Turtle in Paradise

Turtle in Paradise takes place in June 1935, which was halfway through the worldwide economic downturn known as the Great Depression. During this period, money and employment were particularly hard to gain, and Turtle’s narration shows the unique challenges of the period as the Diaper Gang reflects society’s widespread economic hardship. For instance, seeing the number of boys who would like to join the Diaper Gang but are denied entry, Turtle is reminded of the many adults throughout the country who are looking for work. Similarly, when Turtle learns that the Diaper Gang accepts homemade candy as payment, Turtle realizes that many of the people in Key West are too poor to pay in any other way. When Turtle fantasizes about the future, her dreams often revolve around financial security, just as Little Orphan Annie was adopted by a millionaire and Terry Lee went looking for treasure.

In addition to the poor national economic climate, a variety of local factors combined to put the city of Key West at an exceptional disadvantage. In July 1934, about a year before the events of the novel take place, the city declared bankruptcy, citing such factors as reduced military and tourist presence in the area, as well as drastic reductions in key industries, including pineapple canning, cigar manufacturing, and sponging. For a period lasting about two years, the city ceded near-total control to the recently created Federal Emergency Relief Administration, which mobilized thousands of relief recipients in sponsored cleanup, renovation, and artistic projects on the island (Boullard, Garry. “State of Emergency: Key West in the Great Depression.” Florida Historical Quarterly, vol. 67, no. 2, 1988, pp. 166-83). Though Turtle in Paradise makes no direct mention of these projects, it does highlight the way that economic desperation touches each of the characters.