TOW #1 - The Falling Man

The Falling Man An Unforgettable Story, written by Tom Junod, analyzes a picture taken on September 11, 2001 of a man jumping out of one of the Twin Towers. Tom Junod is an American journalist that writes for Esquire. He received two of the most prestigious awards in magazine writing - the National Magazine Awards from the American Society of Magazine Editors. Junod uses rhetorical devices well in his essay. He writes about other jumpers, saying that “they look confused, as though trying to swim down the side of a mountain. The man in the picture, by contrast, is perfectly vertical, and so is in accord with the lines of the buildings behind him” (par. 1). The metaphor allows the reader to visualize what is happening to the people falling, but also contrast the falling man from others that fell, explaining why the photo is so profound. Junod also uses pictures to separate paragraphs. He puts the pictures in chronological order of the man falling to show exactly what he is writing about. The audience includes those who want to know more about the photo of the falling man. Many people argue against showing the falling man as it can be an extortion of his suicide. Junod writes that many newspapers, “were forced to defend themselves against charges that they exploited a man's death, stripped him of his dignity, invaded his privacy...” (par. 8). However, Junod argues in his conclusion that, “The picture is his cenotaph, and like the monuments dedicated to the memory of unknown soldiers everywhere, it asks that we look at it, and make one simple acknowledgment. That we have known who the Falling Man is all along” (par. 52-53). Junod believes that to honor those who fall one should look at the picture and realize what the jumpers did on that fateful day. The author accomplished his purpose well. He showed the opposing argument - the families that were disgusted by the photo - and also explained why he believes that the photo should be seen. This text convinces the writer to look at the picture and respect those who have lost and have a greater understanding of what happened on September 11, 2001.