On his way to Calvary, Jesus falls multiple times under the weight of the cross. His collapse is obliquely reflected in The Breakdown by William Henry Johnson, which shows a malfunctioning car, piled high with furniture, stranding a couple in search of a better life. The title refers not just to a mechanical breakdown but to the economic breakdown of American society during the Great Depression, which for some led to breakdowns of other kinds—emotional, spiritual, and/or familial. “I’m broke down” is an expression of despair used especially in blues music.