Don T Let That Shadow Touch Me Analysis

During World War II, the difficult task of raising money to fund the production of supplies for soldiers fell onto the U. S. Department of Treasury. In 1942, not long after America’s entry into the second World War, highly acclaimed artist Lawrence Beall Smith creates “Don’t Let That Shadow Touch Them,” which portrays an image of three young children playing on a field, while a shadow of a swastika closes in on them. This image becomes adopted by the U. S. Department of Treasury for official use as propaganda. The juxtaposition between bright colors and dark shadows and the wording of the catchphrase in “Don’t Let That Shadow Touch Them” criticizes adults’ irresponsibility and scares them into buying war bonds. The vivid red color of the little girl’s dress naturally draws the eye towards the center of the poster first. The young child clutches on to a doll which already falls halfway under the shadow of the swastika. The doll signifies her innocence and childhood and the shadow suggests that the war will cause a loss of innocence and a termination of her childhood. This appeals to the protective instinct within adults as it amplifies the danger of the little girl’s circumstances, using her worried facial expression to further stress the urgency of the threat of war. The red color maintains continuity throughout the poster by deterring …show more content…
Although the dark shadows incorporate a sense of dread into the poster, the intense yellow color and the capitalization of the words “WAR BONDS” diminishes the sense of helplessness and hints to adults that they can still do something to aid these children and their own children as well, thus bringing a peace of mind to adults. The phrase “Don’t Let The Shadow Touch Them” implies a warning tone which illustrates the fact that adults still have a chance at protecting the nation’s children, but they must act