Artifact 7

This picture depicts an image of a young, tattered boy, holding a gun. It is a

picture from the war in Libya. It is probably some sort of civil war or a war between
neighboring countries, like with Egypt or Algeria. People and allies from though
countries are probably participating. Clearly young children are participating. What really
stands out to me is the boys facial expression. He is holding a real gun and living in a
time of war and yet he doesnt look afraid or sad or even worried. He looks confident,
like he knows what hes doing and hes going to do it, like the gun belongs in his hands.
Clearly this picture is meant to shock you. You are intended to stare at it in horror
and awe and wonder what circumstances that boy wound up in to find himself in the
picture. It presents the reality of certain situations that most people dont know about.
There really is no underlying message. It is very clear what the picture is trying to say
without even analyzing it. It strengthens the truth of war. How its beautiful, terrible,
horrifying, and amazing. It see someone so young holding a gun with so much
confidence is all of those things.
Seminar reflection:
For me I dont think there are any truths to war. It is an indeterminable subject in
which only people who have experience in it will ever know the truth. Some people
think that war is great while other would do anything to stop it. For example, that guy
who set himself on fire during the Vietnam war. However, I could agree with Andrew
who said that war is a mix of everything good and bad. It can be beautiful and horrifying
just like how the Tim OBrien explained in his story The Truth of War. It could be really
easy to make assumptions about war. Maybe it is quite necessary for our development
as a species. The thing that I can most connect to war is a natural forest fire. Forest
fires were meant to happen. The help keep the forest ecosystem in balance. At first, it
looks like a bad thing that is desmation the forest however, it is really helping the life in
the forest. Whether or not it helps us the most true truth of war that see, is that war is a
global fire.