Visual Reflection Assignment: ENGL 030-2, Image Analysis and Response

This assignment presents a visual reflection on an image depicting a US army soldier carrying a wounded child in a war-torn environment. The student analyzes the visual elements, including the soldier's gear, the child's condition, and the surrounding setting of damaged buildings and debris, to interpret the emotions conveyed. The reflection explores themes of loss, the impact of war on humanity, and the potential for compassion even in conflict. The author connects the image to broader ideas about the nature of war, the role of soldiers, and the shared human experience, supported by references to other sources and iconic images related to the Vietnam war and humanitarianism.

Write a Visual
Reflection on the
Following image
2019
SystemJP
[Type the company name]
1/1/2019

1Visual Reflection
In this picture, I can see a US army soldier hugging and bridal carrying a wounded child.
Only a turf of the child’s hair and feet are visible in this picture. The child is bundled up in a
beige blanket with a brownish-orange swirl pattern on it. The blanket is bloodied around the
child’s hips. Hence, a hypothesis can be made that the child is hurt. Also, the child’s calf has
dried blood on it, proving our hypothesis right. Additionally, the child’s feet are bare but they
look clean enough to suppose that they were wearing slippers or shoes at the time of the incident
(Choi, 2016).
The US marine is in his combat gear, which appears to be clean. Hence, it can be asserted
that there is no fight is going on in the present. He is wearing a bulletproof jacket with a walkie-
talkie attached on top of his left shoulder.
The wall behind the officer shared by the houses is made up of cemented brick which is
quite inconsistent in the middle and seems to be missing some of its bricks. The wall has some
white powder like substance splashed on the wall. The houses indicate that they were abandoned
some time ago. Additionally, no doors are appeared to be in the door frame of the houses.
Though, the windows do have some metal grails. The street on which the officer is standing
appears to be in the bad situation along with, waste littering around and clogged by presumably
dirty water. The street at some areas appears to be dry and the adjoining of street and wall has
some small plants growing.
The emotion depicted by the picture is a feeling of utter loss which is inevitable in
wartime. War is something our generation has inherited from the beginning of times, in past,
there were kings then the countries and now there are terrorists. The nature of war is to destroy
everything left in its wake just like “hell’s fire”. There is a well-known assumption that an army

2Visual Reflection
man’s heart is made of steel, and is emotionless just like the steel of his bullets. Hence, the
reason they can kill their enemy without any remorse as per their orders (Lauri, 2019). However,
this picture presents a stark contrast to these tittle-tales and shows the humanitarian values of
grief and elucidates the man’s grief over a wounded child and lost homes now mere houses
(Peoples & Bailey, 2014). It shows how a person be it a man or a woman will still feel grief in
another person’s grief even when they are in a war, separated by mere lines known as borders,
some traditions and a little bit of culture (CNN, 2016). This picture is a clear sign of how a spark
of humanity shown in dark times makes it easier to hope for a better future. It shows when
humanity comes together there is no space left for differences because, in the end, we all are one.
‘We are one, after all, you and I, together we suffer, together exist and forever will recreate one
another.’ - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

3Visual Reflection
Bibliography
Choi, D. (2016, 07). Meet the journalist who found himself in combat and decided to do
something about it. Retrieved 06 12, 2019, from
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/michael-yon-combat-journalist-2016-7
CNN. (2016, 01 05). Iconic photos of Vietnam war. Retrieved 06 12, 2019, from
https://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/19/world/gallery/iconic-vietnam-war-photos/index.html
Lauri, A. D. (2019). Humanitarian militarism and the production of humanity. Social
Anthropology, 27(1), 84-99.
Peoples, J., & Bailey, G. (2014). Humanity: An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (10 ed.).
Stamford: Cengage Learning.
Appendix
Appendix A