Burning Monk vs War Is Hell

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Rino Kim English 101 Essay 2 War is Pain Wars are often a time filled with violence and chaos. Times of war bring heavy emotions and actions. In Horst Faas’ War is Hell and Malcom Browne’s Burning Monk, both pictures portray the rebellion and hatred of war. They use different elements of pictures like dominance and subtle objects and color to reveal the negative emotions felt towards war in those times. War brings death and destruction to anyone involved. Whether you are innocent or guilty, war has no morals. Anyone in its path will suffer. During the Vietnam War, photographers took many pictures to show how much pain war brings. These photos allowed people from outside Vietnam to see the truth of war and the destruction it brings. Although a picture is only an image of one single moment, it can still be a powerful revelation to people who do not know the terrors of war. With all the pain and suffering war brings, people involved often protest against the violence. On June 11th, 1963, Thich Quang Duc decided that he has had enough. As a Vietnamese Buddhist Monk, he was protesting the persecution of Buddhists by the government. He burned himself to death in front hundreds of people in a busy intersection. The first thing that viewers eyes are drawn to is clearly the monk on fire. With the dominant focus on the burning monk, the calm posture and facial expression reveals no pain. The photographer allows viewers to see the calmness in the burning monks face while the rest of the monks faces are difficult to see. Although the chaotic flames surround him, he is calm, at peace with his death. These details show viewers who do not know this was intentional that it is in fact a suicide. The way the wild flames are contained and only surround the man. It looks very controlled while still chaotic. A white Jerry-can next to him suggests he poured the gas himself.
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