The Statue of Liberty has had a significant effect on the society to the extent that it has become part and parcel of the lives of people in its surrounding. Any visitor in New York City would think that this statue is just a little work of art, but to the residents of this City, it is a symbol of freedom and Independence of American people. According toHansen. pp. 2, serves as a great reminder of the attainment of self-rule in the United States (U.S).The inception of the statue came about during the end of the U.S Civil War in 1865. The intention of its foundation was to promote the values of the Republicans and the prevent France from being a monarchical state. At the time, no one anticipated how this statue would have so much significance to Americans and the entire world population. This assignment analyses the statue by giving its historical significance.
The statue was a gift from France to symbolize independence of US. It was wholeheartedly accepted by the Congress after a joint peace resolution (Burroughs. 299). The statue is made of a woman facing France instead of America. One would expect a symbol of a liberal nation to meet their country. It is logical that after being set free by your oppressor, you would never want to look at them. This is usually an act of fear, though. The fear that if you look at them, they would come back and oppress you. To Americans, it shows the greatest sign of bravery by having the sculpture facing the very nation that they were at war with. This is an indication that they are free and would never go back to the state they were in initially. It also serves to remind the new generation that once in their lifetime their trouble was caused by one nation. However, through toil, they gain independence and can now enjoy being at liberty. Facing France also reminds the governance of France that their enemy is not afraid of them and would face them head on again would an opportunity for war arise. In a nutshell, it acts as a warning to France and assurance of stronger nation to the dwellers of New York and the US at large.
The statue has a crown which stands for leadership. The country is free to rule of its people and even to rule other nation. The king at the head of the woman stands for the ability to rule not the only US but the world as a whole. It portrays the US as a powerful country with a crown that no any other nation can take away. The woman carries a book which looks like a scroll in her left hand. This is an indication of the readiness and ability to execute power and judgment on the people. The scrolls in the early Egypt where this idea was brought was meant for teachers and leaders(Hansen.2). The U.S as a nation is portraying to the whole world that they are ready to teach everyone and anyone who cares to look at them.
The best thing about the statue is the fact that the woman is holding a touch on her right hand. Liberty enlightens people, and this is what the torch stands. A freedom that shows people the path to follow when all things seem lost. A look at the period after the war, the nation was in the wreckage, and there was a great need to rebuild what was already broken. This could not have been achieved without a leader showing others the light. The U.S became so dominant because they were able to take the first step towards rebuilding their broken pieces and bringing everyone together. The other countries had no option but to follow in their steps thus becoming inferior to them.
Women are always motherly and loving, therefore, having the statue made of woman signifies that the nation will be governed by principles of love and great care for every single citizen of the country. It shows that with democracy, never again will the country and the entire world suffer at the hands of iron-fisted tyrants who care less about their subjects. Thus, the statue shows the beauty of democracy and joy of being the best leader ahead of the others.
In the aftermath of the 2016 Presidential Elections in the United States, the Statue has been cast into the limelight following the election of Donald Trump as the president. When he banned immigrants from seven Muslim countries from entering the U.S, the media has thrust the Statue in the limelight as a reminder of the foundation of the country: liberties, justice and leadership. The resistance movement against the executive order have used the statue as the symbol of their resistance especially when the ban was suspended by the judiciary. Ultimately, the Statue has been used to subtly promote the message of justice and world leadership; highlighting the judiciary’s move towards pushing the executive to stand up and show leadership to the country and the world at large.
The Statue of Liberty has been used in many media platforms during discussions of freedom. It is symbolic and attracts many tourists to the New YorkCity. The media uses this symbol to advertise America to the rest of the world thus attracting visitors. The sole purpose of doing this is to draw economic benefits that come due to the flow of tourists. The Statue of Liberty has become a great brand with which the country passes messages about its core values and beliefs to the rest of the world. The statue provides a very warm welcome to all citizens of the US who are returning home. This Statue stands out as the most towering and reputable landmarks in the United Sates (Barret 1)
Work Cited
Brett Hansen. Enlightening the World: The Statue of Liberty. American Society of Civil Engineers. July 2007. Pp. 1-3.
- Burroughs & Richard A. Blondo. The statue of Liberty Deed of Presentation. Social Education. Sept. 1992. 56, 5. Research Library. Pp. 299
Barret, Newt. Why the Stature of Liberty offers the Best Brand Promise for America. September 11th, 2009. Pg. 1