What if the argument is not a written statement? What if the argument is visual?
For this exercise, watch Serj Tankian's music video, "Empty Walls," and analyze his visual argument. Write down some of the scenes/images that stand out to you.
If you are unable to view the video, watch it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N8n4-lNTIU.
In your comment, address the following questions:
1. What is Serj's argument? What is he trying to say with this video?
2. What images/scenes/visual examples does he use to explain his argument?
3. Do the visual images help to strengthen his argument or do the images distract the viewer from the argument?
4. Since this medium includes both a visual and an audio argument, how do the lyrics work with the visual argument? Do they reinforce Serj's argument or distract from it?
5. What is the effect of the video's argument? What impression did it make on you, the viewer? Was the argument effective?
Include your name in the comment to receive credit.
1. Serj’s argument is that war kills people, and he is not in favor of the war. He also argues that nowhere in the world is safe.
ReplyDelete2. He explains his argument by using children to demonstrate war. The use of children is supposed to make his argument stronger because the use of children is an emotionally sensitive topic. The events take place at a playground, which argues that nowhere in the world is a safe place.
3. The images distract from his argument because the viewer watches the images, instead of paying attention to the lyrics. The viewer is possibly horrified at the images of the children fighting in a warlike sense.
4. Do they reinforce Serj's argument or distract from it?
The lyrics work with the argument. They use emotionally sensitive vocabulary to help the viewer feel the argument in the emotional sense.
5. I didn’t necessarily agree with the argument. I was slightly appalled at the use of children to make his point. I think that it was an effective argument for some viewers, especially viewers who are easily swayed.
-Jessica Branstetter
1. Serj doesn't approve of the war. He doesn't want the kids to see how cruel war can be.
ReplyDelete2. He shows kids playing war at thier daycare center and how war effects them. This gives the music video a more of a different touch by using the kids and it shows how war really does change things.
3. At first its hard to tell the argument but, once the people keep watching the music video the argument becomes very clear.
4.I think the lyrics work with the visual arguement. It says the empty walls probably meaning the empty feelings or lack of knowing what is going on. Without the video I wouldn't know that the song was talking about war. So the visuals help get the point across.
5.The video just proves that war effects everyone even little kids. They see it on tv and think it is a game and they play it. The argument i believe got it's point across really clear. At first it was hard to figure out the argument but by the end of the video it was clear. Without the video I don't think I would know that the song was talking about the war.
-Julie Swaringim
1. Serj is protesting war, but he also thinks that americans should know what is going on. "don't you see their bodies burning?" He wants people to know that people are dying in war.
ReplyDelete2. Serj's video uses children fighting to show the images of war. Using children puts more emotion into the video.
3. I think the visual images do help the argument. Just listening the the song would not have given me the full explanation that the video did.
4. the lyrics work with the video.
5. Serj just wants people to not be stuck "behind those empty walls" which i think means he wants people to understand what happens at war and not be ignorant. This video did have an impression on me. I think the video and lyrics both have an important message people should know.
Shelby Cundiff
1. Serj through his song argues about the ill effects of war. He condemns war.
ReplyDelete2. The song is picturized on small kids in a day care. The picturization helped the song in reaching to wider audiences. The song also highlight a point that even the kids are affected by the war. There is no safe place in the world.The message is loud and clear. The way the mature topic is dealt with is commendable. The contrast between the lyrics(emotional and mature)and picturization(on the kids) makes it interesting.
3.Though the picturization provides a strong sense to the song, it distracts the viewer and makes it hard to concentrate on lyrics.
4.The lyrics justifies the argument. They stress on the lack of emotion and compassion in the world.
5. The video's argumnet was unsettling, it makes us think about the adverse effects of war. War has polluted minds of young kids. The video provides extra platform to create awareness against war. I think the argument is effective.
Sheetal Joshi
1. Serj's argument is that he disagrees with war. He is trying to say war effects everyone.
ReplyDelete2. He explains his agrument with small children playing war with eachother. To put children in the video make it a stronger argument because each person that is fighting in the was is someone's child.
3. The visual images help the viewer grast the agrument.
4. I think the lyrics and video strengthen each other in his argument. I would have not known that the song was about war with out the visual. Yes it reinforces Serj's argument.
