Terror most often strikes upon those who are unsuspecting. On April 15, 2013, an atrocity almost as monumental as September 11th, 2001 struck the United States. Runners of the Boston Marathon ultimately fell victims to an act of violence no one could have imagined. John Tlumacki, an eyewitness of the bombing, took the picture above on the day of the event. Traditionally, one of the most exciting days of the year, the Boston Marathon turned ugly after the blasts of two bombs, making its mark on American history. In attendance were both runners and spectators from many different nationalities, a cultural melting pot as the flags in the picture depict. In the blink of an eye, the unison of all racial and ethnic diversity crumbled. In a time of such disarray and panic, there was only so much law enforcement could do, but respond. This picture embodies the emotional and physical terror the victims of the bombing experienced on April 15th as a result of the massacre. The colors scream panic, alarm, uncertainty, and caution, while the physicality and action of the people within it convey defeat and a sense of hopelessness. By looking at the elements of color and action, we are able to recognize John Tlumacki’s intent to capture and connect the emotional and physical aspects of the bombing through means of symbolism, which is important because it allows us to not only visually connect, but also feel the emotional ramifications of the outrage. 

Color has the ability to communicate meanings and messages without the use of words to a viewer. Colors express emotions, but can also represent a deeper and underlying meaning of certain objects or people on an emotional level. With this said, studying the colors in Tlumacki’s picture ultimately reveal the true, underlying emotions felt by the victims involved in the bombing. The first thing seen in the picture is the bright yellow jackets of the police officers and the bright red jersey on the fallen runner. Immediately, it is made clear through the bright yellow jackets that there is now an issuance of warning, followed by a clear indication of danger and a fight for power through the red jersey. The red, now in a state of upheaval, overthrown by a force of energy, symbolized the people of Boston.  The main focus of this picture is the police officers; they are clad in black from head to toe except for their yellow vests. Symbolically, this represents the nation as a whole—the United States has fallen into a dark hole, while the police officers are left to maintain societal control. The black of uniforms represent fear—fear for the nation now and for its future. The act of terror committed was diabolical, leaving not only the United States, but also the world in a state of uncertainty, forcing us to question why the bombers would perpetrate such a heinous crime against humanity. The black also provides a backdrop of mystery to this horror, leaving the officers unaware of what was happening in their surroundings, but recognized they must react to the situation at hand, as that is their job. The faint, almost destroyed white line on the pavement next to the runner provides a sense of deterioration for peace and simplicity—the nation needed a revival, but only time and patience would make this possible. The grey pavement fills a majority of the picture, but still remains far from the center of attention. Its dim and detached nature illuminates the officers and the runner in the foreground, while isolating and distancing them from the crowd behind them. As the grey road takes up most of the space in this picture, it is a mixture between black and white, representing the transition from stability to tragedy in a matter of seconds. The mixture of colors, in the background, so vague, yet chaotic, symbolizes the mixture of emotions as a result of the disaster. With so many colors, comes so many feelings—what were the bystanders and racers supposed to feel in a time of such disarray and horror? Ultimately, there was no overall individual emotion one could feel. In the crowd in the left side of the picture, there are several spots of orange. Its vibrancy immediately attracts attention, giving off a sign of hazard. Its bright nature symbolizes the stimulation felt by all in response to the bombing—in order to survive, one must act fast in a time of such uncertainty and unease. The colors in this picture are the only attributes close enough to the real experience that intensify and elaborate the suppressed emotion of what those affected by this outrage felt. The colors communicate with the viewer through visual emotion without the use of words, but the full effect cannot be comprehended without analyzing the action within the picture. 

When controversy occurs, as a result of a clashing of cultures and power, the consequences in response can be severe. In the picture, Tlumacki captures an action packed scene, relevant to the confusion and overall disarray April 15th of 2013 brought. Analysis of the people and their actions in this picture depict the true sense of terror. One of the main elements the viewer notices is the fact that the police, and almost everyone in the picture besides the runner, all have their backs turned towards the row of flags. Even though the flags are a smaller part of the picture, they hold a vast amount of meaning. Ultimately, the turned backs symbolize the defeat in maintaining unity and harmony throughout the world. In order to overcome adversity, whether culturally, ethnically, or racially, everyone has to be accepting of differences. However, as the picture shows, when power and control is taken too seriously, the consequences can be terrifying, as many are willing to go to the nth degree to prove a point. As the officers run away from each other and the bystanders run in fear from the sight of the bombing, unity has completely vanished. The runner lies immobile on the pavement in search of help, while overcome with shock and confusion as to what just happened. He looks up for help, but at the end of the day, the nation will look for help through other countries, represented by the flags, in guiding them to a safe haven. The people run from the source of danger, but they have no idea where to go. The United States, on this day, was under attack and had fallen because of cultural differences, as the runner represents in the picture. The picture epitomizes a search for clarity, whether that is the police responding to the danger, running to find the offenders, or the crowd of people running for safety. 

Overall, the action of this picture proves the concealed meaning of this day in April of 2013. As the color and action come together, there becomes a clearer meaning, allowing the viewer to relate on an emotional and physical level as to what was happening and feel the rush of emotion. Without a physical presence, by disassembling the elements of color and action in Tlumacki’s picture, the viewer is ultimately able to get a sense of the true horror felt on this day. 
