
Our military is probably one of the most important parts of any country in this world. They protect their home country that they love from harm and evil outside their borders. They should be the most respected people and the most praised people in this country based on the sacrifices they make for us every day. The image that I am using for this essay is about a military soldier who has been killed in action and his brothers are carrying his casket across the cemetery to be laid to rest. In the background, there are some more of his brothers who are saluting his casket as he passes. This is a very heart wrenching moment as we lose so many soldiers each day to war. In this image, the message that is being conveyed is that even when soldiers fall, they are always brothers and they have a great amount of respect and a legacy left behind as well as our soldiers are very important in society. There are many elements throughout the image that support this argument. 

One element that is important to the overall theme of the image is the background. This is extremely important for many reasons because it shows the true respect that each soldier has for each other. The soldiers in the background are most likely people who were in his unit and they worked with him every day for a year. Another part of the background that is significant is the fact that they are in a cemetery. This is very important to the overall theme because soldiers are usually buried with their brothers of war or they are all part of a giant family. This is important because this is where people come to worship them after they are gone and where other family members remember their legacy. The background also shows that they are brothers even when they are gone because they all put pins on that show he is still one with them and that he is overlooking each and every one of them in bad situations. 

Another element that helps support the overall theme is the clothing that is being worn by the soldiers. This is extremely important because it shows unity between all the soldiers and their units. In most cases the soldier that is being carried in the casket has on the same uniform as the people who are saluting him. This shows that they are all one and even though they are gone, they still consider him part of their life and unit. Another part of the clothing that is important is the flag around the casket. This isn’t technically clothing but it is close enough because it covers his whole casket. This is important because it shows how he is one with his country and it also shows how much his country respects him for his sacrifices. Each of the soldiers also where a pin on their uniform that represent their fallen brothers which also helps keep their legacy alive. The flag also represents that these soldiers are an important piece to American society and what America stands for. The flag is a great honor to have around your casket and this just shows how important each and every one of our soldiers are important and greatly respected. 

Another element that is conveyed in this image that related back to the theme is the atmosphere that you can see when viewing the image. The atmosphere of this image is a serious emotional atmosphere that can make you feel the tension of the moment. This shows that this is a serious moment and no one takes a loss as a joke especially if it’s one of their brothers. The atmosphere also contributes to the overall theme because the men who are carrying the casket al have a serious expressionless look on their face, which shows just how important their fallen are to them and how much respect they have for them as well. The atmosphere also shows that it’s actually sunny outside which is interesting because it’s a sad moment. I think that the weather conveys something important and that is that it’s sunny because heaven received someone who is important and well respected. All soldiers are important no matter what they do in the military. 

This image that I chose has a great emotional appeal to it. This image should connect to almost anyone who views it no matter where you are from because each military member should be seen as someone who has sacrificed their lives for the greater good.  The unstated assumptions of the argument that are being conveyed by the image is that even when a part of their brothers fall, they are still with them forever and they have the upmost respect for them. The image is also saying that our military should be more respected for many reasons. One is that they sacrifice their lives and they can end up dying in their process. Another reason is that they protect us from our threats and they do things that average people wouldn’t do on a daily basis. The visual text is directed to anyone who is affiliated with the military or someone who has respect for them deeply. This image is also to show the importance of our military people and to show how connected they all are even when they go through life changing events. Military members need to be respected more and the image conveys that they are respected people in which their legacies are carried on even when they are gone forever. 