Timothy O’ Sullivan’s “A Harvest of Death” is a photograph that was taken on July 4th, 1863 where it later was transferred on a 6 ¾” x 8 ¾” albumen silver print by Alexander Gardner and was part of a body of work O’ Sullivan exhibited in his “Grave Testimony: Photographs of the Civil War” exhibition held at the J. Paul Getty Museum. Subject Matter and Interpretation Young men in old, ill-fitted uniforms lay twisted on dried, grassy wheat as we can see them reaching for a weapon that once laid above them or clutching their fists to take the pain away as dawn arises and dense fog hovers the horizon and tiny peaks of mountain peer out above a ruthless and needlessly waste. Tiny horse like figures blend into the background, posing like trees as riders dislodge, seeming to search and strip the bodies of shoes, weapons, anything that can help the next soldier survive. The bodies lay as if there was an invisible battle line drawn, here some would meet for the last time, falling like dominos. The subject matter, like much of O’ Sullivan’s work, are of …show more content…
I felt an instant connection with it, as O’ Sullivan must have felt standing there upon the sea of bodies. The composition of this photo tells a story all on its own. From the way he captured the body laying twisted in the front, capturing the expressions on his face, to the way the soldiers on the horses blend into the background. The photo speaks death, not because we can see death but because of the composition, the way film captured “fog” or “dust clouds” to the color of the capture itself. There was a story to be told and O’ Sullivan told it with seeing what others couldn’t see, by shooting lower to the ground and giving the forefront the effect of being bigger than the background and capturing the lone soldier amongst the rest of the bodies that looked to be reaching towards O’
Death is an inevitable part at the end of human life, despite how many people try to avoid it. Sometimes death is seen as a sacrifice, as noticed in “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst. However, not all sacrifices are deaths, as seen in “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell. In both stories, upon analysis and comparison, one can see the similarities and differences involving the theme of sacrifice. When the two stories are put side by side, one will see that Connell and Hurst both use death in a way that displays character development. This is shown when Brother of “The Scarlet Ibis” becomes regretful and Rainsford of “The Most Dangerous Game” becomes what he once hated, the reader will also realize how the characters’ personality traits
All of these hardships the soldiers faced caused an overwhelming sense of hopelessness and constant fear. To counter this sense of despair, the soldiers had many ways of coping with or avoiding the reality of the war. Tim O’Brien, with Going after Cacciato and In the Lake of the Woods, addresses th...
Shaw, William B., et al. A Photographic History of the Civil War. Six Volumes. New York, New York: The Blue and Grey Press, 1987.
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
War is often thought about as something that hardens a soldier. It makes a person stronger emotionally because they are taught not show it and deal with it internally. People say that death in war is easier to handle because it is for the right reasons and a person can distance themselves from the pain of losing someone. However, there is always a point when the pain becomes too real and it is hard to maintain that distance. In doing so, the story disputes the idea that witnessing a traumatic event causes a numbing or blockage of feelings. Rat Kiley’s progression of sentiment began with an initial concern for the buffalo, transforming into an irate killing of the animal, and then ending with an ultimate acceptance of death. These outward displays of feeling suggested that witnessing the death of a close friend caused him to become emotionally involved in the war.
Charles Yale Harrison’s “in the trenches” and mark twain's” two ways of seeing a river” are both autobiographical narratives that use descriptive language. In Harrison’s “in the trenches,” his brilliant use of sensory imagery lets the readers mind experience the treacherous and horrendous reality of war, with just the use of words. On the other hand, in twains “two ways of seeing a river,” the use of sensory imagery is carefully used to help the reader visualize the change in twains perception of the once “majestic river.” Both authors effortlessly utilize imagery to illustrate the realities of their topics. Harrison uses all the aspects of sensory imagery to display the life men are living in the trenches; meanwhile, in twains essay, he partially
Although he could have shown them to be joyful with their win, Branagh instead shows the war-weary, bloody, wet and muddy soldiers. It is raining and so the already miserable soldiers, wearing torn and ragged clothing are forced to bow their heads as they slowly make their way down the road in a way reminiscent of a death march, the sombre mood of the scene assisted by the music.
