Creating A Monument Dbq

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Creating a monument or memorial by no means is a simple task. To create a monument is to create some sort of representation for the person or event and that can not be taken lightly. It is incredibly important for every single detail to be carefully analyzed and perfected because an incorrect representation can tell a completely different story about the person or event. When memorializing an event or person by creating a monument, a group or agency should consider factors such as the location of the monument, its portrayal, what controversies it may create, and its symbolism. To begin, when creating a monument to memorialize a person or event the agency should consider the location of the monument. In order to see a monument in person it …show more content…

When a person goes to visit a monument they admire the artists work and the monument speaks for itself. The artist must work to portray the person or event for what they truly were in life. And so when visitors visit the memorial “the monument manufactures its own aurora” (Savage). Characteristics of monuments such as their stance and features can portray a person a certain way. For example in Source B a picture of Christopher Columbus’ monument stands in the middle of a park. The artist portrayed Columbus as a proud, strong, and brave person and that can be seen simply by the body language of Columbus. This way a visitor can make that connection and know what type of person Columbus was when he was alive. Another example of the importance of portrayal is the monument for the World Trade Center in New York City. The monument portrays the event of 9/11 as a tragedy that left behind a feeling of hollowness by the way that the monuments leave a hole where the two building used to stand before they …show more content…

Similar but different to the portrayal of an event or person, a monument can stand for more than a person or event. A monument can send a deeper message to the public that can teach or reinforce a lesson about life. In fact such monuments can be seen all over the world. An example being the Statue of Liberty itself, placed high and proud for U.S citizens to gaze at. The Statue of Liberty stands for one of Americans most important rights, liberty. Everyone who knows of the statue also knows that the monument represents one of the reasons as to why America was created in the first place. Unfortunately the symbolism is not always understood, a demonstration of the consequences that misinterpretation can lead to is the monument of Elroy Johnson. This monument moved “from city hall to museum to museum” each time people failed to understand its symbolism (Roadside America). The sculpture of Elroy Johnson stands for the working man and many people did not understand that, but now it stands proudly in Washington D.C representing all the hard working people out there in the

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