The Story of an Ordinary Man Who Achieved the Extraordinary
Zoellner, Tom
Dartmouth College
2020
139
M.A.L.S.
Dartmouth College
2020
This project examines the life of my grandfather, John Robert McGowan, fondly known to me as Pop Pop. His stories follow him through a childhood growing up in the Great Depression in a working class family, to serving in the U.S. Navy in World War II, and to working three jobs in order to support his family. Relying largely on personal interview with Pop Pop and supplementing with diaries, logs, and family input, this project captures his character by examining his life. The account focuses heavily on his childhood and early adult years as these are the stories Pop Pop has chosen to tell and retell over the years. I serve as a visible presence in this narration, sharing the account of our interviews and relationship, while telling Pop Pop's story. Though interwoven, both narratives simultaneously flow chronologically.