Visual texts are different from normal literature not simply because one uses pictures and the other uses words, but because the pictures in a visual essay often allow for the messages to be conveyed differently and this can allow for the message to be a bit more clear. In the photo essay The Life of an Eagles Fan by Will Bodner, the images are organized to show not only how Eagles fans act as a Fanbase but also how important the team is to its fans. Following an examination of this photo essay, it becomes clear that the point of this essay is to present the devotion that Philadelphia fans show for their football team, and how much of an influence they have on the City of Brotherly Love. 

The photo essay The Life of an Eagles Fan brings to life the idea that sports, in this case football, can become extremely important and prominent force in people’s lives. This is especially true if the team represents a hometown or is connected to family members. The essay begins with the caption “The Philadelphia Eagles are More Than Just a Team” and an image of the players putting their hands in the middle before a game. This immediately introduces the reader to how important this team is to the city of Philadelphia. Additionally, by having an image of all the players huddled together and motivating each other before the game shows how they are willing to give their all for the fans. It also presents a similar desire from the players to be a successful team, understanding that they influence the mood of the entire fanbase. The author follows this up with an image of Eagles fans holding a sign saying “Are We Insane Yet?” which causes the reader to be further engaged into how important Eagles football is to its fans. By captioning this image with how they are they different from other fans, this intrigues the reader to discover why. This “insanity” comes from a reputation they have built in the past, and the fans continue to embrace this and show it off by screaming, booing, causing fights, and more at every home game. The next image of Eagles fans screaming at a game supports the former argument by displaying how passionate the fans are at an actual game. It shows fans screaming, cheering, and clapping, and even a few fans in the background have their arms up attempting to get the rest of the crowd to join in with them to motivate the Eagles and disrupt the opposing team. They also seem to have angry expressions on their face, which is telling as the reader can interpret that the fans are never satisfied and that they always want the Eagles to dominate the team they are facing. All of this adds to the claim and caption of how passionate they are as fans, and gives the reader more insight into what being an Eagles fan is like. The combination of these three images immediately introduces the reader into the realities of being a Philly fan, and also that being an Eagles fan is not just a choice, it’s a lifestyle. 

An interesting organization technique of this photo essay is that the author decided to break the essay up into sections, each one illustrating a different piece of the Life of an Eagles Fan, as the essay is titled. The first section shows the fans at games and introduces the reader about what is it is like to be an Eagles fan. The next portion then examines how this fandom forms a lifestyle for the fans by showing images of a family preparing to go to a game, the stadium (which the author refers to as a “Home”), and an image of an American flag spread out across the field showing that going to Eagles fans allows fans to show off their patriotism at games. The fact that the author refers to the stadium as “home” also helps the reader understand that many fans are willing to come to every home game they can, and because they come so often to support the Eagles, it is basically a second home for them. This is an interesting formation technique because it gives a bit of background on Eagles fans to begin the essay and also introduces the reader to how the fandom forms the lifestyle and personality of its fans. All in all, the first half of this essay is more about the fans than the team and gives the reader a bit of perspective on the life of an Eagles fan.

The next section of the essay, however, contrasts completely with the first half because it doesn’t examine the fans, but instead the recent history of the team. This gives the reader some background about where the fans are getting their motivation from and also how difficult it is to be an Eagles fan. The image of a couple of depressed Eagles fans captioned with “HERE WE GO AGAIN” alludes to that Eagles fans have been going through a tough experience supporting their team for a long period of time. This is proven by the fact that the Eagles are yet to win a Super Bowl. By adding an image that displays two disheartened fans, this reality is introduced to the reader. This is followed by an image of the infamous former head coach Chip Kelly, who basically destroyed the team through terrible trades, coaching methods, and game plans. For the author to add an image displaying a disappointed Chip Kelly holding his arms up in protest, and a caption referring to him as the worst head coach in NFL history, the reader can infer that Eagles fans did not like him at all and it basically sums up his entire coaching tenure. By adding this piece of background information and recent history to the essay, the reader is able to understand what troubles Eagles fans go through and this gives them the proper understanding to sympathize with Eagles fans. 

The author closes the photo essay with a unique finishing touch. He does this in the final two images, which show how a “New Era” is beginning in Philadelphia with the hiring of a new head coach and the drafting of rookie quarterback Carson Wentz. The image is from when Wentz was drafted 2nd overall in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Eagles, and shows him proudly holding his jersey with a big smile on his face. The reader can tell that there is certainly hope that things could turn around soon for Eagles fans, as quarterback is the most important position in football, and Wentz certainly looks excited to take on that responsibility. This all leads to the final caption which reads “And a Bright Future Possibly Lies Ahead” with an image of Wentz happily celebrating a touchdown with his teammate. By picking an image that shows Wentz celebrating with his teammates it causes the reader to the infer that he is already making an impact on the team and in the city, even though he is only a rookie. This connects to the conclusion that things are finally starting to look bright for the Eagles in the City of Brotherly Love and alludes to the fact that maybe the fans’ waits on Super Bowl victory might finally be coming to an end. By doing this to the photo essay, the author is making the reader wonder about the future of the Eagles and potentially cause them to follow the team in the future and see if the hopes for a Super Bowl championship in the City of Philadelphia are eventually achieved.  

This photo essay is meant to show the reader the realities of being an Eagles fan and how they have struggled to cheer for and support their favorite team due to the unfortunate history of the team. Even for people who do not understand or care for professional football, the author uses the images to provide background and details about the team so that they can in the end sympathize with Philadelphia fans. However, the author closes the essay allowing for the reader to become intrigued about the future of the team and possibly watch them closely in the future. Overall, this essay allows for the reader to become interested in the Philadelphia Eagles and hopefully understand that the performance of this team defines the city of Philadelphia.
