The pictures, Raising the Flag at Ground Zero and Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, depict two of the hardest times in the United States history, but also depict the resilience of the American spirit.  The American flag gets raised all across the nation everyday.  Schools, hospitals, government buildings, private residences, etc, do this ritual every single day, and we take it for granted.  In times of true peril, the American flag will always bounce back up.  These two pictures show what it truly means to be an American soldier.  Through the vibrant color of our flag, we can see that there will be bright times ahead of us. Additionally, these pictures represent the men and women who protect us will, and show that they will be the ones to raise the US back up in times of peril. Our flag may not be fully up yet, but our men and women are working on it. 

The photograph, Raising the Flag at Ground Zero, was an instant iconic photograph depicting three first responders at the world trade center on September 11, 2001 raising the American flag.  The picture is mainly focused on the American flag and the three men raising it, but also shows the total desolation in the backdrop.  

Front bright colors compared to the background gray

Specifically looking at the Raising the Flag at Ground Zero

The color of the American flag stands out

The complete desolation behind them is a dull gray color.

Also the yellows on their uniforms

The men in uniform raising the flags

You can tell that every one in both of these pictures are extremely exhausted

Ground Zero

They are covered in dust, have been digging through the trade center debris all day.

Iwo Jima 

They just took the mountain top from Japanese forces

It looks like it is very laborious

The flag is not totally up yet, rather knocked down, and on the rise back up.

Ground Zero

It has been a long day.  All three men look completely exhausted

But they choose to put an American flag up

This shows the resilience of the American people

The raising of the flag is a symbol of the raising of the American people after the largest attack on American Soil since Pearl Harbor

Iwo Jima

They have been fighting very hard

It took the US troops a lot longer than anticipated to take the Island of Iwo Jima.

The flag is being hoisted up; this picture ends up being the beginning of the end of World War II.