Essay on Major Themes in David McCullough’s book The Johnstown Flood

It is known that many writers both historians and novelists represent some single events as especially illustrative examples of some significant themes during a particular period of time or place. The readers have an opportunity to learn more about this or that event, to broaden their scope and to get detailed information for the further study. David McCullough is no exception. His book The Johnstown Flood tells about one of the most terrible disasters in the United States – the Johnstown flood, a man-made natural disaster which has claimed the lives of thousands of people. According to the historical data, in 1889, “one of the largest Pennsylvania’s dams was overwhelmed by a severe storm”. (Evans, 12) The author shows not only the consequences of the flood but also he shows interpersonal relations during the catastrophe. Moreover, he represents main reasons of such a terrible disaster. My goal in this essay is to discuss the major themes of the nineteenth century which are described by David McCullough in his book The Johnstown Flood.

Johnstown is a small “coal and steel town” which is situated in the western part of the state of Pennsylvania. The residents of this town are mainly hardworking people who are not rich but they have kind hearts. Most of them work at Cambria Iron Company. (Evans 9) In the mountains, there is an old dam which has been hastily rebuilt by “the captains of industry” in order to create a lake for a summer resort. Such people as Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick think only about their welfare. They ignore the needs and requirements of the ordinary people who live around them. They did nothing to prevent the catastrophe although they knew about possible danger. On the 31st of May, 1989, the dam was overwhelmed and a huge wall of water smashed the town and killed more than two thousands of people. The author shows interpersonal relations which are built on trust and mutual understanding. Thus, such people as an engineer John Hess are represented as heroes as they saved the lives of thousands of other people. However, there were thousands of victims: “The dead were lines up in morgues throughout the city and in communities further down the river”. (History of the Johnstown Flood)

One of the most interesting themes developed in the book is the theme of civil engineering of nineteenth century. The readers can learn a great deal of important details concerning engineering of the dam. It is known that the dam described in the book is an earthen one. It means that it should be higher in the center. Moreover, there should be a discharge system in order to maintain the level of water. The dam described in the book is built in such a way that it can support trans-Pennsylvania canal. It is known that the canal was abandoned when the railroads were built. The dam had the major goal – to hold back a reservoir. People knew that one day the dam would be ruined and the water would travel to the town of Johnstown which was on its path. (Gallagher, 21)

The other theme revealed by the author in his book is connected with the fact that rich people do not understand their responsibility; they do not take care of other people who live around them and who can suffer greatly because of their inappropriate actions. Thus, the members of the South Fork Hunting and Fishing Club Andrew Carnegie, Andrew Mellon, Henry Clay Frick and Philander Knox bought “the old dam and the surrounding property in order to organize a resort”. (Gallagher, 118) Although they realized that the dam required serious repairs, they did not carry out a good repair. Moreover, they hired those people who did not have any engineering experience, who did not replace special emergency spillways at the base of the dam. It means that they neglected their official duties. Although the suits were filed against these people, the court’s decision was based on the fact that the dam was broken” due to the God’s act”. Those people who survived did not get any compensation. (History of the Johnstown Flood)

One more important thing is that David McCullough gives a lot of descriptions of nature before the flood, during the flood and after the flood. It helps the readers to feel the atmosphere of those events. It also helps to understand that the nature is powerful and the human beings are weak creatures who have no opportunity to withstand the forces of nature. For example, the author writes: “The big oaks and giant hemlocks, the hickories and black birch and sugar maples that crowded the hillside behind the summer colony began tossing back and forth, creaking and groaning”. (McCullough, 19)

Moreover, the author of the book gives opportunity to the readers to know a lot about the history of Johnstown. He writes that the town “was not a pretty place”. He describes the streets of the town and the surrounding area: “From Main Street a man standing among the holiday crowds could see green hills, small mountains”. The author also states that “the city was built on a nearly level flood plain at the confluence of two rivers, down at the bottom of the enormous hole in the Alleghenies”. It means that Johnstown is a dangerous place especially in spring when the streams flow down the mountains. (McCullough, 24)

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it is necessary to say that David McCullough’s book The Johnstown Flood is a true example of a documentary story which tells a lot of important facts concerning one of the most terrible disasters in the history of the USA. It helps the readers to enlarge their knowledge in history. Moreover, it gives an opportunity to learn about interpersonal relations of people who lived in Johnstown and who had to cope with difficulties and to survive. Besides, the author of the book gives a detailed description of the terrible consequences of this disaster. He shows death of the poor residents who had no opportunity to survive. Special attention is paid to the main causes of the flood. It is known that nothing was done to prevent this flood. On the whole, more than 2000 residents were killed and all the houses in Johnstown were ruined.