9/11 Remembered: The three Firemen Raising a Flag in the Midst of Ruins Essay Example

foreground. The flag post is bent after and two of the firemen are pulling the two strings while the third one stands watching. The content depicts reality and the fact that there is still life after destruction. The image represents the reality of how the 9/11 attacks left the country in ruins but the hope still remained and the strength of the people of America. The photograph does not have any caption on it since the images are clear and everything speaks for itself (Spratt, April and Taso, p. 124).

The focal point of the photograph is the American flag since it is the most important factor in the image. The flag is meant to represent the unswayable nationality of America making use of ethos to represent the firemen(Bratta, p. 241). Firemen are associated with heroism in the American society since they are known to risk their own lives for the safety of other people. Among the most trustworthy professions in America are firemen because they dedicate their time and service to the society and the country. The positioning of the flag shows the logos of the flag and the angle of the flag shows that the flag is being raised hence the position symbolizes adversity overcoming and indicates that Americans have the ability to rise to any challenges and difficulties. The image also signifies victory giving the affected people hope in overcoming the new hardship. The colors of the image are dull with an exception to the red and the blue in the flag that are meant to promote nationality and patriotism therefore indicating that the patriotism of the people of America cannot be shaken.

The image also promotes pride in the country and it was showed after the attacks when the citizens helped in building the nation. Basically, the ethos, pathos and logos in the image work together in making the image a success and promoting a sense of patriotism and hope for the country (Hariman, and John, p. 383).

The argument in the photograph is about hope and unity as well as a promise of a better tomorrow. The image shows that life goes on even after the destruction and America should be strong and carry on even after being left in the horrible disaster. The picture comforted all the victims of the 9/11 attacks and it reminded them of the need to live for tomorrow. The people who had lost their loved ones in the attacks deserve consolation (Spratt, April and Taso, p. 129). The act of raising the flag in the midst of pain consoles every soul that was affected by the tragedy and reminds all American to remain united and have faith with the country. The country has an obligation to protect its citizens and by raising the flag, the people of American were reminded that the country was still devoted to protecting its citizens. The picture also challenged the attackers and showed them that the people were united and no destruction or inhuman act would separate them (Kitch, p. 221).

The photograph appeared on the covers of newspapers and publications like USA Today, Parade Sunday Magazine, the people's magazine and Newsweek. The photograph was also used in Pulitzer Prize and awards whereby it won several awards. A special United States Postal Service stamp used the photograph

in 2002 to raise funds for the families of the emergency workers who lost their lives or became permanently disable after the 9/11 attacks (McAlister, p. 6). The photograph was unveiled by President George Bush in a ceremony of Heroes 2001 where the three firemen and the photographer appeared. In 200, a bronze monument was built at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park depicting the three firemen raising the flag and it was named "to lift a Nation," (Bratta, p. 235). The New York Fire Department planned to use the photograph and place it in Brooklyn headquarters as a representation of the people who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks. However, they planned to change the image statue and include black, white and Hispanic firefighters. The change from the actual fighters brought some controversies that it led to the statue not being built.

The purpose of the photograph is to give the Americans hope and encourage them to be resilient even in difficult times. The picture portrays the strength and the courage of the firefighters in the midst of the horrible site and the disaster that had been left behind. The picture gave the citizens hope and reminded them that they had to battle the unimaginable and stay strong. The firemen portrayed an act of patriotism and their main intention was to give the people of America light. The greatest burden was borne by the people who mourned their loved ones and they had to live with the loss for the rest of their lives (McAlister, p. 5).

The image of the three men raising a flag of the country makes a great statement about human

suffering. The image also makes a political statement about the cost of terrorism and the public's right to be comforted. To understand the cost of terrorism, people need to visit the pictures of the 9/11 attacks and check the list of the people who either lost their lives or became permanently disabled as a result of the attacks. The act of raising the flag shows dignity to the victims as well the affected citizens. The photographer is a newspaper photographer and he is famous for newspaper photographs. He has been a guest on many popular shows like Oprah, CNN, Today show, Good Morning America and Fox Cable Network (Kitch, p. 219). The photographer is an eight-year veteran renowned for taking pictures of trending news in the industry. The target audience is the people of America giving them hope even when the situation seems depressing.

Conclusion

The image of the three firemen raising an American flag amid ruins is a powerful image. The image is one of the memorable scenes demonstrating hope and patriotism. The image was taken at world Trade after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The man behind the camera is a renowned photographer by the name Franklin. The image appeared in many publications and won numerous awards. The image also inspired the creation of a monument at the National Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park. The focal point of the image is the flag indicating the hope and patriotism of the people of America. The purpose of the image is to show that Americans are capable of rising in any disaster with unity and hope. The argument behind the image is strength and the resilience of the Americans.

The image promotes unity and pride in the country and it comforts the people who lost their loved ones in the terrorist attacks.

Work cited

1. Bratta, Phillip M. "Flag Display Post?9/11: A Discourse on American Nationalism." The Journal of American Culture 32.3 (2009): 232-243.
2. Hariman, Robert, and John Louis Lucaites. "Performing civic identity: The iconic photograph of the flag raising on Iwo Jima." Quarterly Journal of Speech 88.4 (2002): 363-392.
3. Kitch, Carolyn. "" Mourning in America": ritual, redemption, and recovery in news narrative after September 11." Journalism Studies 4.2 (2003): 213-224.
4. McAlister, Melani. Epic Encounters: Culture, Media, and US Interests in the Middle East since1945. Vol. 6.Univ of California Press, 2005.
5. Spratt, Meg, April Peterson, and Taso Lagos. "Of photographs and flags: Uses and perceptions of an iconic image before and after September 11, 2001." Popular Communication 3.2 (2005): 117-136.
6. https://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/911-firemen/
7. http://www.groundzerospirit.org/about.asp
8. http://septterror.tripod.com/firephoto.html
9. https://madelinepeterson.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/visual-text-analysis/