How Does the Myth of Stalin Presented in This Image from 1939 Differ from Earlier and Later Mythic Presentations

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How does the myth of Stalin being presented by this image from 1939 differ from earlier and later mythic presentations of Stalin? The myth of Stalin being presented by this image from 1939 (Plate 1.5.8) differs in some ways from earlier and later images of Stalin. This essay will discuss this image of Stalin and the differences between this image and some of the earlier and later images of Stalin. The myth of Stalin through images began to appear around 1930 after he had consolidated his power in the party following the death of Lenin in 1924. In a vast country with poor infrastructure and populated mainly by semi illiterate peasants, the use of images as a form of communication was an effective use of state controlled propaganda. This mythic image of Stalin from 1939 appears to have been created as a celebration. It could be a celebration related to achieving a target by the Kiev experimental plant or a celebration of Stalin’s sixtieth birthday. The image portrays Stalin as a figure of huge proportions with well fed and well dressed children dancing in a meadow. The image is edged by ears of wheat and red chrysanthemums, with larger life trees of flowering almond blossom. There appears to be a statue of Lenin in the image, images of Lenin were often used to legitimise Stalin’s leadership. The depiction of industrialisation in the image is on a small scale not reflective of the actual industrialisation of the area. The myth of Stalin being presented in this image is one of love and hope for the future under his watchful eye. Evidence shows that Ukraine suffered tremendously during the era of collectivisation, from forced resettlements to the famine of 1932 and 1933 when approximately six million people starved to death. There was a mass migration from the country side to the towns (Pittaway, 2008, p131). The worst of the purges had already happened and
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