Go to http://pia1314.blogspot.com/
There are two parts to this assignment. Due Friday, September 13th.
1. Make a comment on this post answering the following question in at least two or three sentences.
Look at the image used on the background of this blog. What do you think the artist is trying to communicate with this drawing?
2. You must also comment on another student's comment.
Peregrine Painter P.2
ReplyDeleteI think the artist is trying to say that America, while seeming good, can be dangerous and unjust at times. For example, in Syria we want to make sure peace and freedom can happen without threat of nuclear weapons. But to achieve this we might have to send troops in and take lives. Thus the flag, which stands for freedom, is depicted with barbed wire as the red stripes, to symbolism the cost of freedom.
I think this is a great idea! I can see how the artist may have been commenting on war as a means for freedom. Also, to add on, depending on when this image was created, it could have been used as propaganda for the protest of conscription in the United States.
DeleteI agree, and this is a brilliant interpretation, that applies to modern times, although I seriously doubt this is a modern piece.
DeleteI agree with your opinion on what the artist is trying to communicate and you provided an interesting example.
DeleteI also agree with your idea, the artist is trying to communicate with us with his or her idea. The example that you mentioned about Syria and the nuclear weapons were very interesting.
DeleteI think that the artist is trying to imply that the symbolism of liberty and freedom in America is restricted by hypocrisy. That America can occasionally seem without freedom or liberty, thats what the barbed wire symbolizes. It's as if you have to gain your freedom through hard work and labor, you are not born with it, even if you were born in the U.S.A. You have to earn it. It makes the saying "America, land of the free, home of the brave" seem ironic.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with your statement about the symbolism of the freedom in America being restricted by hypocrisy. The US wants to do the right thing and help make freedom for all, but it is not that easy. There are certain things you must do to get what you want that you will not be proud of.
DeleteI agree with your statement that you have to earn your freedom. Even though we are known as the land of the free, our government truly doesn't give us freedom, they take the money we earn and restrict rights.
DeletePeregrine painter.
DeleteI agree with your analysis, as it goes along the same lines as mine. The price we payed for our freedom seems like it make our freedom too highly priced, but at that time, people knew what price they had to pay for our great nation to become what it is today.
I believe that the artist is trying to communicate that freedom has a cost. In order to protect the freedom of all, you will end up having to limit the freedom of some. The barbed wire represents the inhibition of freedom in the symbolic icon of the American flag.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think about the cost of freedom when i wrote my response. thats an interesting point i agree with you, nice work.
DeleteAfter reading your comment I began to wonder what the true cost of freedom is for people in countries controlled by kings, queens and dictators. I thought your comment was very accurate.
DeleteI think the artist is trying to communicate that America is not exactly a free country through the use of barbed wire. The barbed wire symbolizes exclusion because it is typically used to keep people out of an area. The artist is trying to imply that in the United States people can sometimes be excluded from having certain rights, which is the opposite of what people generally think of when they think of America.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with your comment. There are definitely examples that show that it is true as well.
DeleteI personally believe the artist is trying to imply that the Utopian society that foreigners view the U.S. as, purely doesn't exist. Barbed wire typically symbolizes a lack of freedom and in this case it basically abolishes the concept of the american dream. Another approach would be arguing the fact it was made pre- 1865, and slaves were not granted their freedom yet.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't looked at it from an outside perspective.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteYes that is very true. viewing it from that perspective makes me think that the U.S.A. seems to be all good with being free and all but is just like any other lesser nation with a few more freedoms
DeleteAndrea Block (period 1):
ReplyDeleteI think that the artist of this piece is communicating a message to its audience implying that the entire idea and reputation of the United States of America being the "Land of the Free" really only applies to a small but dominant amount of the population. This leaves others trapped in a dangerous environment such as the army or struggling to make a living and provide for families.
I completely agree with your interpretation and examples.
Deletewhy thank you fran! same goes for yours
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think that the artist is trying to make a statement: that as free as the society we live in is, it is still very limiting. All rights, down to your most basic "inalienable" rights of life, liberty, and the right to pursue happiness (or property) are conditional. The government can imprison you, prevent you from perusing happiness (if it may harm others) and even execute you for committing an extremely violent crime (or high treason).
ReplyDeleteI agree that society still has many limitations for everything and i like how you explained the point throughout your write up. I also like the word "inalienable'. good job!
