Erika Atwood

21 March 2016

Christina Phillips

English 101

The Inner Patriot

One of the most famous photographs of World War II is possibly the one of troops setting up the American flag at the summit of Mount Suribachi during the Battle for Iwo Jima (Patterson). Over the years, many people have edited the picture and it has been seen by almost every American, but it has and always will convey the same feeling of patriotism for the United States of America. One particular edit of the world famous photo, titled "American Flag at Iwo Jima" by an unknown artist, altered the image to create a deeper meaning of the already inspiring photo. It also included a line form a poem written by Oliver Wendell Holmes, a writer during the American Civil War who hoped to see the country once again united.  The artist of this particular photograph added some color, the quote, and centered the photo in order to provoke the inner patriot in the viewer and create a sense of pride in being a citizen of the United States of America.

The battle of Iwo Jima lasted about a month on the Japanese island, Iwo Jima. Most of the 23,000 Japanese troops were destroyed, but the Americans suffered around 24,000 causalities with 5,900 of them ending in deaths (Battle of Iwo Jima). The original photograph was taken on February 23, 1945, by Joe Rosenthal, an Associated Press photographer, and inspired many when it was first released. Rosenthal only photographed the second flag to be raised on the summit, the first of which was a lot smaller.  The original photo won a Pulitzer Prize as well as many accusations of the photograph being staged by Rosenthal for the magazine. Nonetheless, the original photo alone, with no embellishments, already holds a lot of meaning for the American people. It showed the Americans that their troops have won a huge and important battle against Japan and gave them hope that they would continue to do so (Patterson). The image was so powerful that it has been edited multiple times since its publication and has been replicated at the Arlington National Cemetery as a statue (Battle of Iwo Jima). 

The original photo is in only black and white. For this particular image, the artist decided to enhance the color of the American flag. However, the rest of the photo remains untouched, and without color.  This was done to draw focus to the flag. The artist wanted to force the viewer to look at the flag, and did so by contrasting the lack of color with the red, white, and blue on the flag.   Because of this contrast, when the viewer looks at this image, they notice the flag first and can see the most important aspect of this image. The artist purposely saturated these colors so they do not look out of place. The colors draw the audience's attention, but blend in without making the photograph seem exaggerated. This way the viewer can picture the actual account of the flag rising. The focus on the flag also provides a common understanding between the men fighting the war and the viewer. It shows that they are all part of something bigger than them, one nation.  It serves to create a sense of pride for the viewer. Once they see the flag, they realize that these men are putting up the American flag to show the power, victory, and cause of not them as individuals, but as Americans. The flag also serves as a way for the artist to relate to the viewer. By making it a focal point of the photograph, the artist relays how important they believe that symbol is and how it should make them feel. The artist supports the United States of America and wants the viewer to feel what it is like to be an American, celebrating triumph.

The quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes was added to create the feeling of unity for a cause. This particular quote is from his poem "The Voyage of the Good Ship Union." It was written in 1862 and expresses his hope for the Union and Confederates to unite as one nation and end the American Civil War. The two lines from the poem used on the image are meant to ignite the hope of unifying the nation. "One flag, one land, one heart, one hand/ One Nation, evermore!" (Holmes). The artist separates every two word phrase on its own line and replaces the comma with an explanation point. These changes are to make the statements mean more to the viewer. It adds emphasis to these points and causes the viewer to feel more excitement with these two word sentences. The whole quote is also capitalized. This adds to the emphasis of these simple words to make them seem more important. The combination of the capitalization and explanation point creates a sense of urgency and passion. The excitement of words these words of unity inspire the audience to join together under the cause of the United States. The artist, however, chose to leave out the words "one hand" from the poem when putting it on the image. The exemption of these words was to create the understanding that this accomplishment of WWII was not simply done by one hand, but the efforts of Americans. By leaving this phrase out, it makes the viewer feel like their personal efforts are also what makes the United States superior, not just the armed forces.  Not only was this battle won by the men who fought at Iwo Jima, particularly the marines pictured, but it was won by the entire country, with the help of both their emotional and economical support.   

The positioning of the picture also provokes the viewer to feel a sense of pride. The image itself seems simple, but the placement of each element subtly manipulates the viewer to focus on the elements that remind them of the pride they have as an American. The troops are centered towards the bottom of the image. Their height takes up almost the whole bottom half. This was to make sure that the men, who risked their lives for the cause of the country, and their efforts are not forgotten. The flag hangs on the flag pole normally as the troops are raising it so it does not distract the audience. The quote is aligned with the flag pole, with each line slightly indented as it goes down.  This was done to make it seem like the quote belongs in this image. It moves along the original photograph and does not abrupt it, making it seem natural with the surrounding elements. The quote starts in the middle at the top of the image. The quote goes down from left to right, making it easier to read. With the flow going left to right, it forces the reader to naturally notice and read it. The photograph is also positioned to ensure that the viewer understands that the flag is being raised, instead of being lowered. This adds to the emotion of victory that the artist wants the viewer to feel. The viewer can visually see that the United States was doing well in World War II and it gives them hope that their victories will continue.    

Seeing one's country's flag is bound to stir some patriotism. This is especially so when the artist forces that upon the viewer with the help of a few patriotic words and a historical reminder of one of the most impactful battles in World War II. Knowing the history behind a photo creates a specific meaning when it is seen. Slight embellishments can add much more meaning, and even emotion, to it. They can make the difference between remembering history and feeling the passion that was felt at that moment and reliving it. Little things, like adding color to draw attention to a symbol, adding a quote to inspire unity, and repositioning to display what is most important, can cause a big impact on how an audience perceives a photograph. It can add another whole layer of meaning to an already world-famous image to strengthen the emotions that come when it is seen. Knowing this, the artist uses these aspects to their advantage in the image, "American Flag at Iwo Jima," to bring out the inner patriot in the American people and show them how great it feels to be a part of the victorious United States of America.

Works Cited

"American Flag at Iwo Jima." Image Source International. 2008. Print

"Battle of Iwo Jima." History.com. History.com, 2009. Web. 10 Mar. 2016.

Holmes, Oliver Wendell. "Voyage of the Good Ship Union." Lyrics of Loyalists. 2005. pg 184. Web. 10 Mar. 2016. 

Patterson, Thom. "The Inside Story of the Famous Iwo Jima Photo." CNN. Cable News Network, 23 Feb. 2016. Web. 10 Mar. 2016.
