Analysis Of The Death Of General Warren At The Battle Of Hell, By John Trum Bull

When looking at John Trumbull’s patriotic and sad painting, The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker’s Hill, June 17, 1775, the contrasting colors instantly leap out and attract the eye. General Warren’s white clothing pops out of the dull and dark ground and provides an excellent comparison for the foreground and background. On the upper right corner of the painting, an incoming cloud of dark smoke seems to foreshadow the eventual defeat of the Trumbull’s protagonists, the patriotic Americans. These fighters have on white uniforms; this symbolizes the painter’s beliefs of their innocence and righteousness. The blue flag held up by the Americans is another use of symbolic colors. Blue, a color of peace and calmness, makes the viewer think that the Americans do not wish to fight. Trumbull brightly painted the figures in the center of the work to draw the viewer’s eyes to the heart of the action. With

Sometimes, a team will establish a clear dominance over the other side. When this happens, some people on the losing side leave, but others stay to collect the reward at the end of the round. During this agonizing wait, the losing side often tries to prevent further losses by holding onto key strategic locations. These players use the help of higher ground, a hill, valley, or other aspects of the terrain. On the other side, the winners try to extend their lead by charging and attacking. The painting shows a similar situation. Even though the Americans repulsed some of the earlier attacks, the British eventually manage to break through (“Battle”). Hence, the Americans are the losing side. In the background the surging British men outnumber the Americans, but the patriotic fighters use the hill and the higher ground to temporarily hold back the attack. Therefore, the scenario is comparable to the battles in my online