If a dog hears a rustle in the backyard at two o'clock in the morning, he will run outside and identify the mysterious noise. Similarly, if a dog hears someone splashing and screaming for his life, it would seem unusual if he did not respond immediately. Perhaps in this instance, the painter was trying to communicate how inconsiderate society is. Portraying just the people as idling would not have conveyed the point well enough; …show more content…
The purpose of creating the paining was not to narrate the story of Icarus, but rather to emphasize society's downside; he just happened to use this particular myth to portray his point. One example that comes to mind is the story of the Good Samaritan. Several people just passed by the suffering man without stopping to help him. They claimed that they did not want to get involved or be seen helping the man because they were embarrassed. This story is similar to the situation in the painting because while the man is drowning and fighting for his life, the people go about their days as if nothing is going on, as if they are blind and do not see what is happening. A supporting explanation is that people are just too arrogant and self-centered to stop what they are doing and save another's