Growing up
in Texas, I never got to experience the big trip to Washington D.C. where your
parents or school introduces you to all the major American memorials and
monuments. I have driven and walked through D.C. many times for art history
field trips, allowing me to see the sites we visited from a distance. However,
seeing the monuments up close and examining all the small details provided me
with a completely different experience. I was able to pick up on the
surroundings, other visitors, scale, and many other aspects of the sites. Because
I could finally take my time and an analytical approach to the monuments and
memorials, my connection felt deeper and heightened my emotions.
For me, the
most significant part of the field trip was the relationship between actual
people and the site. For instance, we passed a large group of veterans as we
left the World War I Memorial. Many of the veterans wore hats or other sorts
of adornments that indicated what war they fought in and their achievements. It
was at this moment that I felt goose bumps all over my body because of the
great deal of gratitude, respect, and other emotions that I gained from seeing
these veterans in such close proximity to the memorials meant to thank and
honor them.
On our visit to Arlington National Cemetery, I was able to observe different sort of interaction between a person and a memorial. Throughout most of the day, I paid close attention the visitor’s reactions at each site. However, at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, I witnessed the changing of the guards, which is a tradition or ritual that is an active part of the memorial. These guards devote immense amounts of time and sacrifice a lot to be a part of this ceremony, but they show absolutely no emotion throughout the performance. There was no clue as to what the guards were feeling or thinking even though they have such a strong connection to the memorial. The meticulous nature of the performance allowed for long periods of silence, leaving audience members to reflect on both the changing of the guards and the memorial. At the end, I was left deep in thought about soldiers as individuals and the immense devotion to the memorial exhibited by the guards.
Great comments about the importance of visiting a site and the relationship between person and a memorial.
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