Pre-Writing Assignment 3

To open with the research completed for photograph known as "Sailor and Girl at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier" in order to shed some light on the culture and historical context of the times we'll look at two different quotes from two rather different figures in society.

"The release of atom power has changed everything except our way of thinking... the solution to this problem lies in the heart of mankind. If only I had known, I should have become a watchmaker."

- Albert Einstein

And the second,

"Sometimes I think it should be a rule of war that you have to see somebody up close and get to know him before you can shoot him."

- Colonel Potter, M*A*S*H

These quotes speak to the destruction and devastation of modern warfare and how the return of unidentifiable soldiers or even anything remnants worth sending home is becoming a common occurrence. With the development of the atomic bomb and other forms of modern weaponry such as the Javelin (shown above) a different light seems to have been cast on monuments such as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. "The direct effects of a nuclear war, the killing and maiming effects of the blast, the thermal pulse, prompt nuclear radiation, and fire storms are too horrifying for the human mind to comprehend" (Birks, 1986). Such mutilation and defecation of our nation's proud and honorable men and women is rarely considered when a tourist views the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. When a soldier or sailor such as the one depicted in the photo visits Arlington Cemetery the flashbacks of the traumas of war must ensue.

Other aspects of the photograph and more specifically the tomb itself include the elements of the Tomb that were consciously created by the architect to invoke certain emotions.

"On the East face of the Tomb you will find three figures, carved into the marble. This is the face most visitors to the Tomb do not see. The three figures, from left to right, represent Peace, Victory and Valor.

Peace is holding a dove in her hand...Valor is holding a broken sword in his hands...Victory is holding the hand of Peace and extending an olive branch towards Valor. This symbolized the devotion and sacrifice that went with courage to make the cause of righteousness triumph."

The photograph itself was taken by one of the special photographers hired by the U.S. government upon the closure of WWI under the Farm Security Administration (later under the Office of War Administration during WWII). These photographers were instructed to capture the rural life and negative impact of the Great Depression and later shifted towards emphasis on WWII (The Library of Congress). The photographs taken by these photographers became famous for the aptitude to encompass the emotions associated with U.S. and global society during these times. People were experiencing poverty as well as the despair that accompanied a soldier once they returned home as is evident in the photo itself. The positioning of the sailor and the girl indicates a tear or offset in their relationship most likely due to the aforementioned traumas of war and how the soldier internalizes his struggles.

Pre-Writing Assignment 2

In order to fully appreciate the photograph we also need to analyze it's subject matter in its physical place and location in the world and all of the contexts and appeals that these traits carry along. An interesting concept about this photo in comparison to most of the others in this collection by the Farm Security Administration is that this photo is a monument that still stands today whereas many of these other photos cannot be recreated or revisited. This presents another dimension to the subject of the photo, the tomb rather than the people, because we as an audience could physically visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The photo was taken in 1919 in Washington D.C. at a time in the world when all countries and allegiances were at arms with each other with the transition from WWI into WWII, all of which we have surely learned about in the history books and can try and imagine happening in our lives today but the fact that the monument still stands offers another perspective.

The monument still carries in our present time a sense of patriotism and pride and resonates as a symbol for any family member, fiance, or friend that may have died fighting for our country. All of these reasons are surely what Congress sought to create when they agreed to have the tomb constructed but after events in recent years (i.e. September 11 or Iraq) the monument may represent things Congress could never have foreseen. Under another lens, the monument could appear as a beacon for the senseless violence war creates in scenarios like in the Middle East. In another light, it might represent all the dedication and sacrifice that young men have already given for the betterment of our freedoms and the beliefs we founded and live under in the United States and be a perfect example for why we need to continue pushing forward. People that visit the monument today may go in order to reflect on these themes in society today, or more likely than not, they may be a group of tourists that chose our nation's capital for the sheer historical value.

Architecturally, the monument was built out of a beautifully simple white marble and placed halfway down a staircase to a grassy knoll. The simple white marble is probably not as simple as it appears, it is a symbol of purity and respect. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is meant to be respected by all people and the simplicity of the white makes it possible for people to solely focus on what the tomb stands for. Although the architecture is not complex, it leads ways to a complex idea: an idea that represents all American soldiers known or unknown and the respect that the world has for them.

A memorial such as this one is one of many that represents a powerful moment in American history and could easily get lost among all of the others in Washington D.C. Yet, this photograph captures a particular moment in time which allows us to reflect on all the powerful topics that we may not get from just seeing the tomb itself.