Interpreting Sontag's 'Double Message' in Tragic Imagery

1552 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: facing everyday challenges

Death is a striking image that sits heavily in the heart, however an image of tragedy in the daily live is a much heavier weight to carry. Children filling up bottles of water in a refugee camp are horrific but when the location is in Africa is anyone really surprised. Susan Sontag’s “double message” (263) from her essay on “Regarding the Pain of Others” is shown in the CNN.com article “U.N. declares famine in Somalia; makes urgent appeal to save lives” due to the known situation of poverty, corruption, and a weak government. In this essay, I will address first the image and its connection to Sontag via censorship, and the shock value of the photograph. I will then address how the article complicates the photograph. Finally, I will address how both the photograph and the article complicate Sontag’s “double message” Sontag’s “double message” incorporates two parts “suffering that is outrageous, unjust, and should be repaired. They confirm that this is the sort of thing which happens in that place,” (263). This message means that the photographs show horrific tragedy, in specifically the “third-world” yet due to the eyes of the audience being the western or “first world” countries it is seen as a location …show more content…

This was not an unknown occurrence; there were documented proof that this was going to happen. So in regards to Sontag’s part about the inevitability of tragedy, this circumstance was not unavoidable just neglect shown by the western world on how the “primitive” countries live. This shows the self-interest demonstrated by the western world that cannot aid a country that is found in less than place and fallen into terrible circumstances. The tragedy is a horrific circumstance for all those being affected but many were able to get aid at refuge camps set up by humanitarian agencies and fellow

Show More
Related

  • The Dangers of Fear

    948 Words  | 2 Pages

    Irish Playwright, George Bernard Shaw, once said, “The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that's the essence of inhumanity.” Inhumanity is mankind’s worse attribute. Every so often, ordinary humans are driven to the point were they have no choice but to think of themselves. One of the most famous example used today is the Holocaust. Elie Wiesel’s memoir Night demonstrates how fear is a debilitating force that causes people to lose sight of who they once were. After being forced into concentration camps, Elie was rudely awakened into reality. Traumatizing incidents such as Nazi persecution or even the mistreatment among fellow prisoners pushed Elie to realize the cruelty around him; Or even the wickedness Elie himself is capable of doing. This resulted in the loss of faith, innocence, and the close bonds with others.

    Read More

  • Positive During A Conflict: Anne Frank, Dear Miss Breed

    788 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the midst of that catastrophe, many people took their own lives so they wouldn’t have to face conflict afterwards. This shows why many people think a conflict will never have a positive outcome.

    Read More

  • The Graphic Horror of War: George Gittoes

    932 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gittoes worked in Rwanda in 1995 with the army’s public relations unit and from his observations painted ‘Discarded’ (1995, Oil on canvas, 173 x 260cm). The focal point of the painting portrays a desolate father watching the body of his young daughter being carried away for burial by two Zambian peacekeepers. In the background a crowd of people helplessly watch on as the ...

    Read More

  • Hiroshima (Hersey) And Night (Wiesel)

    1432 Words  | 3 Pages

    Often, we find ourselves facing dramatic events in our lives that force us to re-evaluate and redefine ourselves. Such extraordinary circumstances try to crush the heart of the human nature in us. It is at that time, like a carbon under pressure, the humanity in us either shatters apart exposing our primal nature, or transforms into a strong, crystal-clear brilliant of compassion and self sacrifice. The books Night written by Elie Wiesel and Hiroshima written by John Hersey illustrate how the usual lifestyle might un-expectantly change, and how these changes could affect the human within us. Both books display how lives of civilians were interrupted by the World War II, what devastations these people had to undergo, and how the horrific circumstances of war were sometimes able to bring out the best in ordinary people.

    Read More

  • Susan Sontag Regarding The Torture Of Others Summary

    593 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Iraq war was a protracted armed conflict that began with the 2003 invasion of Iraq led by the United States. The conflict, however, continued for much of the next decade as an insurgency emerged to oppose the occupying forces and the post invasion Iraqi government. In “Regarding The Torture of Others.” Susan Sontag introduces, the tragic record of events to explore the power of photographs to tell a story that words cannot bring to light.

