Nov
2019
RCL 7: Falling Man.
I’m not sure about the popularity of this image, so it could be well-known. However, I find it particularly powerful and have always wanted to show more people the image.
This photo is from September 11th, 2001. It was caught on camera by a near standing photographer while the Twin Towers in New York burned after the attacks. As far as I know, this man has never been identified.
I have a few opinions and observations pertaining to this image.
The first is that this image is powerful because it shows a human need to escape death. This image portrays this man’s want to avoid a slow, painful death burning alive or choking on smoke, or any of the other terribly slow deaths that were experienced on that day. This man, decided to jump, as many did, and I think it could’ve been because of three reasons. These three reasons will be the rest of my analysis of this image.
I think one possible reason that many people jumped is that perhaps there was a chance of survival when they jumped. They may land on an awning, they may break every bone in their body and be paralyzed, but it was a life; a life to live with the family they have at home.
I think another possibility of why some made the decision to jump is because it would’ve been a quick and painful death, as I mentioned previously. They were looking at it as a quick way out of a horribly painful situation. I can’t say much more regarding this possibility because there isn’t much more to say without being graphic or insensitive.
Finally, a lighter or more optimistic view of why some made this choice. This is just my thought and it may sound weird. But, I think that maybe, knowing that they would die and not only wanting it to be quicker than what it was shaping up to be, but they decided to do something that they’d never gotten to do: fly. Wanting a faster end and wanting to feel free in their last moments, they decided to jump and free fall and fly and live in their last moments of doing so. I read a book once with the quote, which I’ve always loved, which says “everybody died but not everybody lives. I haven’t gotten my chance to live yet; let me live.” My proposition here reminds me of this. A time to live; a time to fly.