A nation 's identity not only represents the physical boundaries of the country but also the citizens living within the boundaries. Hesford and Brueggemann explore how the identity of a nation can be portrayed in memorials within "National Gazes: Witnessing Nations", whereas Adam J. Green focuses on investigating the complexities of identity within Canada and the United States through editorial cartoons in his essay "Mapping North America". In Ryan Edwardson 's essay "The Many Lives of Captain Canuck", he instead focuses solely on the struggle for a presentation of Canada that does not depend on American support. I will incorporate all three of these previously stated works into my essay as well as the photograph "Standoff at Oka" as I discuss
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The differences in values within the community can cause tension and conflict because individuals feel protective over their land because that is their physical connection to their country. Within "Standoff at Oka", both subjects stand out and seemingly do not belong in the setting. By comparing the tense foreground of the two Canadians ' stares to the calm and out of focus background of green foliage and tree trunks unease appears to be the dominant atmosphere. However, the inclusion of the still and seemingly endless forest suggests the possibility of peace which contributes to the "consensual hallucination" (Edwardson 185) of Canada 's boundaries also being endless which initiated the conflict of which this photograph exemplifies. The assumed absence of boundaries in Canada is the reason why this officer and Mohawk warrior are disputing and is also why Canadians can struggle with feeling as though they belong. Furthermore, in the middleground of this photograph a second Mohawk protester is shown wearing similar garb to Brad Laroque but appears to be alone. Despite the outnumbering of Mohawk warriors versus Sûreté du Québec officers no individual appears to belong in this setting more than the other. The blurry background and focus on Cloutier and Laroque …show more content…
Dominance can be found within both subjects of the photograph "Standoff at Oka" by analyzing their stature and physical appearance. Laroque appears to be slightly taller than Cloutier, stocky, and is slightly leaning towards the young soldier which can show the Mohawk protester 's personal power. In contrast, Cloutier expresses an understated authority by standing erect with a stoic expression and by meeting Laroque 's masked eyes. Without representation of their identities which can be expressed through facial emotion, both individuals ' perceived "power" is less influential, similarly to the perception that Canada "is a nonentity, and is entirely subsumed within an American world" (Green 135). Individuality can be analyzed in "The Standoff at Oka" by observing the third party perspective from which the picture was taken. Having an outsiders viewpoint demonstrates the absence of personable qualities of each of the subjects. Cloutier and Laroque could be easily replaced by others involved in the land dispute which devalues their presence within the picture and also parallels to the "project[ion of Canada] as a kind of unidimensional entity" (Green 143). Furthermore, both of the subjects ' clothing shares the purpose of trying to blend in or to hide, yet they are both recognizably different; Cloutier wears sand coloured army fatigues while Laroque dresses in
The differences in values within the community can cause tension and conflict because individuals feel protective over their land because that is their physical connection to their country. Within "Standoff at Oka", both subjects stand out and seemingly do not belong in the setting. By comparing the tense foreground of the two Canadians ' stares to the calm and out of focus background of green foliage and tree trunks unease appears to be the dominant atmosphere. However, the inclusion of the still and seemingly endless forest suggests the possibility of peace which contributes to the "consensual hallucination" (Edwardson 185) of Canada 's boundaries also being endless which initiated the conflict of which this photograph exemplifies. The assumed absence of boundaries in Canada is the reason why this officer and Mohawk warrior are disputing and is also why Canadians can struggle with feeling as though they belong. Furthermore, in the middleground of this photograph a second Mohawk protester is shown wearing similar garb to Brad Laroque but appears to be alone. Despite the outnumbering of Mohawk warriors versus Sûreté du Québec officers no individual appears to belong in this setting more than the other. The blurry background and focus on Cloutier and Laroque …show more content…
Dominance can be found within both subjects of the photograph "Standoff at Oka" by analyzing their stature and physical appearance. Laroque appears to be slightly taller than Cloutier, stocky, and is slightly leaning towards the young soldier which can show the Mohawk protester 's personal power. In contrast, Cloutier expresses an understated authority by standing erect with a stoic expression and by meeting Laroque 's masked eyes. Without representation of their identities which can be expressed through facial emotion, both individuals ' perceived "power" is less influential, similarly to the perception that Canada "is a nonentity, and is entirely subsumed within an American world" (Green 135). Individuality can be analyzed in "The Standoff at Oka" by observing the third party perspective from which the picture was taken. Having an outsiders viewpoint demonstrates the absence of personable qualities of each of the subjects. Cloutier and Laroque could be easily replaced by others involved in the land dispute which devalues their presence within the picture and also parallels to the "project[ion of Canada] as a kind of unidimensional entity" (Green 143). Furthermore, both of the subjects ' clothing shares the purpose of trying to blend in or to hide, yet they are both recognizably different; Cloutier wears sand coloured army fatigues while Laroque dresses in