This is one image from a collection of pictures by Jonathan Hobin (see link for larger image and more photos from his collection, "In the Playroom"). In each picture, children act out major "news" stories that have shaped our history (within the last ten years).
1. As you can see, this image has no words in it. And yet, I imagine most of you can figure out what event this image relates to. Why is that? How does the picture (its visual clues and arrangement) convey its message? What themes are predominant in the image? How are each of the characters portrayed? How do their representations shape your understanding of the image? Of the event itself? What might you assume about the photographer's viewpoints based on this image? Is he biased? Or is he commenting on "bias" in media?
2. How does this picture relate to our course theme of "private vs. public?" (consider the setting, the scene and its context regarding "news" in our culture)
(Tips: Refer to "Consider the Following" section of more advice about analyzing sources. Read through all the posts before you post your own comment. Add something new to the conversation.)
I can see and assume that this picture is conveying the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center Towers. The photographer shows this well by making the two towers stand out compared to other objects in the picture, like they did in New York City. The boy holding the plane that looks to be heading towards a tower has a fierce look on his face almost as if the photographer is making him look like the terrorists. He has a determined and sort of evil look on his face, also wearing black to sort of show a sense of darkness. The other boy seems to be representative of the American public and more defiantly the Fire Department. He has a shocked and scared look on his face while holding a ladder to help aid the catastrophe.
ReplyDeleteThis picture also shows that this was taken in a home/domestic environment. I can tell this by the home looking windows and it sort of looks like a "playroom" based on the wallpaper. They're bringing a public event (9/11) into what is thought to be a private place (household). Also, this conveys that news plays a major role in the public's view point of events around the world. The news is so easily accessed nowadays that it is probably very rare that someone has not seen the horrific scenes portrayed in this picture.
ReplyDeleteI personally find this picture to be very disturbing. The fact that it depicts two young children playing, and recreating the scene of one of the worst tragedies in US history just seems wrong to me. It is clear that the picture represents 9/11 for many reasons that Luke mentioned. But i also noticed that the boys are playing on an American flag blanket, which to me shows that the scene is taking place on American soil. I feel like the photographer is somehow downplaying the events that took place that day by portraying it using two little boys just playing in their playroom. He makes the scene seem so casual, but has small hints of just how graphic it was.
ReplyDeleteIt's extremely creepy to me that the two boys are recreating the 9/11 attacks while playing with their toys. The first thing i noticed was the difference in appearance between the boy on the left, acting as the terrorist running the plane into the towers, and the boy on the right acting as the firefighter in response to the attack. It looks to me like the editors were careful to depict the boy acting as the terrorist to look "scary" or "terrorist-like", by putting him in a black hoodie with the hood up, and overly dramatic shadows that definitely weren't from the natural light in the play room. They were also clever to choose the boy on the right as a blonde, innocent looking "all-american boy" in his fireman's helmet. Not only is this bringing a public issue into the private setting, but these kids are going to take what they do and learn in the private setting and apply it when they're in the public world (when it comes to associating race/appearance with other assumptions).
ReplyDeleteI feel this picture is all about contradictions, some clearly more prominent than another. The fact that children are being utilized to display such a serious event that even most mature adults can't even grasp is what first catches my eyes. Also, this picture has some subtle contradictions like the use of light toned clothing on the boy representing hope, and the courage of the New York fire department compared to the dark mysterious kid representing the "evil" terrorist. This picture clearly depicts the horrific scenes of 9/11. The two towers (one of which on fire), representation of the fire department and the American flag are a dead give a way. I believe this picture also can relate to our class theme of public vs private as it shows a very touchy subject that people would rather not try to remember and displays it as something thats ok enough publicly that two kids could have fun reenacting it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Greg’s comment about everything. We all know that this is a reenactment of the 9/11 and how one child is evil and the other is trying to save the people in the building. I believe this picture portrays our society in a way. The kid on the left has an evil look, which suggests that he is secretive and sneaky. The other kid on the right looks innocent and naïve, he looks like a kid who will believe anymore and anything. I think the two kids portrays the two kinds of people in our society, the ones who are secretive and sneaky and people who are just innocent and naïve. I want to focus more on the public vs. private question, since everyone has said what I was going to say about the theme. I believe that 9/11 was a horrific tragic that we don’t talk about. We all know it happened, but we do not want to talk about it and trigger our memory. The picture shows what we don’t want to talk about, but forces us to acknowledge it at the same time. There are certain things that we keep private and that is our memory, whether it is good or bad.