5. The video show that war effects everyone. It made me sad that he used children, but it wa effective.
Ra'Chel
1. He is trying to say that war is bad and he doesnt support it.
ReplyDelete2. He shows little children "playing" war, shooting eachother with silly string, breaking down doors, with high tech equipment, and kicking down the door and well as an actual military funeral at the end.
3. The images help to strengthen his argument.
4. I think the lyrics work with the visual argument. They have a deeper meaning and make you think about the world as he sees it. The visual however really made me understand the lyrics.
5. The video showed me that war doesnt just affect soldiers, but it affects everyone. By using kids in the video he really got his point across. It made me sad and think about all of my friends fighting in this war. This was a very effective argument.
Kendra May
Ra'Chel, you raise an interesting point. I never thought about it that way, but you're right. Every soldier in a war is somebody's child, just like these kids playing war are somebody's children.
ReplyDelete1. Serj is showing that he disagrees with the war. That kids should not be exposed to it.
ReplyDelete2. He uses the kids to re-enact the war in a playground set. And at the end he uses the soldiers putting a casket in a car to show that war doesnt always end well.
3.They somewhat help but at times are distracting.
4. They do both.
5. After I figured out what it was about I was annoyed at it. The argument did not affect me at all, I think this video is dumb.
Ashley Morse
1. he thinks war is bad
ReplyDelete2. shows children but i think a pretty crucial point was the house scene which was innocents dying
3. the visuals definitely help his argument
4. the lyrics strengthen the visuals
5. i think he got his point across. this song will hit harder than most other songs because any normal song will show soldiers in war and that wont hit as hard as kids fighting
Kale McCoy
The war in Iraq seems to be the focal point of his argument. From my understanding, Serj is from Armenia which is a very war strikken country. He understands that war accomplishes very little. Serj uses the toy airplane crashing into the block towers to sybolize 911. The kids busting doors open and raiding houses shows what takes place in Iraq on a daily basis. The images definently strengthen his argument. The lyrics work with the visual argument by describing the bad side of warfare. The lyrics/visual also strengthen his anti-war movement. The effect of the video argument was to oppose unnessisary war. The impression I got was a considerate, effective feeling that certainly got the main idea across.
ReplyDelete-Michael Solomon
1. His arguement was that war is bad and destructive. It kills and hurts poeple
ReplyDelete2. He uses the children in warlike scenes which is kinda disturbing to some viewers so it shows that nothing good can come from it and that its bad
3. It strengthens his arguement because nobody wants to see children fighting at such young ages
4. The lyrics explain wht the children are doing and reenforce what he is saying
5. This video definatly showed how he views things. But it is kinda a low punch using kids. Its not like there is ever going to be a time without war. The world is far from perfect. I just kinda think its dumb to do a video like this when there are people fighting and putting thier lives on the line for thise who don't appreciate it.
Jamee Ramsey
1.) Serj Tankian does not approve of war. He argues that even children are affected by war. The video shows the children acting out the scenes everyone sees on today's news channels. He also argues that these children will eventually grow up to be adults and were teaching them from empty walls. Are we teaching our kids how to handle war, and are we leaving behind a chaos for them to clean up. They act out what they see but no one explains to them that it is not okay and it is very real. He argues everyone is affected by war one way or another and at the end of the video the children see the cruelty of war.
ReplyDelete2.) He uses the boy hitting the little's tower blocks with an airplane to represent the September 11. The little girl seeks revenge and "kills" the boy. It shows the children bringing down a huge teddy bear showing an example of "it's okay to take down the government as long as it is for the betterment of the people. It also represents the people in europe bringing down statues. He shows the children playing with guns, throwing balls (bombs/grenades) and running cars into buildings to blow the place up. He also uses the children as a sense of "What will our children become? What are we teaching them?" Everyone is effected by war whether we like it or not.
3.) They definitely help strengthen his arguement in many ways: showing children for relating war within the film and placing the airplane and twin towers. The visual images help tell his story.
4.) "Don't you see their bodies burning
Desolate and full of yearning
Dying of anticipation
Choking on intoxication"
These lyrics show the cruelty of war and helps his argument.
5.) I've always knows this song was about war but the video hit so much harder because it shows that our children are effected by war and one day will have to lead our society.
oops forgot my name
ReplyDeleteRobbi