Journal #7 Rick Davidson Juxtaposition

My picture is a scene so normal many people would pass it and not give it a second glance or even a stray thought. Some may even see a weed; maybe the lawn maintenance didn’t spray well enough for weeds or just simply missed one. Most people would see only a little clump of grass squeezing, pushing up between the bricks but if you stop and really look, you’ll see perseverance, patience and strength. These people are looking only with their eyes and are easy to fool. I wanted to emphasis perseverance by showing one case of nature winning over manmade structures; no matter how small the win.
Let’s describe what is in the photo. We see an abundance of bricks, pavement, and metal. All these are laid out in a way meant to create order. The only real characterization shared by the bricks, pavement and the iron grating is rigidity, relentlessness and permanence. The colors of the items dominate the photo. If we don’t see the rusty red of the grate we see the baked red of the bricks or even the grayness of the pavement. Only one color stands out. Green.
The grass is within a desert of reds and gray. The unyielding bricks have not quite defeated the plant although it is stunted. The grass persists in growing no matter the consequences or obstacles hindering it. The grass’s easily curving shapes is an affront to the rigid manmade lines of iron within rock. The grass is insignificant compared to the number of bricks. The grass has no rules to follow; it simply does what makes it was meant to do: Grow.
The persecuted within the stories we’ve read have all been ruled over by the ones with power. As I’ve said in previous journals, the victor writes history and the ones with power will use it. The persons with power within our readings have been cast as antagonists. I, however, want to discuss The Sunflower. I want to use the image as a visual metaphor
The similarities between Simon and grass are astounding. Both were oppressed, Simon by the Nazi regime and the grass by the bricks. The grass wants only to grow while Simon wants only to be free. Also both the grass and Simon are survivors. Sadly by survival they are alone. The grass seems to be ignoring the bricks just like Simon left Karl in silence. The grass and Simon are outnumbered by comparison. The grass and Simon share the same qualities: perseverance, patience and strength
Similarities exist between the brick and the Nazi soldier Karl. Karl was a soldier in the extremely rigid Nazi army while the bricks are part of a bigger structure. Karl, within the army, could do nothing besides fall into line. Could the bricks have any other choice? We know Karl is ashamed of his actions. But why are the bricks blushing red with shame? The Nazis almost succeeded in genocide within their country ridding themselves of Jews. The bricks cut off the light, soil, and moisture grass needs to live creating the effect of “grass-ocide”. The bricks and Nazis (we can let the Nazis stand in for Karl through association and participation) exhibit the same characteristics: rigidity, relentlessness and permanence.
. The association of colors to emotions is well known. If we use the color of grass, green, when get the emotion envy. But why is the grass envious? The grass wants the freedom the bricks have. What color are the bricks: red. Red is associated with shame. The bricks are squeezing the life out of grass and are ashamed for it. Was not Simon envious of the Sunflowers and freedom the Nazis enjoyed? Wasn’t Karl ashamed by his participation of mass murdering of Jews?
Juxtaposition works well to convey these ideas. If the picture had the same little wad of grass but within a rolling plain pasture you couldn’t have seen the beauty of the grass. The beauty of the grass is shown by its perseverance. Perseverance is nothing until it is tested. Rolling plains wouldn’t have put our clump into any hard situations like the oppression of the bricks pavement and iron grates. The juxtaposition highlights the qualities of our clump of grass so you can better see them.

(I copy pasted the whole word document (including picture) but I don't know if picture will post also. I also don't know how to post the picture other wise. Sorry.