ReplyDeleteI think all the comments here were pretty much dead on and so far there is not much deviation from comment to comment but I found Nick's comment most interesting. He was one of the few to point out how this image affected him. I believe reactions like this are what prompted this person to take this picture. My question to Nick and I guess for everyone else is why do you think this photographer uses kids to portray such horrific events? Is it simply for the fact it's ironic to have immature kids showing a mature scene, or is it something else? Upon reviewing this photo again I see that they are in the house hold setting. Do you guys think this has anything to do with the private vs public aspect? My thought is that the house hold represents a private setting and maybe this is a comment on how we like to keep tragedies like this hush hush
ReplyDeleteGreg, I do think the photographer used children to protray such a graphic and disturbing scene for the ironic aspects. But I also think it could have something to do with the way the younger generations actually view 9/11. They were too young to remember (or not even alive) when this tragedy occured and so to them its just a scene from the past. Whereas for the older generations who remember that day and who were directly affected and impacted by those horrible actions, it feels so much more real and important. The way that these children can bring such a huge and terrible event, that rocked this nation and the world, and condense it down into a scene of blocks and toy trucks is amazing. It shrinks a greatly public event and brings it into the private setting of the household.
ReplyDeleteThe picture clearly demonstrates a very public occurrence in a very private setting. These two boys are sitting in the privacy of their own home depicting the 9/11 catastrophe. Quite frankly, I find the picture absolutely sick. It shows firemen in the rubble below searching for survivors and there are figurines hung in the air depicting the people that jumped to end their lives. I also saw the race card being played as well. The boy on the left obviously has a darker complexion and clothing, giving a dark, evil tone to him. The boy on the left is obviously representing the firemen by playing with the firemen toys and wearing the hat and boots to match. I just think it's wrong to use kids who most likely don't even know what they are portraying to represent something of this caliber. I mean, who benefits from these pictures?
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything that has been pointed out by my fellow classmates. One thing I did notice was the house next to the boy on the left. The house is obviously not intact and the entire left side has fallen off. Houses usually represent families and since house is broken, it shows that the events of that day has created a lot of broken families. Another thing I noticed was the background of the playroom that just shows a clear blue sky with a few clouds. I feel like this represents how it was just another ordinary day when this tragedy struck. The other toys surrounding the boys are also normal toys that kids play with. When the tragedy happened the other toys were sort of forgotten just like how the events of that day left people lost and confused. A lot of the normal day to day things were lost and everyone is concentrated on this one part of America.
ReplyDeleteThere are many small details that can relate this picture to our course theme of "Private vs Public". First, I noticed that there are two curtains in the room and only one of them is open. On the window sill of the open curtains, there is a little figure standing and watching the events unfold. This figure may represent the rest of America watching everything from their TVs. I feel like in this picture the lines between private and public are blurred. Normally, emotions such as grief, are kept private and within family and friends; however, the events of that day were seen by all of America and the grief was shared by all of America. The same thing can be said about the broken house. Normally, a house is closed off and everything that happens in the house are only known by those in the house. Now that the left side of the house has broken off, it leaves the inside of the house exposed.
I agree with everything my classmates have been saying about this jarring image. I also find this photo to be very unnatural and honestly I feel uncomfortable even looking at it. I think the artist is trying to really go for the shock and awe factor in this depiction. He takes something that is supposed to be so innocent, children playing in a toy room, and turns it into a depiction of one of the most horrendous days in American history. I think he is doing this to show the disappearance of innocence in the American childhood. Because of the lack of separation between public and private in our society, children are exposed to far to much far too early in life. Because children are exposed to so much, they could end up taking something so incredibly serious like 9/11 and turning it into a game they play in the toy room. This artist is using shocking measures in an attempt to give the American public a reality check and help us truly see the error of our ways.
