Columbine Shooting Effects

The failed bombing and subsequent shooting of Columbine High School in 1999 was one of the most eye opening and unexpected events of the 90s. All shreds of normalcy disappeared for teens and parents alike as a safe haven for children was turned shooting gallery. Many images that came out of Columbine were striking, heart wrenching, or maddening, but the image selected portrays one of the rawest emotions coming out of the tragedy: the unmeasurable amount of mourning and loss felt in the affected community. And sadly, Columbine was not the last event of its kind. There will never be a definite answer as to why this event happened, or why it had to happen, or even why it continues to happen; but the events leading up to Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold’s attack give some insight into the possibilities of why. Neither of the boys were popular, this may be …show more content…
Parents feared sending their children to school, teachers didn’t know what to expect, teens were hit with shock. This wasn’t something that happened, teens didn’t shoot other teens. Many memorials were erected in honor of the victims, some grandiose and many smaller like the one depicted in the flashpoint image. The flashpoint itself is a representation of what the mood these types of memorials had. Even the color scheme across the image dotted with warmer reds and yellows still feels melancholic and cold. The little boy, standing over one of the ⅓ lines, is one of two subjects of the photo. His face is hidden from the audience, lending to the lugubrious aesthetic, and his posture is slouched, he simply appears to be mournful. The second subjects are the roses, falling again on a ⅓ line, they create a partial frame for the rest of the photo as well as break up the harsh silver beam that cuts across. The sky is dark and ominous. These elements put together create a comprehensive account of the mood following the Columbine