Monument Dbq

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Monuments are a tangible representation of a historical event or a person. However, not every statue, building, or park can be a monument. By doing that, the inherent value of each monument would decrease. It is a complex task to decide to memorialize a person or event. The purpose of the monument comes first and foremost, and must not be forgotten by the board or group. That is why a group proposing a monument must consider several factors before memorializing a person or event by creating a monument. The group should first determine whether the event or person in question works in harmony with the historical context of the proposed location. From there, the group should determine the public opinion to see if there is a reasonable amount …show more content…
Before memorializing a person or event, the group in charge should determine whether the historical context of the event fits in conjunction with the context of the site. There was controversy regarding installing a Holocaust museum in Washington D.C. because "[it] would be built in the United States, who did little to stop the Holocaust from occurring" (Source E). The historical significance of these events need to be considered because of their complexity. The Holocaust was undoubtedly a significant event that should be memorialized, but America's actions from the past and the present contradict each other. The site holds a great deal of meaning as a monument is wrapped in symbolism and cannot be neglected. Another example of this is apparent in the Crazy Horse Memorial. One author describes it by saying, "it was hard not to be impressed, even moved, by this effort to honor the memory of a people this country once tried mightily to erase" (Source C). This memorial sits near Mount Rushmore and is cognizant of the history of the country and how it has treated Native Americans in history. That location was significant to the aims of the memorial because of the context provided by the existence of Mount Rushmore, which symbolized America and how it did not care about the Sioux people living there previously. The newer memorial considers this context and has a …show more content…
If a group or agency does not consider the proposed design of a monument, its meaning could be lost on its audience. When a Holocaust museum was proposed, its design was initially rejected. The Commission said "the massive building would overcome The Mall and take away from the main purpose of the museum, which was meant to be a place of remembrance" (Source E). As the Commission stated, there is a risk of destroying a monument's purpose with the wrong design. The proposed design would dwarf visitors and cause them to feel overwhelmed instead of reflective. A board must keep the relationship between the audience, design, and purpose in mind when approving memorials or the memorial will lose its potency. One designer wrote about her conscious effort to reflect the purpose of the memorial in her design. She wrote, "The two walls were positioned so that one pointed to the Lincoln Memorial and the other pointed to the Washington Monument… I wanted to create a unity between the nation's past and present" (Source G). Her design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial shows a careful attention to the design. This is shown in the placement between two already significant memorials to show the connection between America's past and present and how everything coexists in a monument. Visitors can see the purpose and it is not hindered by the design; rather it is
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