There is a major change in the men in this novel. At first, they are excited to join the army in order to help their country. After they see the truth about war, they learn very important assets of life such as death, destruction, and suffering. These emotions are learned in places like training camp, battles, and hospitals. All the men, dead or alive, obtained knowledge on how to deal with death, which is very important to one’s life.
The Death Cure, written by James Dashner is a very intense heart pounding book from beginning to end. After Thomas and his friends are captured by WICKED they have the decision to either get their memory back or live in a world not knowing who the were before. But what they don't know is that Thomas knows more than they think. All that Thomas knows may just end up saving all of his friends lives.
Most of the time love is our encouragement when we are in trouble, sometimes love can drag us to things we don’t want to happen in our lives. “First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carried letters from a girl named Martha, a junior at Mount Sebastian College in New Jersey. They were love letters, but Lieutenant Cross was hoping, so he kept them folded in plastic at the bottom of his rucksack.” ( p.1) The letters from Martha signed, “Love Martha” even though the letters were not love letters, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross understands that he doesn’t receive the type of love he hopes from Martha. He carries photographs of Martha and the memories he had with Martha when they went to the movies and how he touched her knee. When Lavender was shot, Lieutenant Cross
“Alright men, we're going. I want you all to remember who you are. You're the 10th Light Horse. Men from Western Australia. Don't forget it! Good luck.” In this scene the director uses a series of close up shots and camera movements to help create a sense of claustrophobia and fear in the trenches, along with the use of exploding artillery, noise and dust to create a desolate wasteland where the men awaited their deaths. These techniques and imagery portray the futility and brutality of war.
" The dead all lay with their faces in the mud—or turned to the walls of the trench. This was the only way they could be told apart from the wounded. All were a uniform shade of grey." (Findley, 131)
One of the worst things about war is the severity of carnage that it bestows upon mankind. Men are killed by the millions in the worst ways imaginable. Bodies are blown apart, limbs are cracked and torn and flesh is melted away from the bone. Dying eyes watch as internal organs are spilled of empty cavities, naked torso are hung in trees and men are forced to run on stumps when their feet are blown off. Along with the horrific deaths that accompany war, the injuries often outnumber dead men. As Paul Baumer witnessed in the hospital, the injuries were terrifying and often led to death. His turmoil is expressed in the lines, “Day after day goes by with pain and fear, groans and death gurgles. Even the death room I no use anymore; it is too small.” The men who make it through the war take with them mental and physical scarification from their experiences.
When I first read Chronicle of a Death Foretold, I did not pay close attention to the deflating of authority with the characters Poncio Vicario, Colonel Aponte, and Father Amador. After listening to the presentations, everything made more sense. The true depth of the Vicario brothers’ threat to kill Santiago fails to be recognized by those in authority. The most respected official of the town, Colonel Aponte, does little to prevent the murder and fails to uphold the honor he has been charged with protecting. Instead of letting Santiago Nasar know about the murder plot against him, the Colonel goes back to his game of dominos at the social club. In addition “Colonel Lazaro Aponte, who had seen and caused so many repressive massacres, becomes a vegetarian as well as a spiritualist” (Garcia Márquez 6). The punishment for his neglect results in him eating liver for breakfast.
In Thomas Nagel’s “Death,” he questions whether death is a bad thing, if it is assumed that death is the permanent end of our existence. Besides addressing whether death is a bad thing, Nagel focuses on whether or not it is something that people should be fearful of. He also explores whether death is evil. Death is defined as permanent death, without any form of consciousness, while evil is defined as the deprivation of some quality or characteristic. In his conclusion, he reaffirms that conscious existence ends at death and that there is no subject to experience death and death ultimately deprives a person of life. Therefore, he states that Death actually deprives a person of conscious existence and the ability to experience. The ability to experience is open ended and future oriented. If a person cannot permanently experience in the future, it is a bad or an evil. A person is harmed by deprivation. Finally, he claims that death is an evil and a person is harmed even though the person does not experience the harm.