5. What was the “Great Depression?” What influence of the Depression do you find in “A Good Man is Hard to Find”? The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression that took place right before World War II. In most countries, it started about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s and early 1940s. It was the longest, most widespread depression of the 20th century. In the U.S., the Great Depression began with the stock market crash on October 29, 1929. It soon spread worldwide.