War is a state of armed conflict between different nations or different groups within a nation or state. War tears apart the world, countries, and people. Killing is not a something a human’s soul can take in easily. Soldiers who put themselves in harm’s way to protect their countries are the most special of people. These men and woman put their bodies on the line. They can lose their limbs and even their lives when they are fighting. This brings us to the photo above. A man is sitting down next to his gun and has just returned from war. He appears to have just returned from war and is tired and traumatized. This photo exemplifies the toll war takes on a human. This day and age war is prevalent everywhere. Violence seems to find its way into every action on social media these days with all these terrorists groups and mass shootings. This photo captures why war is bad and is trying to show its audience the big picture: that war/violence is not necessary.

There are multiple elements to this photo that immediately will capture a viewer’s eye. The first is the man’s facial expression. Fright, intimidation, and panic are the few of many emotions that can be picked up from this man’s face. He is also covered in dirt and dried blood. This helps depict the scene the man is going through and further shows that humans are torn apart physically and mentally in war. Besides him lays his best friend and mortal enemy: the gun. Although it is only in a 5th of this picture it is probably the most important aspect of this photo. War is amplified by guns. Sure humans could fight with their fists, but we created guns and other machinery to kill. That man trusts that machine with his life while also facing it as a foe. With one bullet to his head or his heart or any other major organ he could die in a split second. 

Furthermore, the design of this photo isn’t symmetrical on purpose. The man and the gun divide this photo. The man shows the emotion of war, but the gun is just slightly open to the view of the audience to provide a reminder that the gun is the instrument that causes the killing but ultimately the man shown in the photo is the one pulling the trigger. This photo represents fear, chaos, and hate. 

The argument being presented by this photo is clearly anti-war. War is what destroys countries and its residents. The purpose of this photo isn’t to entertain, but to inform. Violence has become an increasingly common thing in 2016. From mass school shootings of schools to bombings. Terrorists group like ISIS carry out these attacks but even a simple citizen has the power to provide so much hate. As this photo shows the human soul can’t take killing. It is not supposed to happen. Unfortunately, human’s natural characteristics can cause such crimes. We are naturally selfish which is a defense mechanism to survive. Our selfishness leads to fighting and arguments which leads to wars. Evil will always exist in the world, but it is the good of the human soul that will always win out. 

War can be fought in a different way. We don’t need violence all the time. Violence is a natural part of being human but it can be suppressed. As the smart species we are there is always compromise. This will save many lives and trauma that is not necessary. People like this man don’t have to watch their fellow friends, lovers, and family die before their eyes. As a world we can come together to stop such acts of terror. Sadly preventing war is not this easy. Future wars including world wars are bound to happen. Whether we fight for land or water, violence will be prevalent because realistically its impossible for every person and every country to get along together. 

Overall, this photo brings to life the emotions that can be experienced in a violent event such as war and urges the public to stop violence.
