Visuals the First Image Appears

¶ … Visuals

The first image appears on page 288 of Chapter Nine and is captioned as being "A still image from director Mel Gibson's the Passions of the Christ."

This image is a powerful yet common one. It is a photo of Jesus Christ dying on the cross, an iconic symbol that the Christian faith is founded on. Thus, as a Christian, this image creates a personal response as I know the story behind the image. However, even without a Christian background, this image is a universal symbol of pain and suffering and the unnecessary cruelty of humans against humans. This response comes from the fact that, regardless of background, Jesus is a symbol for peace and him being murdered a symbol of humanity's crucifixion of being humane.

The violence portrayed in this image is unique from other graphic violence portrayed frequently in films in that it has become a symbol of our violent nature. This image shows a violent act that is, somewhat ironically, associated with an act of love and thus has become an acceptable icon in society, whereas most violence seen in movies is a reflection of the evil side of humanity.

The particular perspective of this image, namely the close up of Jesus upper half, has the effect of minimizing the violence and instead focusing the viewer on Jesus and his peaceful face, reminding the viewer that the story says that out of this act of violence love emerged.

From this image I learned that even graphically violent images can have a positive, peaceful effect, especially when the focus of the image is not on the violence but on the subject (human or Jesus) of the act.

The second image is of a protest outside the United States Supreme Court during a hearing on the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance. The caption refers to "The Supreme Court hearing on the "Under God" clause of the U.S. Pledge..."

The composition of this photograph does an excellent job at conveying the two sides of the Under God clause debate, one of the many issues that divide the nation's population. Not only does the photograph convey the essence of democracy and democratic discourse, with a photograph of protesters outside a government building, its ability to capture a sign from both sides of the debate gives the viewer an immediate understanding of the debate.

The photographer's composition of the photograph to place the protestors in the foreground of the photograph and using the Supreme Court building in the background has the effect of capturing the democratic system and its futility. On one hand, it shows the democratic discourse that is allowed but at the same time the ultimate decision maker is shown looming behind the crowd, protected from the discourse by closed doors.

From this image I learned that a photograph is a powerful to convey a story. Here the story of democracy, the story of a controversy and a story of the judicial system are all told at the same time.

The third image is of an American flag being burned by demonstrators in Pakistan on October 12, 2001, just one month following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

In this image a large group of Pakistani people are in a mob/protest that is clearly against the United States, most likely relating to the U.S.'s use of Pakistan in conducting its war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. This is known because at the center of the group is a large, upside down American flag being burned and the surrounding individuals cheering in support.

Within this crowd are numerous cameras and video recorders capturing the flag burning, showing that the act is being done not for the individuals at the event but for the effect it will have on the individuals watching its portrayal through video, photos and news. If this image was not broadcast, then it would have a limited effect as its message would be only conveyed to those who already support the group's cause. However, by taping it and broadcasting it, it can be viewed by a larger audience and have a recruiting effect.

In other words, without the cameras the event is insignificant and ineffective but with the cameras it becomes a successful publicity stunt.

If the image was a close up of the burning flag, it would still have a powerful effect, but its context would be lost. Seeing the group who is burning the flag puts the image into the international context of terrorism and thus makes it both more relevant and more powerful.

This image has taught me how an event is effected by the use of mass media. Because of mass media, a simple isolated act can gain national, and even international significance.

The fourth image is of several young shoppers carrying Gap merchandise bags out of a Gap Fifth Avenue Store. The photo was taken on November 20, 2000 in New York City.

This image captures the connection between young people and name brands because it shows young people leaving a name brand store carrying name brand logos and, in all likelihood, wearing name brand clothing. Thus, everything in the picture is connected, all leading back to the looming brand in the background.