The Falling Man - Richard Drew

I'm taking an English class on September 11 and it's contemporary literature, and the discussion last class was around this photograph. The apparent zen-like positioning of this man's body is striking and in strong contrast in context. "The Jumpers," or so called by the media in 2001, were quickly willed away by the media and viewers, almost in attempt to erase them and their impossible decisions they made on that day.

"This photographer is no stranger to history; he knows it is something

that happens later. In the actual moment history is made, it is usually made

in terror and confusion, and so it is up to people like him -- paid witnesses -

- to have the presence of mind to attend to its manufacture."

He works for the Associated Press as a photographic journalist. It is

not up to him to reject the images that fill his frame, because one never

knows when history is made until one makes it. It is not even up to him to

distinguish if a body is alive or dead, because the camera makes no such

distinctions, and he is in the business of shooting bodies, as all

photographers are, unless they are Ansel Adams."

-"The Falling Man," Tom Junod

here is more information on the subject

The man's identity was also an issue. Should we try to find out? What could we gain from knowing this information? Personally, I think this photograph is better served as a symbol. Knowing his identity would only shift the meaning of the photograph to his personal story, rather than all of the stories he is sharing by remaining anonymous.