ity had become the land of anguish and despair. Democracy, capitalism, and individuality had become the foundation of the American lifestyle, but people were quickly forced to reconsider the maxims of which their lives were based. The general attitude of the country blamed the banks and the government for the reasoning behind such an economic disaster. The idea of conforming to a lifestyle of poverty and hardship was the last thing people wanted, but it was virtually their only attainable choice. In order to sustain complacent lives through such a troublesome time, people relied heavily on the media for leisure and entertainment. Despite the Depression, the mass media in the United States experienced considerable growth during the 1930's. Radios, newspapers, and magazines were used for politics, advertising, and to inform people of world, national, and local news. The media also played a crucial part in shaping the public opinion. Photographs that were published in newspapers and magazines were extremely influential in constructing conventional feelings toward various issues of the time. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were gangsters of the 1930's who produced notorious identities for themselves through the use of photographs. Their 21-month journey throughout the central United States was documented by photos, which they sent to the media to be published. The acclaimed identities of the scandalous lovers, which resulted from their photos, made Bonnie and Clyde folk heroes to some people by the way they were both criticized and glamorized in contemporary reports.
             On April 17, 1933, two photographs, one of Bonnie Parker and the other of Clyde Barrow, were taken and sent to the media. These photos, in particular, stand out as being more significant than they initially appear to be. In the first image, Bonnie is seen smoking a cigar and hoisting a pistol while leaning on the front fender of a car. She wears a dark-colored...