Monday Matters #3

Visual Rhetoric!!

     This photograph was taken by Carol Guzy in 1999, and shows a young boy named Agim Shala, 2, being passed over a barbed wire fence of a refugee camp in Kukes, Albania to reunite with his family after an attempt to escape the conflict.
      The colorful picture shows very bright and vibrant colors, almost bringing some happiness to solemn situation. Also, the fact the young boy is in bright blue in the center of the photo brings our eyes to him, since he is the subject of the photo. As he is passed through the sharp wire fence, we get a feeling of concern for Agim to be returned safely and imagine what he has gone through up till now. Also, the faces of the people help us to understand the context, as the people receiving him are smiling and seem overwhlemed with joy to have the boy returned to them. The dull gray sleeves of the men passing the boy over also make them seem more cold and solemn compared to the bright clothes of the boy and the house on the other side, showing a sense of hope for Agim and a small victory for his family as he is returned to them across the fence. Additionally the bright blues and greens of the sky on the horizon, as well as the sun coming just over the mountains sparks a sense of hope for the coming times.