The audience is an important factor when dissecting media because the audience is not only the spectators or listeners. Ultimately the audience determines what is created and shared. The audience members' become media literate by understanding the role that different forms of media play in society. By questioning who created or publicized the message, what techniques were used to attract attention to the media, and finally what type of lifestyle, value, or point of views are presented a person has a better opportunity to completely understand the media. In an English class setting the audience refers to whoever is reading your material or the people you are trying to reach. For example, the main audience of this blog are the freshman in English 101 section 0404.
This picture of Emmett Till's mutilated body were published in many newspapers and many people called for justice. This rallied justice for Till soon turned into support for the killers. After sparking media attention a public funeral was held. At the funeral the photograph of Mamie Carthan, his mother, was published. The photograph appealed to the people of the late 1950s and 1960s. The picture of her crying by his coffin sparked debates nationwide about the rights of Blacks. It finally provided the African Americans of the South a visual voice for the accusations of mis-justice they were so adamantly preaching.
Trayvon Martin was often compared to Emmett Till because of the graphic nature of his death. This photograph of Trayvon Martin laying dead in the grass was show on many news stations, including MSNBC. The photograph of his corpse was taken from the George Zimmerman trial. By showing this image on such a large platform this photograph was widespread to the general public. Many people debate on whether such a graphic image should be displayed to the public. The audience of the photograph of Trayvon Martin's parents crying at the rally was the first image of the parents that received a lot of media attention. Trayvon Martin became a person with a family instead of just a boy in found slain in the grass.
-Amber Ebanks
These pictures manifest the connection between the two situations even more. These are both tragic stories that should be publicized to the world so that nothing like this ever occurs again. Still cannot believe these things actually happened to innocent people.
ReplyDeleteBoth pictures demonstrate the similarities between the past and todays society. The idea that racism never fully faded, can be gathered through the analysis of both situations. It's terrible that these societal problems are brought to our attention through such horrific events.
ReplyDeleteIt is uncanny how similar these two pictures are. Even today some racism lingers. I really wonder how many of these occurrences have to happen before racism is finally dead.
ReplyDeleteI agree that both of these pictures are similar. The killing of two young african american boys decades apart both simply because racial discrimination. These images demonstrate how although time has passed some issues still remain .
ReplyDelete-Jade Hackley
these pictures are definitely similar but I feel that the picture of Emmett Till makes more of a point. both show the end result of tragedies. However, the photo of Emmett Till shows how bad the situation has come, that people could beat a boy so bad his face is completely unrecognizable for such a petty reason as flirting with someone.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that a similar racially stimulated scenario occurred over 40 years later to Trayvon is astonishing. George Zimmerman being acquitted caused quite a stir, however; what happened to Emmitt was significantly worse and would not be tolerated in this day.
ReplyDeleteI think was also interesting to note is that in both situations the people that committed the crimes did not face any punishments for their crimes.
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