My memorial is based around the idea that every soldier has his own idea of what war is, and every soldier is going to get something different out of it. It conveys the American value that everyone is different. I found quotes from various people and hung them up, so you can see multiple perspectives at once. The quotes I used for the project convey different perspectives on war, and they explore different ways to look at the ‘ultimate sacrifice’. My monument also displays a strong sense of patriotism. It shows that even if you have different beliefs or opinions than another soldier, the flag that you’re fighting under will unite you. My memorial uses specific quotes to convey different perspectives. For example, I hung a quote by Martin
The poem's persona and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall depend on each other to express the poem's intention. The poem's intention is to show that war is lethal, less than gloriful, and extremely real. Although years have gone by, these recollections are still affecting how he lives. Simply standing in front of the wall reminds the speaker of all of this. The Veterans Memorial takes on a life of its own. While the speaker is in its presense, the wall controls him. It forces him to remember painful memories and even cry, something he promised himself he would not do. The persona in the poem reacts to the power the wall has and realizes that he must face his past and everything related to it, especially Vietnam.
I saw that soldier’s faces were lit eerily in the dim light. The sculptures apparel seemed fitting due to the light rain that was falling at the memorial site. I noticed the wall glimmering as the raindrops slid down the glassy surface and fall into the wilting flowers while the images illuminated from the glare of rain and light. I felt this morbid and realistic presence of the soldiers and for a mere second felt the gloom and menace of the war they were in. I walked around the site to gather more information on what the memorial was dedicated to. I walked past the mural wall and as I did I paid particular attention to the various images of people and equipment on the wall. All of the facial expressions of the people on the wall gave the memorial a very real presence to it. I continued walking down the granite walk and I read it was the Korean War Veterans Memorial and immediately got the message the artists were trying to convey. It was very clear that they were showing the public that freedom is not free. The memorial symbolizes the soldiers that have fought for the freedom of others and it recognizes the importance of these actions and
The memorial grew out of a need to heal the nation's wounds as America struggled to reconcile different moral and political points of view. In fact, the memorial was conceived and designed to make no political statement whatsoever about the war. The Memorial is a place where everyone, regardless of opinion, can come together and remember and honor those who served. By doing so, the memorial has paved the way towards reconciliation and healing, a process that continues today.
Memorials not only remind people about specific events and leaders, but also sets history in stone for future generations. When creating and building a memorial for a specific person or event, many factors should be considered. Sometimes, these memorials honor great achievement while others pay homage to deep sacrifice. However, there are many ways to memorialize people or events, locally or nationally, ranging from pictures to monuments. When considering to memorialize a person or event, agencies and groups should consider purpose, location and size of the monument in order to effectively pay homage to deep sacrifice and great achievements.
I would also make the focus “why are these men’s’ sacrifices important today?” I’d speak to a number of soldiers at Fort Benning and ask how they were inspired, also I would talk to historians about why these men were so groundbreaking for their time. The Master of Ceremonies I would speak to about his role and why it was an honor. If decedents were there I would speak to them about their hopes for their ancestor’s legacy and what the memorial means to them. People would care because this is a military area, as well as a diverse area. This monument is a tribute to that legacy. I could live stream the whole event of Facebook Live and tweet pictures and blurbs from the speakers.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has struck my interest for the past few years. I have always been interested in historical events that impacted many lives. The Holocaust, the Berlin Wall, and World War I and II have always been something I take very seriously and I am very interested in learning about America’s history. The backstory behind the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is fascinating and after researching it I learned new things that made me more motivated to write this essay in hopes that I get the honor of laying a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. If I am chosen to take part in the wreath laying ceremony it would mean so much to me because laying a wreath is a very symbolic ritual and I believe it shows how much people care about all the soldiers who served in World War I.
