The Perfect Picture - A Tragic Scene Narrated by a Young Reporter

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The Perfect picture
“The Perfect picture” is the narration of a tragic scene told from the viewpoint of a young
reporter. A grandfather has run over his granddaughter accidentally, and the reporter goes to the
house to get a ’perfect picture’ of the situation.
“The house was quiet. A clock ticked. As I watched, the grandfather slowly leaned forward,
curved his arms like parentheses around the little form, and then pressed his face to the shroud
and remained motionless.” (Thom 1).
The reporter wants the audience to empathize with him and understand the scenario. He
wants them to feel the pain and grief of the grandfather. As he offers a first-person point here, he
creates a stronger rhetoric appeal by helping the readers to visualize the scene and what is going
on through his mind. By describing the clock ticking in the quiet house, and how the grandfather
presses his face to the shroud covering his grandchild, the narrator successfully evokes emotions
within his readers.
“I was keenly aware of the powerful storytelling value that photo would have, and my
professional conscience told me to take it. Yet I couldn't make my hand fire that flashbulb and
include on the poor man's island of grief.” (Thom 2).
The reporter is aware that he can get a perfect shot but explains that he is still not able to
fire that flashbulb. He feels like if he took that perfect picture, he would be showcasing the
grandfather’s grief to the world. The reporter conveys to his readers that although he is getting a
big-time moment in his profession, he could not click the picture. Although his professional
conscience was aware that he is letting go of a big opportunity, his moral conscience stops him
from capturing an extreme personal grief in his camera.