Atomic War Symbolism

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Pages: 3

The atomic bomb provokes feelings of apprehension instead providing a sense of security and protection over the American people. In a 1952 comic, entitled Atomic War!, images of a deadly mushroom cloud along with crumbling buildings, plastered the cover. The title, written in large jagged letter, mimics trembling and quivering. The overall cover of the comic, with its fierce colors and graphic destruction of an American city, represents the fear of death at the hand of the atomic bomb. The jagged letters used, emphasize the level of anxiety the country experienced during the time period. Similarly, Snow, a narrative told by a young immigrant girl, conveyed a corresponding theme. Upon seeing “dots in the air” from a window, the narrator assumed …show more content…
The city being demolished, in the 1952 comic, displays New York City as the bomb’s first victim. The image of the bombing an iconic metropolitan area, forces a sudden realization that a similar situation can arrive at a moment's notice. The use of New York City, specifically, asserts another level of dread regarding the well-being of American culture. Statue of Liberty, located in the cultural capital of the nation, symbolizes freedom and democracy, principles deeply rooted in the foundations of America. The destruction of a city that houses a prominent symbol of America represents the death of the nation. Again, the narrative Snow supports the previous idea of understanding the devastation the bomb can produce. At a young age, the narrator grasped the damaging effects of the bomb, “imagine our hair falling out, the bones in our arms going soft” (----). Quotes like “ … to understand holocaust was in the air” and “the dusty fallout that would kill us all” express her knowledge of the potential demise of the nation by means of nuclear war. The likelihood of doomsday was present and acknowledged in the minds of the nation’s citizens, with age as a minor factor as demonstrated through popular