DeleteI think the artist is trying to symbolize that to gain our freedom, we must take part in many heinous acts. Gaining your freedom has its price; in other words, you have to fight for what you want. The barbed wire shows that we have our freedom, because we do things we are not proud of. For example, the US went to war with Great Britain to gain independence. If war wasn't a necessity to gain freedom, the US wouldn't have gone to war with Great Britain.
ReplyDeleteI get what you are saying, but I don't understand how barbed wire symbolizes doing things we don't wanna do? Are you saying that the things we do to get our freedom can lock us up?
Delete-Tao Oulman
Yes that is exactly my point
DeleteI think that the artist is trying to make a statement about the American "dream". From foreigners point of views, the American dream is a place where there are equal human rights for all and a good place to live but this picture shows that the American dream is all a big hoax. We are limited by our government to our basic human rights, such as freedom of speech, to be free and equal, etc. The barbed wires on the American flag show that in the United States we are imprisoned by our own laws that we voted on ourselves and how we are actually restricting ourselves from certain freedoms.
ReplyDeleteEven you freedom of speech is limited, you can't yell fire in a public location (when there in't a fire) because people could get hurt.
Deletethat's true but that's not necessarily freedom of speech because you're not expressing an opinion. those are just words that could be used to harm other people. Which contradicts what I wrote a little bit...
DeleteDoes this count as a comment?
DeleteIf this had a like button, I would use it.
DeleteAmerica also has a lot of limitations on who can come in and who can do what, etc etc. And also, America is not rated first on the freest country. That our freedom is overrated. (is freest a word?)
DeleteI believe the picture in the background represents how America, "the land of the free", is actually far from being the land of the free. Not only do we have to earn our freedom through work, but the government takes large chunks our well earned money and restricts our rights. Illegal gay marriage? That doesn't sound like freedom to me.
ReplyDeleteI agree that illegal gay marriage should be legal because I believe that everybody should be able to have the freedom to love whom ever they want.
DeleteAt least we can burn American flags according to Texas v Johnson, am I right?
DeleteI feel the author is trying to express the limited freedom that can exist in America. Paths have been closed off to people for unfair reasons limiting basic freedoms we are supposedly entitled to in the constitution. The barbed wire is representing restrictions faced by people all over the US.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really good thought, and can be supported with many examples.
DeleteI think the artist is trying to communicate how America has freedom since this is what the American flag portrays. However the barbed wire shows that there are some restrictions amongst the population in some way. I feel the artist is trying to show that, despite America being a free country, many people are or have been subjected to racism, prejudice, and discrimination.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and believe that there are many instances in American history that can be used to back up your statement.
DeleteI think that the picture is representing the fact that freedom isn't necessarily free. Throughout the history of the United States we have used the enslavement or use of (sometimes) unjust human labor in order to accomplish our goals, and maintain our "freedom". Freedom has it's price.
ReplyDeletei agree with you, and i think this is a very interesting perspective because we may now be free, but in the past the ideal of freedom really hasn't been put into practice.
DeleteSince most people are posting about the representation of America as the "land of the free" and the irony within that, I'll go with that but maybe a slightly different take. I know with Syria and the NSA, immigration isn't in the news as much anymore (there was a joke on Politico - "What's the news on immigration reform?" "Oh I think the debate is whether or not they'll bring it up again in 2015 or 2017..."). But in my opinion, the barbed wire really stands out to me as being more literal. A barbed wire fence blocking the way into America. Seen throughout history in the way that the Chinese and Africans were treated (as well as many more), and especially now with the immigration issues between Mexico and the US, this artistic rendition shows me that many people like the IDEA of America: the freedom and rights. But the truth is, that is restricted from many. At least there are some immigration reforms going around lessening the restrictions on non-citizen parents of natural born citizens... but we still have so many issues (including the "border babies" and what to do about that). I'm not going to argue too much on the whole "we aren't really free!!!" front concerning American citizens, because we have a government for a reason. We can exist in a natural state with our natural rights (no government), or we can give some up to a government for overall protection of more rights, where everyone - not just you - has a decent amount of rights protected.