ReplyDeleteInteresting insights here guys! I'm quite impressed. Like Greg, I'm interested in your initial reactions. Why did you react this way? That should be the question you ask yourself when you do rhetorical analysis on a source. Why do I have this reaction? What about this intrigues me or disturbs me? And do you think the photographer is intentionally doing this to the viewers? (something to remember from an English major... everything an author writes has a purpose!).
ReplyDeleteA lot of you point out that children (and society) are constantly inundated with "news" in the modern age. But in the years before computers and the internet, things were quite different. How do you think technology affects our privacy and our interaction with the public? How is it different from generations past?
Also, is it fair to say that this image presents the idea that children "internalize" the events and things they see on TV? Is that dangerous? Why or why not?
I think technology is one of the main reasons privacy is going out the window in all aspects of society. Due to social networks and other online sites, television, radio, and other technology, people have ability to find almost any information at any time. I feel like its a simple explanation; people have the ability to know, so they expect to know. It's natural for people to be curious about things, and there's nothing wrong with that curiosity, but now that people have the ability to answer their questions they're taking advantage of it. I feel like past generations would have been in the same "private vs public problem" we have now if they had the technology we've grown up with.
ReplyDeleteWhen we look at the picture, it is easy to tell that it depicts the events of 9/11. We have been exposed to pictures and videos of this event for the last 10 years, so much so that even when we see the event depicted with children’s toys, we can recognize it. The photo uses common children’s toys to depict this horrid scene. Blocks, something easily knocked down, are built into towers and small figurines represent those that jumped out of the buildings to avoid an even worse fate. The room is also quite messy, just like New York was. People and pieces of buildings were displaced and chaos was everywhere. I think that the theme of good vs. bad is prominent in this image. When we view the photo for the first time, we recognize what is going on, but our eyes are drawn to the left side where the image is darker. We notice the little boy dressed in dark clothing holding a toy plane. He is easily recognized as the “bad guy” because he is holding the object that caused the destruction of lives and property. The other boy, dressed as a fireman, represents the “good guys.” He is playing with the object that helped save many lives. I find that this picture helps me understand that the terrorists were to blame for the event. The boy who is holding the plane seems to be the reason the blocks from the tower fell down. I believe that the photographer is commenting on the “bias” in media. Media tends to focus on the negative. The same happens when we view this picture because our eye focuses on the “darkness” in the picture. This photo relays the theme of “private vs. public very clearly.” On 9/11, the actions of people from halfway across the world resulted in a change across the country and in our home. Our TVs were inundated with pictures and video of the incident that no matter which channel we turned to, images of planes and tear stained faces covered the screen. The public invaded the private in this case.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone in saying that this photograph is very disturbing. It is upsetting to see two young boys reenacting such a horrible day in American history. This image is stereotypical to say the least, using the dark complected boy as the "terrorist" and the blonde haired, blue eyed boy as the "all-American boy" - mentioned in a previous comment. The boy on the left has an evil look in his eye and is wearing dark clothing, a hood covering some of his face, and he's flying an airplane straight into one of the towers. The boy on the right is representing a fireman, trying to rescue survivors from the tower that was previously struck. He has a more vulnerable, more innocent look on his face. I also find it very disturbing that these boys are sitting on an American flag blanket. It's as if they're making an awful tragedy a game or a joke.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Nick when he said, "They were too young to remember (or not even alive) when this tragedy occured and so to them its just a scene from the past. Whereas for the older generations who remember that day and who were directly affected and impacted by those horrible actions, it feels so much more real and important." I don't think these boys understand the seriousness of the event they're reenacting because they were definitely too young to remember. We find this image very offensive because we remember the actions that happened and the emotional turmoil people went through that day. This lack of sympathy from the boys reminds me of my older brothers. They used to reenact different war scenes with toy soldiers and never thought of it as offensive or disturbing because they weren't around for the actual experience. I'm sure if an image of them reenacting the Revolutionary War was shown to the families in that time period, they would be just as horrified as we are with this image of 9-11.
