Visual 1:
Title: Family and Home
Artist: Unplash
Source: unsplash.com
Overview: The picture describes the importance of parents in a family. The picture reveals how parents play an essential role in nurturing children. The picture illustration presents the family as a critical pillar in society, and parents are responsible for guiding and protecting their children.
Title representation: the title family and home are about creating a harmonious environment where children feel protected and enjoy parental love. Thus, the family is considered the foundation of a prosperous life because it provides all the necessary support children need during the formative stages.
Interrelationships:
The message being conveyed: The artist describes the importance of family, which forms that foundation for a happy life. This message is given using a family comprising of both parents taking a walk on a sunny day in front of their house. The picture shows the importance of a family in offering support and care needed more so for children during their early years. The picture associates success with happiness; thus, family values are essential in nurturing children.
How the artists use the parts: the central theme of the story is family and home. The picture presents a sunny day to depicts a happy home, which in the picture is represented by both parents assisting their son to walk. The parents are the vital pillar children need to live a fulfilling life. This reveals parents' responsibility in creating a conducive environment where children grow and are guided by these family values. Thus, children should feel protected and live happily.
How it applies to Zeitoun: Zeitoun feels a particular responsibility for the residences in New Orleans, which he believes is his home. This feeling influences his decision to paddle around the town to help those affected after the hurricane. In the end, Zeitoun and his family decide to settle in New Orleans and wants to rebuild the city even after being wrongfully accused and staying in prison for a long time. Zeitoun and his family remain in New Orleans because it’s their home.
Conclusion: Having a sense of belonging is what attracts people to a city; despite facing injustices, people tend to be attracted to specific places due to the investment and connection they have built over the years. This explains why people would prefer staying in their home countries despite the challenges they face.
Visual 2:
Title: Islamophobia
Artist: Khaled A Beydoun
Source: Al-Jazeera
Overview: The picture by Al-Jazeera Newspaper depicts a young Muslim standing in front of the American flag to express her patriotism despite the writing on the flag indicating the opposite. The picture presents a young Muslim lady to portray America as a nation struggling with diversity.
Title representation: islamophobia is an appropriate title that describes discrimination towards Muslims living in western countries, often resulting in violence. Islamophobia often reveals the distorted view of Muslim rich culture by the west into stereotype characteristics. Islamophobia is one of the significant challenges facing Muslims living in America.
Interrelationships:
The message being conveyed: Anti-Muslim prejudice is one of the main themes of the story. Religious intolerance has been the leading cause of injustices in America. Thus, the picture reveals Islamophobia using the tainted flag and a young Muslim lady as symbols to express this vice. Racism is expressed through discrimination based on religion. In America, Muslims are labeled as either terrorists or extremists. Portraying a young Muslim is meant to depict the challenges facing young women in America. These deliberate practices are conveyed by the picture showing America's distorted reality as a country of diversity.
How the artists use the parts: Islamophobia often reveals several ways; the picture expresses this theme using a picture of a sad young Muslim standing in front of a flag tainted with discriminatory messages. The image portrays discrimination towards Muslims using the flag to show a contrast of what the flag is supposed to represent. This art uses strong words written on the flag to reveal America's negative image. This contrasts the spirit of diversity that the leaders often promote since these writings on the flag shows a prejudiced view of Muslim culture.
How it applies to Zeitoun: Egger portrays a Muslim family facing specific limitations to suggest how being a Muslim in America is one facet of American diversity. Zeitoun and his family encounter racism after the hurricane. The distorted image of Muslims causes injustices among Muslims as Zeitoun is imprisoned because of his religion. In the story, Eggers suggests that Islamophobia is the primary reason for Zeitoun's arrest and detention. Egger further reveals how religious intolerance causes distrust among law enforcers and Muslims living in America.
Conclusion: Even though racism plays a vital role in promoting Islamophobia, religious intolerance is the major threat that often results in violence targeting Muslims since it creates distrust. There is a need to confront such vices by promoting diversity among all groups by fostering tolerance.
Visual 3:
Title: Corruption.
Artist: Rayhan Chouglay
Source: Global Risk Insights
Overview: The cartoon illustration by DevPolicy.com describes how corruption benefits a group of people. Even though corruption has been around for decades, this phenomenon has escalated in recent times. The picture reveals hoe corruption comes in different shapes and causes many effects.
