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Memorials

Something that I found interesting this week was the topic on what is an appropriate way to honor the dead and missing through memorials. This in particular was interesting to me because I never put much thought into different types of memorials and all the symbolism they embody. An example of a memorial that has meaning and lots of symbolism is the Korean war memorial because it was designed with many factors into consideration as well as three parts. Some key components to the Korean War memorial was the polished granite wall symbolized the mountains and how the trees were Korean, this symbolized the terrain and were the soldiers fought.


Another thing that made this memorial stand out is how it honored the dead and missing troops by symbolizing where they died. This memorial is unique because it is considered a cenotaph and it fits with where the soldiers died. In the passage, "Postcards from the Trenches," it describes a cenotaph as, "... A cenotaph is a memorial to someone whose corps lies elsewhere." This fits with the memorial because the troops that fought passed away in Korea, therefore they must be honored where they died and in this case Korea. Another notable memorial that was designed well is the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme at Thiepval because it functions as both a cenotaph and a catafalque. In Postcards from the Trenches, this memorial is described as, "While the dead body occupies a grave to which the living may attend, the missing body is marked by unoccupied space which the living may stroll." This characteristic makes the memorial unique and artistic while also being respectful. In all, the qualities that make great memorials such s the last two examples is how symbolism and architecture is used to pay respects to to the dead/missing.

Comments

  1. Matthew ChenSeptember 8, 2019 at 7:17 AM

    Good job Ajay! I really like the way you linked symbolism to memorials and then introducing us to a memorial full of symbols like the Korean War memorial. A big part of any memorial is definitely the symbols that honor the soldiers who served in the war. You also linked it to the passage we read in class which also talks about the meanings behind the memorial. Nicely done, my guy.

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  2. Alankar ShendeSeptember 8, 2019 at 10:21 AM

    You really took our class discussion on the Korean War Memorial to a deeper level. You explained the symbols with your own analysis while also including multiple quotes from the passage we read for class. It is also good that you included a picture of part of the memorial so the reader can precisely understand and visualize the context of your post.

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