In Grant Wood's painting, American Gothic, what is the man holding in his hand?

In the painting, American Gothic, the man is holding a pitchfork. In August 1930, Grant Wood, an American painter with European training, was driven around Eldon, Iowa, by a young painter from Eldon, John Sharp. Looking for inspiration, Wood noticed the Dibble House, a small white house built in the Carpenter Gothic architectural style. At that time, Wood first sketched the house on the back of an envelope.

In the fall of 1930, Wood entered a painting in a competition at the Art Institute of Chicago. The judges dismissed it as a trifling "comic valentine," but a powerful museum patron urged them to reconsider. So, they awarded Wood a third place bronze medal and $300. The Art Institute then acquired the painting for its collection. Now, the painting with the man and pitchfork is one of the most famous images in 20th century American art, and has been widely parodied in American popular culture.

Wood worked on until February 1942 when he died of pancreatic cancer at age 50.