A Youngster Clutching His Soldier Father

By: Madison Manion

Background informationThis photo was taken in December 1944.

It was produced by The Office of War Information.

The purpose of this picture and many others like it was to convey positive messages of the war to everyone.

I believe the audience was intended to be all Americans. The Office of War Information was trying to convey positive messages about the war to people and showing that men are able to come home for the holidays could be uplifting to a lot of them.

AudienceWho do you think the desired audience was for this picture?

Point of ViewWhat do you think the intent was for this photo?

I think this picture was created to gain support for the war. This picture makes it appear that all men come home for Christmas, it shows the good things that are happening not the bad.

FocusWhat appears to be the main focus of this picture?

I believe the focus is the child. In the picture he is the only thing that you can see all of. Also the picture seems to be taken from a low angle which helps draw your eyes to him.

DetailWhy is it significant that the photographer omitted the soldier and his wife from the photo?

I think the soldier and his wife are omitted because it helps show that the war affected everyone of all ages, even small children like this boy who probably didn’t quite understand what was going on.

IronyDoes it seem ironic that the Office of War Information sent out a picture like this when they were trying to convey a positive message of the war?

I believe in some ways this could be kind of ironic. They wanted to send a message to the public that men did in fact come home, but at the same time they are showing how this negatively effected people like children who were probably overlooked during this time.

LogosIn what ways does this picture appeal to your logic?

Logically everyone knows that a lot of men do come home from war for various reasons. We also know that not every single soldier comes home for the holidays and some never come back at all. So this picture is logical.

EthosIs the creator of this photo credible? Why or why not?

Yes I believe the Office of War Information is a credible source. They are a government organization and in bad times of war they tried to keep people’s heads up by showing them the positive things occurring like the soldiers who did get to return home for the holidays.

PathosHow does this picture make you feel?

It makes me feel sad. The boy seems to be the last thing on his fathers mind. All this little boy wants is some attention from his father who has been gone for who knows how long. I’m sure the soldier missed his wife and his son, but he could acknowledge them both at the same time that way the boy doesn’t feel neglected and neither does his wife.

BibliographyA Youngster Clutching His Soldier Father. 1944. Photograph. World Digital

Library Home. Web. 17 Oct. 2010. <http://www.wdl.org/>.