The design of a memorial needs to be intriguing, representative, and appropriate for it's environment. Creating a memorial that is tasteful and intriguing will help draw people towards it. When designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Maya Lin decided that the memorial should be only the names of the veterans, and that there was, "no need to embellish the design further"(Source G). Lin also chose black granite to construct the memorial. The surface of the granite was intriguing, reflective, and peaceful. Instead of names, speeches were carved into the Lincoln Memorial(Source A). The Lincoln Memorial is said to only be representative of Abraham Lincoln. The memorial is composed of, "a colossal marble statue and the text of two speeches carved on enormous panels, all housed in a neoclassic temple" (Source A). The memorial is not paying homage to a deep sacrifice, it is entirely representing the greatness of Lincoln. Along with the Lincoln Memorial, the monument of Christopher Columbus in Riverside Park, Easton, Pennsylvania, is another memorial which is representative(Source B). In the statue of Columbus, he is posed heroically. This stance is to represent the heroism and courage Columbus displayed when founding America. Another memorial that has a breathtaking design is the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.(Source E). Placing the museum on The Mall in Washington, D.C., the
Today, memorials are built with the purpose of remembering and connecting with the past. Although memorials and monuments are unique landscapes, it must be noted that memorials are often dedicated to those who have been victimized, while monuments offer a celebration or remembrance of a specific person or event. However, both do not fail in shaping the world as it is today. People remember, people learn, and people move on. In memorializing an event and in creating a monument, one should consider its location, cost, and meaning. Failing to do so might provoke controversy among those who are innocent and those who are against it.
Washington, DC is a spectacular place. This being my first time in DC, I was in awe of everything and all the historical places I encountered. The presence of the monuments and history is what made the capitol so magnificent. Having only read about the Lincoln memorial, I never had the chance to experience the sensation of being inside such an honorable place of importance. The imposing white marble walls of the memorial and the many people surrounding it could be seen from afar. Arriving at the location, an unknown feeling came over me. I was experiencing history in a whole different level. When I think about a memorial, the term remembrance comes to mind. Seeing the statue of Abraham Lincoln brought pieces of memories from history class and evoked thoughts of what it might have felt like to be in his shoes. I was astonished by the statue’s enormousness and how grand Abraham Lincoln looked in his chair. The size of the statue compared to pictures from books and elsewhere was surreal. Abraham Lincoln was a very “powerful and prominent individual” in the history of our nation, the statue’s design and size reflected upon that. Looking around me, I wanted to know what the others thoughts were on seeing his statue and how they felt in that building. I finally had the courage to ask one or two people what they thought; they all had the same appreciation as me. Hearing about an important person or learning about them in a history book gives you vast knowledge but it doesn’t evoke the feeling of utter appreciation as the memorial does. When Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, many people wanted to build a memorial in honor of him. They wanted to be able to show how important he was to shaping our nation and to “honor his existence”. Ce...
...lding can be, yet it has its own distinctive style and meaning. The Memorial is not a mirror image of its ancient ancestor, rather, it is a descendant of centuries of development and change. The Jefferson Memorial is no simple carbon copy of the original Pantheon, it is a building and a work of art in its own right and should be appreciated regardless of history.
Tom Van Putten served nine years in the U.S. Army, two of which were spent in Vietnam. In a phone interview with Tom, I asked him if he had ever visited the monument. In fact, he did and he discussed with me how hard it was to see a dozen names of men he knew that were put on that wall. "It's really an awesome monument; it is hard remembering what it was like coming home. I was definitely changed for life " (Van Putten).
History has a strange way of coming back around when it comes to human civilization. It has been said repeatedly that those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. However, just because there is a potential for danger in the future, this does not mean that humanity must ignore what once was. History is normally remembered through what is known as a memorial. When a memorial is put into a physical representation, it is then known as a monument.The need to memorialize events or people is complex; in some cases, monuments honor moments of great achievement, while in other cases, monuments pay homage to deep sacrifice. A monument's size, location, and materials are all considerations in planning and creating a memorial to the past. Examples of such feats are the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and even Mount Rushmore. For the latter of the
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial recognizes and honors the men and women who served in one of America's most divisive wars. The memorial was conceived and designed to make no political statement whatsoever about the war. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a place where everyone, regardless of opinion, can come together and remember and honor those who served. By doing so, the memorial has paved the way towards reconciliation and healing, a process that continues today. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial accomplishes these goals through the three components that comprise the memorial: the Wall of names, the Three Servicemen Statue and Flagpole, and the Vietnam Women's Memorial.
I am an undocumented student at UC Davis. When I am asked a simple question such as, "describe your personal experiences", I ask myself: Where do I begin?
Laying a wreath at the foot of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier will help me connect with the traumatic past of the solider. Possibly experiencing the pain he or she have suffered until, finally, peace was found once again. To better understand the soldiers’ military past is one of my main goals. A better understanding of the soldiers means a greater appreciation and grasp of what the fighters of our country need in the current society. I want to better improve the lives of those suffering Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from the chaotic wars. Remembrance of those who served and died for our country is significant to