ReplyDelete(Ida Chow Period 1)
Well if it wasn't obvious already the artist loaded his piece full of subtle symbolism and irony. In the case of the irony, the artist shows the stripes of the flag as barbed wire which contradicts the saying "land of the free". In the case of the symbolism, the artist shows the 50 stars caught in the red barbed wire. On our flag the 50 stars symbolize the 50 states, the color blue represents the Chief and signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice, and the color white signifies purity and innocence. In the image the artist shows the 50 states and their citizens along with the values of vigilance, perseverance, justice, purity and innocence caught in the barbed wire of the United States.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the author is trying to communicate the antithesis of what America says they stand for, which among them is freedom and personal liberty, however many nations view us as a brutal, oppressive, super power, who will enslave or imprison you without due process. Examples of this can be seen throughout our history from the enslavement of African Americans to a modern day example of terrorist imprisoned on Guantanamo Bay. Though the slaves were not imprisoned with barbed wire as those on Guantanamo Bay are, they were denied their personal freedoms none the less. The barbed wire represents freedoms denied.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the message of the artist is that even though the framework of our 50 united states is based off freedom, the freedom is really just an illusion. In reality there are many limitations that come with having a free country. The United States is still one of the more free countries in the world, but nothing can be entirely free and uncontrolled. The government is here to establish rules and laws so that one's freedom does not infringe on another person's freedom
ReplyDeleteI agree with this statement because yes the freedom is an illusion. We have human rights that are not supposed to be broken, that hasn't stopped everyone. Im sure there are many people everyday who are having rights taken away.
DeleteI completely agree. As the saying goes, we cannot "have our cake and eat it too." Without a government to establish and enforce laws, we could be living in a totalitarian environment. However, with a government present to do those things, limitations are inevitable.
DeleteI feel like this picture is showing how even though we have human rights that are supposed to be protected by law and given to everyone, thats not always promised. Everyone in this country is supposed to be treated as if they are free and equal. This is not the case for many Americans, they are treated differently then others because of how they look or dress and also because of their race. The barb wire is representing the restrictions on our lives from being completely free and the flag with stars is representing how we should be free and equal with no rights taken away. In all, this picture is trying to say how we all think we should be free and equal but thats not how it is there are many restrictions from this in everyones lives.
ReplyDeleteI agree-- I think the restraints within our own people is an interesting idea. I had only though of suppression by government, but you are totally right that we as a people suppress our own for kind of arbitrary reasons.
DeleteI believe that the barbed wire depicted in this image of the American flag is ironic. The artist is pointing out a significant contradiction; while the United States of America is supposed to be "the land of the free," people's rights are often limited across the nation. The statement of "all men are created equal" in the US Constitution loses its intended value when human beings of different backgrounds, cultures, religious affiliations and sexual orientations are unjustly discriminated against daily and even restricted of their rights. In addition, immigrants are often forced to live very limited lives in this country. Thus, the barbed wire can be viewed as symbolic of the finite freedom in America, and it can also take on a much more literal meaning.
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
I think that you're insight on irony is so interesting and very true. If something is able to resonate with the viewers, they're more likely to absorb and retain what they see. This is especially so when the message is portrayed in a simple, direct, and yet bold way. The artist definitely achieved this wow-factor with this piece of art, with it's simplicity and eye catching detail.
DeleteI think this artist is trying to portray that even America, one of the deeming "free" countries even has it's faults. We are still trapped, as everyone is. There is still discrimination here, by officials, or even just the public.
ReplyDeleteEither that, or the barbed stripes of the old colonies seem to me like they've stuck to the fifty states. Maybe this artist really intends to show that the fifty states that make up The U.S.A are still bonded by the violence from the civil war.
I agree with your statement about how America portrays itself as a country of freedom yet it has difficulties with discrimination.However I think there is more public discrimination than discrimination by the officials.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the barbed wire and stars represent how the U.S. is called the "the land of the free" but in the past, has violated basic rights of the American citizens. For example, during World War II, the American government imprisoned Japanese Americans because the government doubted their loyalty to the United States.
ReplyDeletePeriod 1
Ally Carney Period 1:
DeleteI agree with what you say about how in the past the basic rights have been violated
Liv Knivila period 2:
ReplyDeleteI think the artist is trying to show how we portray ourselves as a country with complete freedom and equality.Yet there are still restrictions on our freedom that direct us on how to live our lives. Also i think the barbed wire symbolises how people are not treated equally by others which limits their ability to truly obtain their constitutional right that every man is created equal.
Totally dude. Good insight. I agree.
