This visual text provides no explanation for the events being depicted, yet the scene has a familiar setting that is not unlike real life. The image is built off a central theme of light, with the people that populate the image symbolized by candles and light bulbs. The people in this comic are gathered to watch the public execution of the only character unlike the others. The lone man is the only light bulb surrounded by candle stick people smirking as he is marched toward the gallows. This visual text is a depiction of racism, discrimination and fear, ironically in a world characterized by light, appearing everywhere from the sky to the people themselves. By careful and critical analysis of the world shown in this image and studying the use of color, shape, abstraction, direction, and other features this essay should provide better understanding of the message being conveyed by this visual text. Light is easily the defining image used in this image and potentially means a few different things. The first thing about light that is worth mentioning is the portrayal of the citizens of this world as forms of light, candles and light bulbs. In the image, the race of candle headed men are gathered around a noose, watching gleefully as someone different from themselves, the light bulb is pushed towards it. The candle men are all waxy round men, uniform in appearance to show the majority trying to snuff out the minorities, those different in appearance, culture, and beliefs then them which is represented in the light bulb. This scene is an abstract depiction of modern day persecution with the majority peoples replaced with the candles and the others as light bulbs. It’s important that one race is candle men and the other is the light bulb men because the two normally inanimate objects serve the exact same purpose, they are forms of creating light. In reality race conflicts and religious persecution can be broken down to different peoples being uncomfortable with the differences between them but overlooking the similarities. What this visual text is aiming to show is that these are two very different peoples but at the same time they aren’t different in nature. Conflicts like this arise in real life when hatred for different belief systems, cultures, or appearances and ignorance cause people to forget that their enemy is their common man. To this very day scenes mirroring the one in this comic exist like the current unrest in the middle east and groups of terrorists like ISIS spreading death and despair to their common man over religious or political differences. It’s also very ironic that the artist chose to represent the men in this comic as beings of light, and show a great light in the horizon. When we commonly think of light or the color yellow in literature and in life it usually represents hope for a better future, happiness, and warmth. This contradiction from the norm could possibly be done to show the situation from the point of view of only the crowd of candle men who believe their public execution is a step forward and a righteous cause. The mutual happiness of the candles also supports the idea that this is a better world for themselves, but at the cost of human life and diversity. The most famous example of persecution of a single race of people was the World War II holocaust, the extermination of German Jews. The Holocaust would never take place without the misguidance of their bigoted leader preaching lies about a superior race of people. The yellow setting and smug attitude of the candle men may be the depiction of a self proclaimed superior race of people, and this comic shows them clearing out those deemed inferior by themselves, thus making the yellow represent enlightenment and moving forward. However, looking at the color from a different point of view, that of the light bulb, paints an entirely different picture where the yellow definitely doesn’t symbolize hope, happiness, or anything positive at all. The specific shades of yellow are all very dull and dirty meaning that the color might signify fear, deceit, and disgust. Another important part of the image that requires analysis is the horizon. The sky shines a bright yellow, which is a stark contrast the horrific events taking place before it. Since this comic seems to take place from the point of view of the candle men then it makes sense that the noose would dangle over the sunset like their salvation and hope for the future. Once again the yellow color is a dual meaning because when looked at from the point of view of the light bulb then the horizon looks very ominous instead and representing fear. Yellow representing fear could as mean two different things, fear of the different from the candles, either different cultures or beliefs that would change their own lifestyle, or fear from the light bulb, fear for his life and fear of the unknown. The way the noose hangs in the horizon makes it a central part of the visual text and addition important to the image of light and the color yellow.The two different objects chosen to represent the people in this visual text also should be questioned. For most of the 1800’s and before people used candles as the primary method of lighting. Although in 1880 Thomas Edison famously invented another electric source of creating light, the light bulb. Studying the relationships of these two light sources reveals that the light bulb largely made the candle obsolete and replaced it as the primary source of lighting. Knowing this provides additional insight to why these images appear in the visual text and reinforce the claim that fear of change and different people motivated the execution. However, the invention of the light bulb provided many people with greater access to light and certain was one of the greatest technological advancements of the times. This image also conveys a step backwards represented by the primitive ideas trying to fight back against the modern times, an unwillingness to adapt. The message of the image is perhaps the older generations don’t want to adopt the new ideas and sentiments of the modern era, the candles being the past, and the light bulb the present. Coming back to the image of the noose in the horizon, the horizon is likely representative of the future and moving forward and then the noose hanging above the horizon means a denial of the future and the light bulb depicts denial of the modern age. The shades of yellow used and the shading done to look very old fashioned does make the visual seem as though it is taking place in a different time period, decades in the past. Another important characteristic of candles is their limited life span; light bulbs eventually die out too but a candle’s wax literally melts away until there is nothing left. Traditionally candle sticks are tall thin pillars of wax but in this visual text the candle men are only tiny stumps of wax, indicating their life cycle coming to an end soon. This visual image is clearly designed to show multiple different meanings and uses many features like color, abstraction, and contrast to do so. The artist’s use of these elements creates an in-depth scene, while completely fictional, that still mirrors our world because the characters and settings are not uncommon in real life. Overall this visual does an excellent job of calling our attention to issues in our world like discrimination and prejudice toward our fellow man for small, insignificant details. It uses shades of the color yellow to tell two stories that are totally opposite depending on which pair of eyes you look through. The use of depth to show the horizon adds another element to the story because it depicts the future and going forward, coupled with the noose to create a hopeful future or a very sad and painful future. This comic also succeeds in telling another story using the same assets as the one before it. The second tale tells of aging generations that struggle to adapt to the complexities of living in the modern world which is true of real life as well. In reality older generations are assumed to be behind on the times, meaning not up to date on current and always evolving technologies or their political and social ideologies are not in line with that of younger generations. Overall this visual text warns against discrimination and highlights that small differences like belief system or nationality and that they truly are insignificant. Additionally, the image might suggest that older generations ought to step aside to allow the younger generations to build the world and the old people have already had their time. Whether a warning to never repeat past mistakes or the author spreading the transcendental messages of young over old this visual text is very effective at pushing it’s meaning on the viewer and leaving a lasting effect without the use of any words.