    Read More

  • Photographic Images: Perceptions of War's Pain

    752 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sontang criticizes Woolf’s way of thinking of how a photograph should speak for itself, and not taking in consideration relatively truth of pain behind every picture. Sontang remarks, “But is true that these photographs, documenting the slaughter of noncombants rather than the clash of armies, could only stimulate the repudiation of war? Surely they could also foster greater militancy on behalf of the Republic. Isn’t this what they were met to do?” (Sontang 8). Sotang demonstrates that these photographs may be misinterpret by others and just viewed as a way of justice. In this quote Sotangs attempts to bring these pictures to others as form of connection between the real and unreal of war and destruction within it. Furthermore, Sontang is trying to make others understand that the pain of others should not be measure on the distance that these pictures come from, but instead to keep their value meaning of awareness in

    Read More

  • Roger Ballen: Darkness in Photography

    1212 Words  | 3 Pages

    As stated by Judith Butler, the view of Susan Sontag, visible throughout her texts claiming that the photograph can’t reflect clarification by itself, would be senseless. She indicates that we require captions and written examination to support the diverse imagery in particular. According to her, the image can solely influence us, yet not grant us the comprehension of what we perceive. (Butler 2009: 63)

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Elie Wiesel's The Perils Of Indifference

    513 Words  | 2 Pages

    Furthermore, the recent genocide still to this day continues to attack innocent civilians and several have been affected by violence and have been some displacement. In the speech “The perils of Indifference” Elie wiesel talks about the tragedies a genocide has and the importance to “Indifference”, and such things as cruelty, the darkness, the punishment & the evil of it all . Ultimately, The genocide in Darfur holds a strong connection to Elies speech while people remain to have no voice and continue to live opon

    Read More

  • A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah

    1199 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...it may help us arrive at an understanding of the war situation through the eyes of what were those of an innocent child. It is almost unique in the sense that this was perhaps the first time that a child soldier has been able to directly give literary voice to one of the most distressing phenomena of the late 20th century: the rise of the child-killer. While the book does give a glimpse of the war situation, the story should be taken with a grain of salt.

    Read More

  • Don T Eat The Marshmallow Summary

    1297 Words  | 3 Pages

    School literature teacher tells about the ignorance that can so often be met on the streets everywhere but most of all inside the hearts of those who are too proud, weak or inattentive to notice the problems around themselves like they live in a bubble. All people are human and humanity is united and connected. Problems like those that are mentioned by Clint come from foolishness, arrogance and carelessness. Altogether they are the silence which is a root of all evil. Smith starts his brief speech with Martin Luther’s quotation that the silence of our friends is more dangerous than the words of our enemies. He then follows it with a description of his own experience of overcoming the ignorance of people which they establish by ignoring the minorities’ problems and poverty of the lower classes. He makes his pupils follow 4 simple rules: read critically, write consciously, speak clearly and tell the truth. Clint’s own truth evolves and develops from his ignoring the beating of a gay person in front of him to serving food in the public kitchen. But this are only crumbs and the main message is that he tells how dangerous is the silence of those who can make everything fair, right and balance the scales of society. And this capability is in hands of anyone. He accurately connects silence with horrible Rwanda Genocide which happened only 20 years ago at the end of the 20th century in a world which we consider civilized. We can’t be civilized if the problems of the world community don’t mean anything to us. It is like in Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” – everybody and everything is connected. The hand that doesn’t give will not receive. Clint ends his message with a grand appeal to everyone to use their voice. Each and every human person has a power to make things right. It is neither fair nor moral to keep silence when evil speaks and be still when human duty calls for

