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Monuments To Our Better Nature Analysis

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Analysis of “Monuments to Our Better Nature” In “Monuments to Our Better Nature,” Michael Byers gives us a tour through his description and layout of national mall in Washington DC. Byers reminisces about his time as a boy growing up with the National Mall of Washington DC at his fingertips. He grows up with these massive figures and monuments and feels a sense of pride and truth to everything that surrounds him. Byers explains each monument in detail ranging from the Lincoln Memorial to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Each statue and structure means something to him and he shares his opinion of each one. In his examination of these structural tributes, he begins to discover the meaning of what it is to be part of the American society. He sees …show more content…

While the Lincoln Memorial speaks of hope the Vietnam speaks of sorrow. Byers describes his experience at the Memorial as such, “the ambivalent descent, deeper and deeper, along a sinister black wall, exactly mimics the national experience of the war (76).” Here he realizes the horror of war with every name engraved in the black stone. Here he realizes that these people on the wall are part of us. They were part of the nation and defended us. They are family to us in a nation’s sense and each name has meaning to citizens of America. Byer says, “We are silent, knowing that some of the visitors here will have lost a brother, son, father, friend (76).” This reasoning for being silent is to honor those who have fallen. As mentioned before everyone was affected by this war and everyone either knows or knows of someone that was in this war. It affected all of America and this monument pays tribute to them. The Vietnam Memorial, much like the Lincoln Memorial demonstrates the nation coming together for the greater good of the nation. Times had changed and events had changed which called for action which is one of the biggest characteristics of being an American

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Daniel Webster, in his speech made at the Bunker Hill Monument in 1825, commemorates the famous battle against the British in 1825. Webster observes the importance of the monument what the monument means for the new American nation. He wields an arsenal of repetition and emotion to convey his points about the Bunker Hill Monument and attempts to evoke a sense of unity for the audience and the new American nation. Webster starts his speech by describing the feeling he and his listeners are receiving from being at the monument.

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The Vietnam Memorial Wall allows us to feel the pain and remorse of the Vietnam War. It makes us realize how many good American men gave their lives for our country, under direct orders. Whether or not the war served a purpose is out of this topic, because 58,195 men died during that short period of time. That is what really matters and what must be remembered. The memorial serves it’s purpose, allowing us to remember the loss of so many men.

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This emphasis on healing is important because it creates the idea that the Wall is a symbol for healing. By representing mending the Monument comforts those who lost people in the war and closes their metaphorical wounds by giving them some closure about their fallen loved ones. By being a symbol of healing the Wall expresses the large amount of lives lost in the

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That moment stuck with me, standing there next to a single monument which collectively made up an entire collection of human travesty. I eventually walked back and continued my exploration but I resounding sadness stayed with me. I began to see the desolate desperation of it all. I began to understand the scope of this place.

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Ann Rinaldi, the author of the historical fiction novel, An Acquaintance with Darkness, recounts multiple historical moments, figures and monuments in order to depict her story. Many authors such as Rinaldi herself, modify the truthfulness of the information they’ve portrayed in order to fit their story. When writing a historical fiction novel, one must contemplate whether it is justified to crumble the factual basis of any historical accounts. Arlington National Cemetery is a particular monument that Rinaldi depicts in order to illustrate the grim times of the Civil War. Proof of Ann Rinaldi’s faithfulness to historical accuracy, for the most part, was this depiction of one of the most respected cemeteries in the United States.

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“We have as a nation been duped by those who use our guilt about how we treated the innocent pawns in the Vietnam War game-the soldiers-into missing the point once again about the utter senselessness that is war” (“Brainy Quotes- Steven Weber”) Private William Henry Walls was part of the 3rd marine regiment. He was born in 1946 in Horsham Pennsylvania (“Vietnam Veterans Memorial Funds”). When William turned 19 he enlisted into the marine corps. William’s life was cut short.

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For a long time and now America is still divided and not United. There is an emotional appeal or pathos this image sparks. George Floyd is pictured on the statue. George Floyd was murdered by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota which kick-started the Black Lives Matter movement and also all the protests happening around the country. Robert E Lee in this photo also makes Americans think of their past history of slavery, injustice, and oppression.

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There is typically a definitive reason behind why a particular memorial is placed where it is, especially when the memorial commemorates a certain war. There is no doubt that the United State’s involvement in the division of Vietnam is questionable, however, American lives were taken away from their friends and families as a result of the government’s decision to go to war. The lives of those who fought for our nation were cut short, and their remembrance will surely be lost in time if they are not memorialized. Memorials are representative of past memories, both good and bad, and are largely developed out of respect towards those who lost their lives. Providing the public with a memorial, such as the Philadelphia Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, allows for the people to gain further insight into the events that led up the present; past events define the modern world.

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The 8th grade class took a 4 day trip to Washington. We did many things to explore Washington D.C. including visiting monuments. Some people think differently of how a monument should be made. Good monuments to some people could be to make people remember about the person or thing being remembered or to just reflect the person’s life or importance. In “The Follower Problem” by David Brooks, David thinks a good monument should show power and authority.

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In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, the fate of the free world rested in the hands of our brave young men in uniform. According to White House Archives, at 5:30 in the morning more than 160,000 Allied troops landed at Normandy, France to fight the German forces and free France from their occupation. The Allied forces consisted of 73,000 Americans and 83,115 British and Canadian forces. In that one day, over 10,000 young men were slaughtered on that beach and in the following six weeks, another 216,000 Allied troops were either wounded or killed in the war to eradicate tyranny from Europe. On the 40th anniversary of D-day, President Ronald Reagan gives a heart-warming speech at the memorial in Normandy, France.

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With a saunter around the National Mall, revere the neoclassical Lincoln Memorial, with a staggering (175 ton pound) statue of Abraham Lincoln swirled by his words of the Gettysburg Speech, the marvelous marble, granite and blue stone Washington Memorial, the Rome-esque memorial of Thomas Jefferson, and more… 2.) Arlington, VA’s cemetery Witness an official ceremony of Veteran’s Day at the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington, VA’s cemetery, where John F. Kennedy spoke eleven days before his assassination, and his body later returned to. Savor a moment reflecting on the tomb of the “Unknown Soldier” from World War I, and admire a sophisticated switching of the guard on the dot of every hour. 3.)

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In the news today, a continual debate can be found about the significance of Confederate monuments and if they should remain or be removed. Confederate monuments that have been erected throughout the U.S. should be kept because of the preservation of America’s history. For instance, in the article, The Unbearable Lightness of Confederate-Statue Removal, the author lists how slaveholder monuments aren’t the only statues being vandalized, but the Lincoln Memorial and Mount Rushmore are other symbols of U.S. history that some believe need to “blow up” (Murdock). Every historical symbol can have both people who appreciate it and who oppose it. That doesn’t mean that we should tear down all symbols, but

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