American Gothic

In the painting American Gothic, everything is slightly stretched upwards. Everything seems a little taller. This adds some degree of interest to what would be an otherwise boring piece due to the facial expressions (or lack thereof). The contrast of the people with the objects and scenery is interesting. The people are almost the only rounded objects. This gives them a more realistic feel, while the scenery remains distant and slightly foreboding due to the pointed shapes used.
What I find to be most interesting is that the pitchfork is in the center of the picture. Its long pointed shape in combination with its central position add tension to the picture. This tension may perhaps be used in combination with the direction the eyes are looking to direct the tension to the relationship between the two people.