 Ward returns to the theme of an artist in a decaying culture that he explored in his first wordless novel , Gods ' Man ( 1929 ) , and intended the work as a commentary on how the Depression that had colored outlooks since Gods ' Man ; headlines declaring endless layoffs , strikes , lock @-@ outs , and political spin . To Ward , " Inevitably a process of polarization of the citizenry was set in motion " . 
