Visual Vs. Symbolic Lanuage

This photo contains a lot of visual language. Initially we see a young boy dressed in a suit, crying. Behind the boy are standing figures with hands crossed, in formal attire; suits and uniforms. In front of the boy is a Naval officers of some sort, kneeling in front of the boy with a folded American flag in his hands. The Officers is dressed in his formal attire, with a white officer's cap, and white gloves. Just from these basic descriptions, the viewer may have the idea that the setting for this photo may be a funeral. The boy might be a son or relative of a soldier or officers. The Naval officer may be handing the boy a flag, commemorating his parent's/relative's, as a sign of great servitude to the country.

Responses:

Dispair, Sadness, Loss, Support, Commemoration, Ceremony, Tears

Symbols:

Folded Flag- shows patriotism, possible loss of a soldier, appreciation for servitude

Naval Officer (Hat and Gloves)- formal attire, shows that ceremony is for the armed forces

I think that the visual and compositional structure really ties the image together. The feeling of loss, sadness and dispair are all feelings that we can see through the young boy crying in the image. The visual responses of commemoration and ceremony are in response to the individuals in the image and the folded flag; The Naval Officer is represented in the image as someone that is giving support to the boy, consoling the boy for his loss, and the flag symbolizes the bravery of servitude for the fallen soldier, commemorating him/her.