The Gleaners

Written by Sr. Leaticia - Taiwan Province
Art by Jean François Millet, 1857

My presentation is about the painting, “The Gleaners”. This picture was painted by Jean-Francois Millet in 1857. He was born in Normandy, France, the son of a farm laborer. Millet painted many pictures depicting the “grim reality of French peasants toiling” on the land.

When I saw the picture, I felt something very familiar because I am the daughter of a farmer and I have worked as a gleaner. This picture helped me remember my hometown and my childhood.

There is a broad field in my hometown. People plant corn and wheat. The middle of September is the harvest time for wheat. People use sickles to reap the wheat and bind it into bundles. They put the bundles together like hills (look at the picture).

In this picture, people use carriages to carry the shears, but in my hometown, I remember people using tractors. They are faster than carriages. At that tim, everyone had big smiles on their faces; they were working and singing at the same time. Gladness filled the whole town because wheat was the most important grain in our lives.

During my youth, my younger brother and me worked as gleaners. At first, we didn't like this work. It was too hot and tiring, but my mother had a good idea. She told us that if we worked as gleaners, she would give us money or we could use the wheat-head that we picked and exchange it for fruit. At that time, some people sold fruit on the street in my hometown – watermelons and other melons. I like these fruits very much and to eat these melons on a hot day, was very cool.

My brother and I worked hard to pick the wheat-head. Then, we took it to my mother; she weighed it on a scale and gave us reasonable money. We were very happy and successful at it. The next day, we worked harder. We used our money to buy fruit and shared it with my family. My parents were very proud of us; they often praised us to our neighbors. Although we were tired and sweaty, we were very happy. I was the happiest when I ate watermelon with my family.

So now, I have grown up I don’t have the chance to work as a gleaner anymore, but I will remember the pleasing memory forever.