.  Both windows are covered up leaving many with an unfavorable conjecture as to what is behind them.  With these receptions of the photo, the public had gained the grounds to label American Gothic as merely a satirical work.  The disparity of culture between Easterners and Midwesterners was a big reason the painting was received the way it was.  The Midwesterners were completely different than the people of the Eastern United States who collectively function as a cohesive unit.  All goods and services that they may need are right at their doorstep provided by other people, while the Midwesterners grow their own food, obtain their own water, and entertain themselves.  Everything in the painting appears to be homemade, from house and barn being simple designs to the clothing being simple woven pieces.  Midwesterners wanted to move away from the stereotype, and American Gothic did not help to do this with the stereotypical old farmer and daughter at the forefront.  This is the reason many Midwesterners initially rejected Wood's masterpiece.  With all of these negative perceptions of the painting, there also was a large group that had other ideas. Paintings never change, but the response from the viewer certainly does.

A good number of people had a different reception to the painting.  Many Iowans thought positively of the painting, but for the most part people were divided evenly on the art.  The main focal point, the farmer and his daughter, are the main reason that there were so many different responses to Wood's work.  Those who saw the work as a positive portrayal of Midwesterners see them as stern, hardworking, practical people and a testament to the conservative nature of The United States.  The man and women both have a rustic, authentic American appeal.  This is an earnest tribute to the independence of the Midwesterners; they are the backbone of America and deserve to be respected and treated fairly.  The supporters also saw the gothic architecture as a symbol of good faith of the Iowan people.  The people are portrayed as the quintessential Midwestern father and daughter pair.  They see that the barnyard is a place of work under the bluebird sky.  These are the principal differences that defined the viewer in how they react to aspects of the photo.

People who saw American Gothic usually had their own distinct views of the work, and that is why it is one of the most recognizable pieces in the history of art.  Some Iowans and Easterners saw it as a mockery of Midwestern life, while others saw it as positive art in respect of their own God's country.  One aspect of Wood's painting that is not up in question is the polarizing effect that it had on its viewer.  While the painting was not world-renowned once Wood released it, over time it became very popular.  Never had a painting been interpreted in so many different ways since Da Vinci's Mona Lisa.  American Gothic certainly secured its spot as a staple of American culture in the 1930s.
