Consequences of 2001 September 9 Bombing in The US - Essay Example

Consequences of 2001 September 9 bombing in the U.S Americans and the whole world became shocked on receiving the saddening news of the September 11th attack on the World Trade Centers (Jonathan 33). The attack resulted in many consequences both directly and indirectly. The event totally changed and influenced the way of living of the Americans and the rest of the world. It became a dawn to existing social aspects like racial discrimination, global millennial identity and anxiety among many individuals among others (Jonathan 34). People started identifying themselves or being identified to certain situations and phenomenon leading to millennial identity. In addition, the start of American anti terrorism retaliation initiated by Bush administration made things even worse. Various movies and novels have gone in details to depict the tragic event of what occurred at the September 11th attack and the aftermath. In this essay, we will discuss how the films 9/11, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and ‘Saturday’ relate to the matter particularly in millennial identity and anxiety. Based on the novel written by Jonathan Safran Foer, the film "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" is a story about 9/11 bombing told from a distinctive approach. It is not on the subject of the drama of the dark day, though it gets so attached to the event that it cannot help but give a slim lift to the movie plus novel. Somewhat, it is about the consequences of trauma, what community has to live with and live through, and all the things which they can never endure. It deals with something imperative but intrinsically uninteresting, people experiencing life in an inferior fever of sadness, loss and grief. For many people in U.S, the horror of what happened in September 9, 2001 turned to fear and anxiety. Looking back, much of the irritating, precious and tiresome events recedes and drops away, even as all the movie intrinsic worth, which is substantial, rise to consciousness (Jonathan 34). The great novelty of the story is the fact that the tragedy does not happen to a generic group of characters, who become destined to represent all the victims, but to the people who are reasonably specific. Oscar (Thomas Horn), studious nine years old boy who has either Asperger's syndrome or is something outside that category. However, his biggest luck happens to be his father’s (Tom Hanks) turning in to the workings of his mind. His dad comes up with adventures and games designed to appeal to Oscar's meticulous nature, while obliging him to socialize. His father got killed on 9/11 since he happened to be having a breakfast meeting there that day. The boy felt disappointed since his father was always there for him, “It wasn’t fair for Dad, and it wasn’t fair for me,” (Jonathan 35). This is a powerful, even mythic, and the film has another terrific positive feature in Sandra Bullock as a mother, who is so sincerely and emotionally accustomed that there can by no means be a second of distrusting her grief or panic or the cloud of misery the character must push in the course to be a mother and keep on going (Jonathan 32). Through her, we realize the character's appreciation on her son's unique importance and specialness and also the effort required to get on his a wavelength. For her late husband, the connection was natural, and for her, it is more work, “She wasn’t missing dad,” (Jonathan 36). The difficulty of the novel is mainly with its story, which despite all the sensations hovering around it, remains uninvolving and thin. Oscar finds a certain key among his father's belongings and, in his well organized way, goes off to the big city to locate the lock that this key opens, “ I opened it up, and inside there was a key,” (Jonathan 37). This is difficult in two approaches: (1) Though Oscar believes the key will take him closer to his deceased father, the audience never think that for a moment, so, essentially, the plot becomes dedicated to a search that does not concern its audience; (2) It pushes the movie/ novel in to a lateral organization – such that, the story cannot actually go forward. In most cases, it is just going sideways, and the boy moving from address to address, working off of tiny hints, in search of answers and explanations (Jonathan 78). At times during the course of the film, one thinking it is terrible, other times, it is touching, at others, inspirational. There is so much misfortune here and also so much that is promising. ‘Saturday’ by Ian McEwen is a novel that takes place in a single day from when Henry Perowne wakes up till he goes to bed for sleep. During the day, Henry goes through all the routine of life and also some shocking unanticipated twists that change him forever. He is a sane man in a mad world. He tries to figure out on what is around him, the negativity, the emotion, the terrorism and simply finds himself lost in meadow of life. In spite of all these confusion Henry happens to be satisfied in what he calls his bourgeois life of being a gifted surgeon, “He was able to perform major surgery in one theater,” (Ian 15). Henry gets confronted by his honored existence which he has worked hard for. A main theme in the novel is that of consequences. Every action seems to have its own consequences whether observable or not. Henry learns this through the most difficult means towards the end of the novel. The whole novel has a menacing feel: from its explosive beginning of the plane crash tips that the novel is building towards something that is probably not suitable, “I’ve just seen a plane on fire, heading into Heathrow,” (Ian 29). McEwen uses this dismay, and the shock of hostility as a symbol for the world to understand the dealing of terrorism acts, “You reckon its terrorists?” (Ian 31). The novel shows us how the main character gets affected by terrorism how it is affecting the world too (Ian 45). This is causing him to change his life in a dynamic manner showing how the situation is shaping his millennial identity. In place of invulnerability, majority of people now possess a small naive fear of attack unexpectedly from terrorists using unthinkable weapons. Though these general anxieties will fade away over time, some long lasting consequences exist. A man flying to San Jose California when on board opens an envelope and suddenly, a powdery substance drops out. The seat mate alerts the flight attendant that there is a dispersed substance in the ventilation system. When the plane lands, and held for three hours while FBI investigates it turns out that the powder was confetti enclosed in a green card. Overreactions like these depict how fearful and anxious ordinary people become. September 11, 2001 was probably the most horrific and disturbing incident ever experienced in American history. It had affected every citizen in America in a way or another. Many people lost their lives and relatives and friends lives that day. They could never have believed about what is coming on their way the day before this tragic day. A lot of individuals died leaving their family and friends alone. They were all guiltless innocent people who had their loved ones - fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters. Jules Naudet in the documentary 9/11 is quoted to say, “There was a person that was on fire just out of shot, and I decided that I didn't want to film that.” Measures should be taken to make sure that a similar case will never happen again. There are many more effects that came along with the bombing that still devastates social and economic relations in America. People with post trauma due to experience of the incident or lost of their loved ones should be guided well to accept the situation and move on since it can become particularly traumatizing and devastating to their normal lives. Those who survived the ordeal thanked their creator. In the film, John O’ Neil is quoted of saying, “I never got so many hugs in my life... they were "glad to be alive" hugs.” Those who got no compensation should be compensated accordingly and memorials to be fully honored and recognized by the government. Security measures should be thoroughly adhered to so as to prevent and curb these terrorists from attacking the federal government (Miller, Agnes & John 56). The American citizens should also be advised and made aware that racisms of any type whatsoever are evil. Nobody should be racially discriminated or undermined due to his or her skin color, hair texture, language or regional origin. Everybody also has the right to be a Muslim, as well as Christians. They should understand that not all Arabic origin individual or Muslims are terrorists. As these films indicate, it is as the September 9 bombing changed the whole millennial international relations between U.S and various other nations (Jonathan37). Since the onset of the millennium, the U.S has been in a constant war with the Middle East on the basis of terrorism. The Middle East countries are trying to engineer nuclear power, which the U.S is against considering that they and the rest of the world will be unsafe. Racism against the Muslim and people of Arabic origin in America has persistently been blamed for the blast and their hostility against Christianity and particularly against America. In return, the Muslim has declared a holy war against Christians who in many cases have been on the spot for burning the holy Koran. That is why the Muslim get somehow isolated and considered as ‘the others’ in the United States of America. Some of the scars of the event may fade, but some will never be the same. The above discussed film and book have asserted this. Works Cited Foer, Jonathan Safran. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2006. Frederic P Miller, John McBrewster, Agnes F Vandome. 9/11 (Film). New York: VDM Publishing House Ltd, 2010. McEwan, Ian. Saturday. New York: Random House, 2010. Read More