    Read More

  • Contrasting Photos: A Soldier's Home Coming

    631 Words  | 2 Pages

    War has always been inevitable throughout the history of the world. The outcomes can differ greatly; it’s usually either a win or a loss. Wins or losses are just definite statements, but photos can represent these statements. Alfred Eisenstaedt’s “V-J Day in Times Square” shows an American sailor kissing a young woman right in the middle of Times Square, despite their surroundings. This iconic photo was taken after the U.S. declared victory over Japan in World War II, and was published in Life magazine a week later. John Gap’s (III) photo shows a young girl being consoled at a soldier’s funeral in a local high school gymnasium, later to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. This humble photo was taken during the war still raging in Afghanistan, showing that these types of losses happen quite often, as there are no iconic photos for Afghanistan compared to the photo shot after the win over World War II. Unlike its counterpart, this photo was published only at a local level on a website. Both these photos show a soldier being dismissed to go home from war. Although the two photos share that common factor, the scenario in which the soldier comes home differs greatly. Through these photos, Albert Eisenstaedt and John Gaps III help evoke pathos and give the observer a sense of the pride and the devastation felt of a home coming from war using photographic elements such as framing, focus, and angles.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Sympathy By Susan B Anthony

    145 Words  | 1 Pages

    Endorsed on August 18, 1920 the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S Constitution vouchsafed women with the right to vote also known as women’s suffrage. Women did not share all of the same rights as men, including the right to vote, but before women were granted the right to vote women like Susan B. Anthony tried to change that. Anthony went to 29 districts and addressed her speech, for women’s rights. While in “Sympathy” by Dunbar shows the bane that the “caged bird” feels, which refers to African Americans during the Jim Crows Laws. All though both texts are about equality and racism, they are different because the poem is suppose to show the lack of freedom for the African American’s during Dunbar’s time, while in Susan B. Anthony’s speech she

    Read More

  • Anja's Family Research Paper

    194 Words  | 1 Pages

    When people think of a family having a lot of tension it is to be assumed that there has been a dispute between family members. It is usually originating from an internal source within the household, and far less likely to be caused by the world’s involvement. But when one of the women within Anja’s family had to make the call to kill the children and herself we watch what real stress within a family can do. This was an external pressure onto the family, as the threats from the German Nazis intensified, and she decided that it was far more merciful to the children to have them poisoned rather then sent to the gas chambers. The image of her feeding the poison to the children is what I chose to depict in my last drawing.

    Read More

  • Analysis of After Great Pain A Formal Feeling Comes by Emily Dickinson

    474 Words  | 1 Pages

    In After great pain, a formal feeling comes(341), Emily Dickinson offers the reader a transitus observation of the time just after the death of a loved one. Dickinson questions where one goes in the afterlife asking, 'Of Ground, or Air' or somewhere else (line 6)' We often remember those who die before us, as we ourselves, as morbid as it may be, with everyday, are brought closer to our own deaths. As used in most of her poetry, she continues in iambic meter with stressed then unstressed syllables. Dickinson, however, straying away from her norm of 8-6-8-6 syllable lines repeating, uses a seemingly random combination of ten, eight, six, and four syllables, with the entire first stanza of ten syllables per lines. Line three lends itself to ambiguity as Dickinson writes, 'The stiff Heart questions was it He, that bore,' he, refers to the heart, yet she doesn't specify exactly what he bore. Dickinson refers to the Quartz grave growing out of the ground as one dies, lending itself to a certain imagery of living after death (lines 8-9). Although the poem holds no humor, she stretches to find what goes on after death. As we get to the end of the process of letting go of the one dying, Dickinson reminds us of the figurative and literal coldness of death. The cold symbolizes an emotion and lifeless person as well as the lack of blood circulation.

    Read More

  • Freedom Rider Injustice

    760 Words  | 2 Pages

    Zlata Filipovic wrote in her novel, “The people must be the ones to win, not the war, because war has nothing to do with humanity. War is something inhuman.” Conflicts of all manner can be found in all corners of the globe. Ultimately, the brutality of those perpetrating inhumane ideals against those who are different and pose an imagined threat to one’s quality of life is not only a reality found in the past, where it is censured, or locales where war is blatant and explicit, but, also in the communities where such interactions and ideals may be more concealed or masked as average. Injustice and being caught up in futile disputes leaves marks on those who experience such issues in any form. In The Freedom Writers Diary by the Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell, these ideas are brought to the attention of the reader, eliciting the same

    Read More

More about Interpreting Sontag's 'Double Message' in Tragic Imagery

Open Document