DeleteZoe Taylor, Per. 2
ReplyDeleteI believe this artwork portrays that America is not absolutely free, having rights that still need to be recognized. Marriage laws, for example. We till have a long way to go.
Mr. La Greide
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the artist had experience with the justice system. The United States imprisons a larger percentage of it's residence than almost any other country.
The flag is a symbol of freedom but the barbed wire fence is a symbol of oppression. This is a very clever way of saying that the U.S.A. says its free yet still has many restrictions on the people that live in the nation. Who ever made this seems to be saying that Free Nations are false and there will always be something restricting freedom.
ReplyDeleteThis artwork is interesting and could be open to some different forms of interpretation. When I interpret this piece of art I think of the contrast between freedom and confinement. The stars signify the freedom of our states while the barbed wire tells a different story of confinement and oppression. The barbed wire is interesting since our American slogan is, "Land of the Free". Barbed wire is the very opposite of freedom.
ReplyDeleteI think that the picture represents that in America there are many restrictions for some people that do not allow them the same opportunities that other people get. The flag represents freedom but with it in barb wire around, it demonstrates the restrictions in the U.S.
ReplyDeleteFor people in countries around the world, many stricken with poverty and limited opportunity and employment, the United States of America represents hope and the ability to follow ones dreams. By deliberately replacing the simple stripes with barbed wire, which has an extremely negative connotation, the artist portrays a certain message about the true strengths of the country. When digging deeper into the connotation of the barbed wire, it can be connected to many past events that would rather not be repeated. One example of this can be found in photographs of concentration camps and ghettos during the Second World War, where innocent families and individuals were violently contained against their will by this evil, and often deadly, creation. Such connections bring question to the truth of the reputation of the so called "land of the free", arguing that it in fact might be the opposite.
ReplyDeleteI think this image symbolises freedom to everyone who is welcome in America. I also think the barb wire in this image symbolises the rough exterior to a great country.
ReplyDeleteI believe the flag in the center of the image is showing unity between all the states. The flag is acting as the good side of the image because it is trying to represent freedom, equality, and unity between all people living within the country. Ironically the barb wire in the background of the flag demonstrates a rather sour end of the picture. I believe that it is showing that not everyone has all those rights whether it be because of their social, physical, or spiritual differences. Thus taking away the liberty for a huge portion of the population. I think that is what the author is aiming at; the different liberties of different people and trying to eliminate any barriers between people in a country based off of unity.
ReplyDeletePERIOD 2
DeleteI think that the artist is trying to communicate a sense of irony through this artwork. America is supposed to be the home of the free, but in the past not everyone has shared this freedom. To this day, people are still treated unfairly and do not have equal opportunities. I think this artwork also puts across the sense that while people are legally free in America, they can still people oppressed by society and living their lives how they truly want.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how you brought up society. I was mainly thinking about how the government controls freedom but our society also plays a huge role in how much freedom we give ourselves. The people around us influence the choices we make, and that may not always be what we wish to do, but we do it to fit in. In a way, society limits our freedom, not just government.
DeleteI think that with this image, the artist is trying to portray that "America, land of the free" is in reality, "America, land of unequal freedom". The barbed wire symbolizes the fraud of freedom for everyone. I have always found it detestable that the founders of this country fought for freedom, yet they had slaves. Our country from the beginning has been hypocritical and ironic regarding freedom. Yes, we have vastly improved since the country was founded and more people have gained their rights and freedom. But is freedom really freedom if it's not for everyone? The blue square with the fifty stars shows a lighter side to the story. As a country, we have much more freedom that those that live in other countries and I agree; it still doesn't cover the barbed wire.
ReplyDeleteCam Kincaid, P. 1
ReplyDeleteI believe that the image is depicting the reality of American freedom. The barbed wire stands as a symbol of limited freedom within the United States. Examples in history include segregation and an example today is same sex marriage. Although America is thought of as a free country there are many instances in which government or society limits ones freedom.
Kerewyn Durkee period 2
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw the image it made me think that even though america is a free country however people are trapped unknowingly
Mr. Lamson. As a kid growing up east of the Cascades, with horses on my grandparents' property, barb wire was something I was familiar with; yet it was innocent, a simple cheap tool to mark a boundary. The animals I interacted with - our ponies, my grandfather's quarterhorse - had all met up with barb wire and pretty much looked at it as I did: a boundary, a full stop.
