american gothic

Let us consider American Gothic. A composition of two figures facing front in a rural setting, Clearly from the pitchfork, the man's denims and the ladies dress it is a farmer and his wife in front of their white clapperboard farmhouse. The painting dates from 1930.
The painting has also a menacing quality. The austere faces of the couple looking frontward, and their rigid faces, give them a sinister aura. The couple could have been part of the the Salem witch hunts, nevertheless, I believe the painting was authored in Iowa.
It also speaks to me of right wing christianity, the clapperboard house in the background could be a church. The top window has an ecclesiastical look to it. The pitchfork is three-pronged, representing the son, the ghost and the holy spirit?
Check out the wife's position, on her husband's shoulder and slightly behind him, represents her subordiante role beside the far more austere husband. She also has an air of dutifulness toward her husband, the verbal clues have us believe she will follow him, and his demeanour shows that he will demand her subserviance. What he says is law, no matter what.
Check out also the hand on the pitchfork, the strength represents tilling the soil, working the land, but there is a devilish quality to the man holding the pitchfork. Is he the devil? Think about that.
Danny.