Title representation: the title of corruption is meant to highlight corruption as a widespread vice that is not easy to eliminate. Despite several laws and regulations in place, corruption is still a common practice among individuals in authority, impacting the poor and marginalized.
Interrelationships:
The message being conveyed: corruption is one of the significant issues affecting development. Hence, the art expresses this theme of corruption vividly using this image to present different forms of corruption, especially among few individuals in higher authority. Thus, the artist only reveals the back of those involved in this vice. The invisible faces of these individuals are meant to show new forms of corruption. Therefore, the message depicts the many facets of corruption.
How the artists use the parts: the picture shows different forms of corruption, portraying money, paper in the form of contracts representing how corruption occurs. Additionally, the picture also shows corruption as an activity that is conducted in secret since those involved are not easily identified. The picture also reveals how governments turn their backs of corruption even though it has been one of the most protracted problems affecting development.
How it applies to Zeitoun: The theme of corruption is evident throughout the book. Zeitoun’s encounter with the National Guard and the police in New Orleans accurately portrays events of inequality and corruption. Zeitoun observes massive looting as people take advantage of the disaster similarity. The national guards are corrupt since some of his friends who had money when they were arrested were not given back since there was no evidence, which means someone above them stole their money. Corruption is evident when FEMA did not bother to assist Zeitoun to seek justice because of his religious background.
Conclusion: Despite many reforms, corruption is a culture that is deeply rooted in the country. Ironically, it is the law enforcers who practice the vice. Police officers are the most corrupt force since they take advantage of others using their powers to oppress and kill the weak.
Visual 4.
Title: Crime and Justice
Artists: Weebly
Source: weebly.com
Overview: The by weebly.com represents the relation between crime and justice. The criminal justice system is agencies meant to uphold justice by rehabilitating offenders. The two elements should balance to promote justice the society. However, the pictures reveal the discrepancy that exists in maintaining law and order.
Title representation: the title crime and justice describe the contrast in managing crime while upholding justice. The irony in the picture is that the police should be the defender of justice. However, they are the worst perpetrators of crime. The picture reveals how the criminal justice system is imbalanced.
Interrelationships
The message being conveyed: the relationship between crime and justice is expressed in several forms. In this picture, the unbalanced beam is meant to reveal the failed system where law enforcers no longer protect citizens. The police outweigh dead people on the scale. The main symbol is the balance scale, a sign of equality. However, inequality and injustice are the failed justice system, as portrayed in the picture using one policeman killing several civilians.
How the artists use the parts: the policeman is shooting up in the air from one side of the beam. In comparison, several dead bodies lying on one side of the beam is an accurate representation of a failed justice system where constitutional protections no longer apply. The police have more power and seem to be above the law. The police use their position to maim people and kill. The writing on the beam indicates injustice to depicts the failed criminal justice system based on the authors’ perspective.
How it applies to Zeitoun: the author depicts how the criminal justice system is broken when Zeitoun requests for help from the polices forces patrolling the neighborhood after the hurricane. Eggers also reveals the eroded criminal justice system when Zeitoun is held up in prison for 20 days without any proof of the crime. Zeitoun cannot reach out to his family, and it takes efforts for him to contact his wife. Similarly, the national guards are corrupt since some of his friends who had money when they were arrested were not given back since there was no evidence. Conclusion: the police believe that they have authority over people. The police exercise excessive power because those in higher positions are not concerned about the wellbeing of citizens. This is a position the author argues that this is a deliberate effort of discrimination that has long been practiced in America.
Visual 5
Title: Faith and Perseverance
Artist: Debra Joy Groesser
Source: Professional Artist Website by FASO
Overview: The title of faith and perseverance, as described in the painting by Debra Joy Groesser, gives hope for those who feel hopeless. Believers are often called to put their faith in God and persevere more so during difficult periods. Thus, the painting describes what perseverance is all about.
Title: The title of faith and perseverance reflects life challenges and how people can overcome adversity. Faith and perseverance are more of a theme of encouragement for those who find themselves facing many adversities in life. This theme is meant to encourage people to have faith that something good will eventually come out efforts.
Interrelationships:
The message being conveyed: faith and perseverance are communicated using cliffs inside the sea. Perseverance is associated with these cliffs since they remain strong and look stable throughout the years, even after being crushed by the waves, winds, and the harsh sun. Despite enduring all the harsh conditions, the cliffs still shine and look beautiful every day. The artist portrays faith and perseverance through inspiration derived from her observation she witnessed from the rocks' strength along the sea.