ReplyDeleteHow disturbing it was, and still is to me, to see pictures or to witness in person, barb wire being used to contain my fellow humans. Someone in these posts mentioned concentration camps, I think; and I'll just add to that how I've seen it in Israel/Palestine to separate and manage populations there. I also visited the Federal Prison out at Sheridan, Oregon, east of the metro area. That day, the rolls of razor/barb wire along the cyclone fencing glittered and gleamed in the sun as the guards examined our IDs and let us in and back out, a hateful business that stuck in my mind.
Last notes on my own impressions: "Cntrl -" zooms the screen out ... and out ... and it turns into white-speckled blue hankies on a red barb wire fence. How do distance and different points of view change "facts"?
Reed Bright p2
ReplyDeleteThe red on our flag is the blood spilt to get our freedom. I think the artist put the barbed wire on the red to show the actual lack of freedom that todays citizens have.
I see this as the struggles of getting out of the American dream. I see the wire as the restraint and struggle and the flag then of course representing the dream and America. I find it interesting that so many people saw this as a connection to war.
ReplyDeleteI think the artist is trying to portray the idea that, although the United States is a country said to be founded on freedom for all, it is really a nation that suppresses its own people and is terrified of others infringing. Barbed wire is used for one of two reasons-- to keep people in, or to keep people out. A nation founded on liberty for all should not have any use for barbed wire, yet in this picture the artist has blatantly displayed them as part of the american flag.
ReplyDeleteKiley Yuthas
p2
I liked and agree with your sentence when you say a nation founded on liberty should not have any use for barbed wire. Even the meaning of barbed wire is intimidating and when our anthem says all men are equal, be intimidating and distanced should not be a message we send out.
DeleteI think the artist is trying to tell us something about the American flag. It is showing how the United States was founded on the people who had to go through hardships for America to be what it is today! The color of red represents the people's blood who fought for our country. It's a nice image.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your statement. I hadn't thought about it like that.
DeleteI think the artist is portraying America and how we stand. America is a very strong country and that is where the barbed wire comes in, we keep ourselves protected with not only our strong opinions but also our military and forces. Though our nation is considered free and equal, I think we spend lots of time keeping ourselves separated and people out.
ReplyDeleteI think that this picture represents how America stands today as a country. The barbed wire symbolizes that we keep ourselves safe and protected. Even though the United States is said to be free and equal I think that some of the basic human rights are have been violated in the past. Even today not everybody has the same rights and are equal.
ReplyDeletePeriod 1
DeleteI think that this artist with this picture is trying portray how America is today and we stand not just as a country but as whole. I believe that the barbed wire resembles how we american citizens unite as one, are protected, and is safe. US has the rights of being free and equal and I think that even though we are protected by military forces, our rights have been violated in the past, and that not everyone has same and equal rights.
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
I agree with your comment, great comment
DeleteThe artist is shows with the barbed wire that America is strong and we are protected and safe. Also, for America to have the freedoms it has, it must be limited to some.
ReplyDeleteCharlie Hanson P.1
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is depicted to be a strong and guarded nation through the use of barbed wire becoming the flag. the wire also symbolizes how america as a while protects its people and its country while defending against any and all outside forces that would do it harm.
ReplyDeletePeriod 1
I am ridiculously late, but I am still going to comment. I think that the artist is trying to convey the fact that to some countries and people, america is freedom. But to other groups of people, the freedom is a fantasy used by america to take advantage of their desperation to gain more people that they will treat like slaves or prisoners.
ReplyDeletePeriod One
Marie Taylor
I think the artist is trying to show that America has limited freedom, the artist shows that with the wire. Some examples of limited freedom would be equality with everyone, gay marriage. Even though America is a free country there are still situations where the government and society limits peoples freedom.
ReplyDeletePeriod 1
Isabelle Szabo
I agree with what you said about the wires and how they symbolize restrictions!
DeleteThe artist is showing the restrictions to freedom that we have in America. The wire is symbolizing holding things in such as freedoms that certain people do not have. Although we have come so far in the subject of freedom there is still things that aren't shown as equal and i think thats what the artist is saying with the slight touch of restriction to the flag.
ReplyDeleteperiod 1
Hailey Marlton
p.s. this is late because i was not transferred into the class yet when you did this assignment therefor i did not know about it until now! thanks!