9/11 Story In Fragments Sparknotes

The 9/11 Story in Fragments, created by Steven Zorn, for the Smithsonian Institution, tells the stories of the horrific encounters when the World Trade Center in New York, and the Pentagon in Washington were struck down by hijacked commercial airliners. The film, based on factual evidence, uses individual narratives, and graphical effects to highlight the events along with personal objects that belonged to the victims and survivors of 9/11. The short film is an historical document that recounts that tragic day, when lives were lost, heroes were made, and America was forever changed. The document highlights the events of the coordinated, terrorist attacks, and massive cleanup efforts. The document is referred as the ‘people’s story,’ as the stories are expressed by the people. The 9/11 events will always be preserved in our memories.

Evidence was focused throughout the film on the firefighters, the first to be dispatched at the scene. Soft focus

close-up shots of the massive fire, and thick smoke confirmed the enormous atrocities. A few times in the film, the video slowly turned to a collection of fire suits, helmets, ventilators, masks, and front section of a fire truck, which signified the perished firemen, and their courageous work to save stranded people. Firemen fulfil their duty, and never leave anyone behind, but the monstrosity of the fire, and eventual fall of the towers indicated the hopelessness. A snippet of one fireman’s tears was revealed, and a glimpse of a uniform along with a dog’s collar signified the partnerships of man, and man’s best friend.

The interviews took place in front of a navy blue backdrop, which gave some sense of formality, calmness and neutrality, which was a huge contrast to the commanding images. It may have been the intentions of the introspective film director, who wanted to give a sense of calm, contrasted with the powerful visuals. The assortment of varied still shots, selected in black and white, and some framed as documents, captured the dramatic scenes of the billowing, smoke, and soot covered crew. Intermittent close shots of a plane flying low towards the viewer, across innocent, blue skies acts as a reminder throughout the film, of the terror.

Snippets of accessioned objects at the Smithsonian Institution included a Blackberry, as these phones were the most reliable, as they stayed connected in the overcrowded airways.

A snippet of an accessioned camera and a Sony video camera indicated their significance in capturing the events of 9/11. A reenactment of a returned briefcase found in the rubble was returned to a surviving victim. Scenes such a these added to the evidence, and confirmed the lives of real people who became the victims.

Heroism is depicted by a wife, Barbara K. Olsen who made desperate calls to her husband during the fight to reveal the confrontation on board the flight in efforts to detain the hijackers, and save the plane. Narratives described the perish of Jeff and John, and well loved flight attendant Lorraine Bay. The film can also be viewed as an American hero story, which is told by ‘the people’. It is the ‘people’s story,’ but after viewing the film, one might wonder if the story is adequately represented by all the people involved in

9/11.

It must be taken into account that ninety countries lost citizens in 9/11, and many others had become naturalized American citizens. Snippets of their stories would have helped to complete ‘the people’s story’. One hundred and forty thousand visitors frequent The World Trade Towers daily. It was a missed opportunity for the film to provide a clip of a tourist who might have fled. One thousand three hundred children became orphaned so why hadn’t the film consider a snippet of a victims and their children?

The documentary, therefore, can be somewhat viewed as a representation of American National heritage, as diversity, on board the ill fated flights, and in the Big Apple was not captured. The impact of massive tourism associated with the towers had also been discounted. Additionally, the fate of the victim’s children, on that day, was overlooked as snippets of photos taken from wallets or office desks was not included; a few objects should have been found in the rubble. The 9/11 Story in Fragments, although exceptionally well done, indeed missed some of the subtle biases underpinning America. An edited version of the film might consider a diverse cross section of America who were severely impacted by the 9/11 catastrophes.