WP1: Statement of Purpose

We have all had experience in our past English classes with analyzing and pointing out the significances of numerous short stories, novels, and even poems that society has labeled as “classic.” One in particular that comes to my mind is “Fire and Ice” by Robert Frost. From experience, I know that these literary works get torn apart, piece by piece, and each piece is examined very carefully so as not to miss anything the author may have been trying to tell us as readers – because the author is ALWAYS trying to tell us something; even if he says he is not (i.e. Mark Twain in the preface of Huckleberry Finn). Sure these written texts may be “classics” and may be most suitable to be studied in the setting of a classroom in which English and literature is taught, but who is to say that the same intricate analyses and vigorous researching that is done to come up with the author’s intent of the poem, novel, or other literary work cannot be done with a work from a different genre – perhaps from the genre of photography? It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and that being said, every picture tells a different story. This story is written by the photographer and is carried out by the people or the objects that are within their photograph. Therefore, each photograph, just like each literary work, embodies a specific significance and purpose, and it is our duty to study each and uncover the “authors’” hidden intents.

In accordance with the aforementioned deductive argument, I have selected a photograph from an online photo gallery called ‘Through the Eyes of Children’. This online gallery consists of dozens of photographs taken by nineteen of the older children and adolescents of the Rwandan Imbabazi Orphanage. The photos in this gallery were taken with 35mm disposable cameras, and only until the year 2005 did they begin the use of digital cameras. This in itself creates a special aesthetic unique to the gallery and to each photograph taken. This aesthetic is also further created by the sheer knowledge that all of the beautiful photographs were in fact captured by children of the orphanage.

The photograph I have selected from this gallery is entitled Fishing and was taken by a young man named Twagira. I have analyzed this photograph very similar to the way in which I have analyzed literary works in the past, and through my analyses and observations, I wish to comprehensibly and successfully express to my classmates, my English professor, and anyone else who may come around to reading my blog post (via certain resources such as a third party or by simply seeking out their own interests through an internet search engine) the argument I have composed that I believe this photograph distinctly embodies. This picture captured by Twagira expresses that the people of the Imbabazi Orphanage of Rwanda are incontestably small compared to the struggles they face, but are still significant, in control, and are able to overcome these struggles especially when supported by people who care for them. Specific elements such as coloration, framing of the scene, and visual hierarchy are used to illustrate this social, personal, and emotional argument and appeal to pathos.

I understand that my audience will need specific and relevant support for each observation I make in an effort to interpret my argument effectively, so I will embed the photograph itself in the blog post in hopes that my statements will be further supported and comprehended by my audience. I will also avoid any personal accounts of opinion or anecdotal statements so as not to derail my audience from my main argument and lose my professionalism in supporting it.