All in all, I think this photo definitely displays our theme of "private vs public". Like Emily mentioned in a previous comment, the upsetting images of people jumping from towers and friends and family members hysterically crying were constantly shown on every major TV station that day. This is a great example of a public event invading everyone's privacy within their own home.
I also agree with everyone said. Obviously, this image renders the event of 9/11. In my own opinion, photographer invited these two children as the representation of two groups of people who are involved in this event, in order to make the impact of soul to audiences. Because children represent something pure and positive, like hope. However, I can see terror and aggression from the child at the left side with a plane in his hand. Meanwhile, I can feel innocence and helplessness through eyes of child at the right side. Somehow, I think the photographer was sort of biased, from two kids' skin color, which the one at the left is closer to the skin color from mid-east.
ReplyDeleteAlso, toys, kids, a normal room in a house, vs. the catastrophe. All of them tell us how big the impact of 9/11 influences all Americans from socially and privately.
Also I agree with what Natalie said about photographer using shocking measures, to impress audience and let them re-think the terrorism, the warfare, and the peace.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that came to my mind seeing this picture, is the obvious household setting. In between the 9/11 objects, there is a dinosaur, a school bus and a baseball glove for example. Just like Luke Edwards mentioned earlier, I feel like the household setting together with the flag represents the "private environment" of America. On the 11th of September 2001, public attacked private in it's very own area. Opening the discussion what is actually still private nowadays.
ReplyDeleteI partly disagree with Natalie, speaking about the fact that we need to protect children. 9/11 changed New York, The United States and the world forever. I believe kids should know their history, learn and think about it. Since these events made such a big change, they should realize what happened, so they can learn a lesson out of it. Without knowledge, you risk repetition of mistakes. In the end, knowing what's wrong is necessary to know what's right.
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ReplyDeleteWhen first glancing at this particular picture, I see pretty much what everyone else sees. I see two boys playing in a room with bright colored walls. I see the boy on the left with that evil look in his eyes. I see the somber look on the face of the boy on the right. I see two towers with one that is burning, and one that is about to be destroyed by the plane in the hand of the boy on the left. I see the little green figures falling out of the first tower, and I see the fire truck on the ground. I see the American flag that is being used as a rug for these two children to play on. After further review of the picture, I started to notice some more subtle things. I noticed the difference in the lighting. I noticed that the boy on the left was a darker, more sinister character, while the boy on the right is the exact opposite, almost angelic. For reasons I can’t explain, I get the feeling that the house they are playing in belongs to the boy on the right. I feel this represents the terrorists coming to America, coming to our house, to use our planes to bring down our buildings and kill our citizens. The symbolism of using children to reenact these horrific events, I believe, is to show the innocence of this nation during these troubling times. One could also make the argument the sequence of events leading up to and immediately following 9/11 were childish. For example, when one young boy builds something, (could be anything… a sandcastle, a building out of Legos, etc.) and another is jealous, angry, a bully, or just plain mean, the second boy will destroy what boy one built. What happens next? Well, that’s simple, boy # 1 will give a black eye to boy # 2. Look at the sequence of events that took place. Osama Bin Laden didn’t like America. So, he tore down our buildings. We then took military action that not only has given a “black eye” to our enemies, but has ripped them limb from limb. The moral of the story… don’t screw with America’s Legos. We’ll mess you up.
ReplyDeleteMy point of view on this topic is probably much different than most of you. In order to give you a little perspective on where I am coming from, I have to tell you a little about myself. I was a freshman in high school when 9/11 took place. I then enlisted with parental consent at the age of 17. I have served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. That being said, I do not feel the same way many of you feel toward this picture. I believe, (as I stated in my previous post) there is something much deeper here trying to be portrayed.
