Richard Drew, September 11, 2001.
The Falling Man image and documentary wiki page HERE.
For our discussion on Tuesday, read and ponder the following questions:
In your opinion...
1. Do we need to know who he (the falling man) is?
2. Why were people angry, and why did society "recoil" from this image? (Why did "heroic" images prevail?)
3. What exactly is the (specific) controversy regarding this picture?
4. Some have said that this image tells an integral part of the events of 9/11 and that it must be told/seen. Do you agree?
5. Do you see this image as an image of "bravery?"
6. Is this image "too personal" to be shown? (Is it now 'safe' to view this photograph because it is now history?)
7. The woman at the end of the documentary says, "I hope we're not trying to find out who he is, but rather who we are." What does she mean by this?
8. She continues by saying, "The power in the photograph comes from not being able to identify him." What does she mean by this?
9. Richard Drew says, "The camera is a filter for me." What does he mean by this?
10. This photo disappeared when news agencies/publications self-censored their coverage of 9/11. This brings up a larger question: If events are censored, who decides the history that we learn? Is self-censorship an acceptable practice in journalism?
As a comparison, here is the image that has come to define 9/11 in our public consciousness. It's placed next to the well-known photograph of the US soldiers:
