American Soldier

A. What is the most powerful image from the slideshow? Why?

Answer: The photo at the end of the slideshow that shows Ian Fisher in a crowd of people with his girlfriend. This is the most powerful photo for me because he is being reunited with his loved ones.

B. Through the photos, Ian is in different locations, each set of photos from the same location comprise a short series or set. Can you tell where the sets are located? You should be able to pinpoint the change, please count each image and indicate where the change occurs, please use the little chart below to share with me on your blog where you think the breaks are:

Set 1- at home - Image #1 to Image #?
Set 2- basic training - Image #? to Image #?
Set 3- In Iraq - Image #? to Image #?

Answer: Set 1 - at home - Image #1 to Image #6
               Set 2 - basic training - Image #7 to Image #11
               Set 3- In Iraq - Image #12 to Image #17

C. Which set of images was the most powerful? Why?

Answer: For me, the most powerful set of images was Set 3, in which Ian is starting to experience the true life of a soldier. He has changed from the first two sets and is starting a  new life.

D. How do the images work together to tell a story?

Answer: They tell the story of how Ian goes from being a typical young adult in America, to a trainee, and finally to a soldier in Iraq.

E. For the photos in which Ian is the main subject of the photos, in what tense are the verbs usually written?

Answer: Present tense.

F: How do the captions enhance the photographs?

Answer: They added explanations to the photos, and the captions included missing details that the written article left out.

G: Ian Fisher was the ideal future soldier, physically fit and enthusiastic, doing it "for god and country". He was happy to get his high school diploma only because that way he could join the army. Before he left home, his friends and family threw him a goodbye bash. After a tearful goodbye, Ian met up with other recruits at the Denver Military Entrance Processing Station. While training went fairly ok for him, Ian was having many trials in his private life back home. His father was worried about him and he broke up with his Fiancee. 3 months into his deployment, Ian finally got the chance to wield his Squad Automatic Weapon. While he is fighting in a country that is already suffering, Ian says "I'm just in their country doing my job."

1. Ian Fisher was a regular teenager, until he joined the army and started his new life.
2. He wanted to join the military because he only saw it as a job.
3. Ian was not taking training too seriously and leaned on his gun.
4. His father was worried about him.
5. Ian proposed to his girlfriend, which resulted in them breaking up later.
6. Iraq made Ian a bit more serious and like a true soldier.