Creating A Monument Dbq

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

is mostly expected for a person to have to travel to some other part of the world and visit the monument. Each monument has a designated place and the reason as to why the monument was placed there is crucial. A monument is placed somewhere that represents the person or the event that is being memorialized. Agencies can not just place them anywhere because a random location may not have a connection to the event or person. A monument must be able to “work with the land, to make something with the site, not to fight it or dominate it” (Lin). It is incredibly crucial for an agency to find a connection between the monument and the location of it. The final location of a monument must “be a place of remembrance” and the visitors must be able feel that connection between the monument and the land it was placed upon on (Musser).
In addition, when creating a monument to memorialize a person or event an agency should take into consideration how the monument portrays that person or event.

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

collapsed.
Also, when creating a monument of a person or event the agency must take into consideration the controversies that it can cause. A historical person or event will always bring some sort of controversy with it. There is always two sides to every story and conflicting feelings may come with the person’s actions or the event itself when it occurred. The recent issue that deals with the placement of Confederacy monuments in Charlottesville has created chaos around the nation. Many people argue that the monuments represent treason while others argue in favor of keeping them because it's part of the history of the nation and should never be forgotten. Other controversies such as the construction Holocaust memorials in the United States have also been seen as a problem. Jewish and even non-Jewish communities came together to argue that the United States “did little to stop the Holocaust from occuring” (Musser). They believed that due to such little action from the United States, they had no right to create such a monument for the horrific event. Therefore, an agency should be prepared for conflicts that may present themselves in the creation of any monument.
Lastly, when creating a monument an agency should consider a way to provide symbolism for the monument.

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

nation.
Ultimately, the process of creating a monument that represents a person or event requires a long thought process and consideration of many factors. Some of these factors may include the correct location for the monument, its portrayal, any controversies it may create and the symbolism it may have. Each and everyone of these factors could influence the way that the story of that person or event is communicated to the rest of the public. An agency must think long and hard of what the monument will turn out to be like and location, portrayal, controversies, and symbolism all play a key role in achieving a monuments establishment.