How the artists use the parts: faith and perseverance are associated with the rocky cliffs along the sea. The artists portray how life is full of challenges to offer encouragement to be steady as these rocks in the painting. This harsh condition shapes the cliffs, and they have endured them throughout the years. The artists describe the importance of perseverance to reveal that life, not a smooth process. Thus, she depicts resilience using a picture of cliffs along the sea.
How it applies to Zeitoun: Zeitoun’s Muslim faith gives him the spirit to persevere because he trusts in God. His efforts to rebuild his life come from his strong Muslim beliefs; he believes that he needs to fulfill Gods’ purpose as a member of the family. Zeitoun perseveres especially after the hurricane because he is guided by his faith that things will eventually return to normal. He puts all his trust in God that things will work out for his family. It is through perseverance that Zeitoun manages to overcome the horrific experiences.
Conclusion: In life, people are shaped by challenges, they make us be tough. However, its faith and perseverance that gives us hope of living a fulfilled life in the future, everyone has the potential to realize their dreams if only they see challenges as an opportunity for learning and rebuilding their lives.
Read MoreTitle representation: islamophobia is an appropriate title that describes discrimination towards Muslims living in western countries, often resulting in violence. Islamophobia often reveals the distorted view of Muslim rich culture by the west into stereotype characteristics. Islamophobia is one of the significant challenges facing Muslims living in America.
Interrelationships:
The message being conveyed: Anti-Muslim prejudice is one of the main themes of the story. Religious intolerance has been the leading cause of injustices in America. Thus, the picture reveals Islamophobia using the tainted flag and a young Muslim lady as symbols to express this vice. Racism is expressed through discrimination based on religion. In America, Muslims are labeled as either terrorists or extremists. Portraying a young Muslim is meant to depict the challenges facing young women in America. These deliberate practices are conveyed by the picture showing America's distorted reality as a country of diversity.
How the artists use the parts: Islamophobia often reveals several ways; the picture expresses this theme using a picture of a sad young Muslim standing in front of a flag tainted with discriminatory messages. The image portrays discrimination towards Muslims using the flag to show a contrast of what the flag is supposed to represent. This art uses strong words written on the flag to reveal America's negative image. This contrasts the spirit of diversity that the leaders often promote since these writings on the flag shows a prejudiced view of Muslim culture.
How it applies to Zeitoun: Egger portrays a Muslim family facing specific limitations to suggest how being a Muslim in America is one facet of American diversity. Zeitoun and his family encounter racism after the hurricane. The distorted image of Muslims causes injustices among Muslims as Zeitoun is imprisoned because of his religion. In the story, Eggers suggests that Islamophobia is the primary reason for Zeitoun's arrest and detention. Egger further reveals how religious intolerance causes distrust among law enforcers and Muslims living in America.
Conclusion: Even though racism plays a vital role in promoting Islamophobia, religious intolerance is the major threat that often results in violence targeting Muslims since it creates distrust. There is a need to confront such vices by promoting diversity among all groups by fostering tolerance.
Visual 3:
Title: Corruption.
Artist: Rayhan Chouglay
Source: Global Risk Insights
Overview: The cartoon illustration by DevPolicy.com describes how corruption benefits a group of people. Even though corruption has been around for decades, this phenomenon has escalated in recent times. The picture reveals hoe corruption comes in different shapes and causes many effects.
Title representation: the title of corruption is meant to highlight corruption as a widespread vice that is not easy to eliminate. Despite several laws and regulations in place, corruption is still a common practice among individuals in authority, impacting the poor and marginalized.
Interrelationships:
The message being conveyed: corruption is one of the significant issues affecting development. Hence, the art expresses this theme of corruption vividly using this image to present different forms of corruption, especially among few individuals in higher authority. Thus, the artist only reveals the back of those involved in this vice. The invisible faces of these individuals are meant to show new forms of corruption. Therefore, the message depicts the many facets of corruption.
How the artists use the parts: the picture shows different forms of corruption, portraying money, paper in the form of contracts representing how corruption occurs. Additionally, the picture also shows corruption as an activity that is conducted in secret since those involved are not easily identified. Read More