ReplyDeleteAs to what Nick Humphries was saying, I do not believe the artist was trying to down play the events of 9/11. I strongly believe he was trying to appeal to the darker side of every American who can remember the events of that day. For most Americans, life was pretty amazing. Up until the second plane hit the towers, (because until that people thought the first plane was just a “tragic accident”) the sky was blue, the birds were chirping, the economy was booming, and we didn’t have a care in the world. We were much like the “All- American child.” After the towers were hit, the American people as a whole were shocked and appalled. However, like the “All-American Boy” shows in his face, we didn’t take the time to mourn our losses. We immediately became somber, and determined. We became angry, and we gained a resolve that could not be broken. In a sense, our innocence was taken from us, and we were bound and determined to make the guilty party’s pay. This picture reminds me of how I felt on the day I decided I was going to join the military and get my piece of the American revenge.
Another aspect that just occurred to me is maybe the “All-American boy” doesn’t just represent how America felt. Maybe he represents how the rest of the world felt. Remember, it was the WORLD Trade Center that was destroyed. Bin Laden wasn’t just attacking America; he was attacking the whole “western” world…
This photo clearly represents the events that occured on 9/11, but are portrayed in a way that is very unusual. To these children, the scene they are in may just seem like another creation with toys they use to express what is in their imaginations. What this scene means to them, with their limited knowledge about 9/11 and how it affected the world, is probably considerably different than what it means to those that understand the true magnitude of the event, and even with no understanding of the event, it will affect their lives in many ways.
ReplyDeleteThis picture obviously represents 9/11. It shows a plane crashing into a building. The kid holding the plane is wearing a black hoodie and is meant to look evil like a terrorist. The other kid is dressed as a concerned fireman trying to make the situation better. The kids are also sitting on an American flag to signify that this is a crucial event in American history. In regards to how this picture relates to public vs. private it definitely has to do with public and how the news can influence our views on events. Obviously 9/11 was a horrific event but if you look at it from the middle eastern point of view it was glorified in the media and looked at as a major victory over America.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Nick in that the picture is just a visual representation of what these kids think about 9/11. I don't know if these kids were old enough to understand what happened on 9/11. I believe this scene was set up by adults to show the simplicity of what happened on 9/11 rather than showing the deeper meanings behind the event.
ReplyDeleteThough this is a disturbing image about a touchy subject, I see this as a brilliant piece of art that can be interpreted in a variety of ways. The way he dressed and positioned the children does give each an obvious and specific character, but what I found most interesting is that he displayed character just by using children in general. The actions taken during war and terrorist acts seem childish, as if adults can find no better way to solve a disagreement. Grown people should be able to sit down and discuss issues like rational people, not go around blowing things up like a little boy with a pocket full of cherry bombs. Children tend to be selfish and think very little about the consequences of their actions and who they might affect much like many terrorist who only care about receiving their 72 virgins in their afterlife. As Americans, we were not prepared for this attack and when it happened we were clueless and scared like little girl in a grocery store who can't find her mother. It was something so big and scary to us that all anyone could really feel was panic. In my eyes, the photographer made a great connection between the two.
ReplyDeleteI also find it interesting that the photographer only used boys in this image. Boys do tend to have more violent playing habits. Does this image also express the struggle for young boys to develop lifestyles of either the hero or the villain? Any opinions?
ReplyDeleteIn response to what Ilse said about my entry, I agree with her statement in that we need to educate children about what happened in our American history, so I think I worded my entry incorrectly. What I meant to say was that children need to be presented sensitive information in a protected and productive manner. It should be shown to them by their parents or educators. What I fear is that young children, who know nothing of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, may stumble on gruesome pictures of that day on the internet or on television and see it for less that what it was. A five or six year old boy or girl may see an image of 9/11 and think it is a scene from a movie, or a graphic from some video game. We as a society need to take responsibility to properly and sensitively inform our younger generations, that is what becomes apparent to me in this photograph.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Ilse said about 9/11 being such an important day that we should not shield future generations from it. It should be an event that everyone knows about in order to learn from it and make the world a better place. If we stop passing on the truth of the day that changed the world forever then we are not helping future generations prevent a similar disaster. I do think that we should slowly and carefully inform younger children, but not hide anything from them.
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