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Andrew Vizcarra
Professor Malvin
English 114A
1 November 2015
Viet Cong or Viet Wrong
The feeling of being able to end the life of another without a trial is a feeling so strong
that it possibly cannot be argued. This picture shows the shooting of a Viet cong captain by a Viet
police chief. This picture is so iconic because it dates back to 1968 when Vietnam was at war.
The wide range of emotions can be seen and can explain a lot of what is happening. While the
sky and people look grey, the pain and suffering of a man who has brought the same torture to
others is being blasted close range with a bullet being brought to death. Hot wind blowing, dusty
particles flowing, the stench of a nose itching powdery dust, the ringing of a deafening noise
penetrating the air, while lead is making a pathway through dirty, and unforgiving flesh. For one
man to be able to take the life of another is a powerful decision that only such influences like war
could commit.
Bullets flying like the birds in the sky, the Vietnam war showed how easily a country can
have the ability to be brought down through violence. Every day, citizens cry and moan while
their homes collapse like a old and rotted tree house because of destruction. While memories are
burned like the wood in a camp fire, families are separated and killed by Viet cong death squads
for the reason of change. As wrong conflicts with right, the higher power of police departments

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hunt down these groups known as death squads like a cat chasing a mouse. The death of one
devilish bad soul, saves the lives of a million others.
The meaning of this photo is to powerfully show how one human being having the ability
to end the life of another for the purpose of reason and peace. Its significance is seen through that
this is a police chief killing a man who did wrong by painfully murdering and torturing innocent
families for the purpose of political reasons and power during a war. The reserved and
nonchalant face behind a frigid handle makes its visual meaning understandable through the way
both are dressed and are placed in the picture. The man with the gun is seen to be supported and
protected by a soldier along the lines of that of a brotherhood with his face of heated and
tongue-biting anger. Perfect timing and momentum of life ending pain can be seen, as if the blow
of a punch is being received, a stone cold bullet tears through the walls and structure of a human
head.
The photographer behind this world famous image was known as Eddie Adams; an
American photographer known for portraits of celebrities, politicians, as well as covering photos
of up to thirteen different wars. "In his more than five decades as a working photographer,
Adams received more than 500 awards honoring his work, including World Press, New York
Press, National Headliners and Sigma Delta Chi Awards. He didnt display that famous photo
from Vietnam, either. If hed had his way, that photo would never be released for publication
again." (EAW) Adams was also known for catching photographs of known people such as
Ronald Reagan, Fidel Castro, Pope John Paul II; Jerry Lewis, Clint Eastwood, Bette Davis; Big
Bird, and Mickey Mouse. Eddie Adams passed away at the age of 71 on September 19, 2004. He

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has left his mark on the world by leaving us with his unforgettable and mind moving
photographs.
As described through logos it works through logic, reason, proof, and anything that can
be absorbed unbiased through fact or studies/statistics. The link between this photo at logos is
that it is a picture taken from a time in history known as the Vietnam war. Eddie Adams famous
photograph of Nguyn Ngc Loan executing Nguyn Vn Lm was taken on February 1, 1968.
Also the proof behind this photo is that it has the aptness to explain the death and pain the man is
going through is for the purpose of reason. The power of the military/police enforcement can be
shown through the facial expressions of the man behind the gun and the armed soldier in the
background. As said by Molly Bang in Picture This: How Pictures Work, "It has shown some of
the ways that shapes and colors affect us emotionally." Relatable in the picture by Adams, these
men and their expressions with the actions being committed affect the reader emotionally
through shapes which are depicted by shapes and faces while also through colors such as black
and white. I believe this can be seen in the square shape given to man in the gun and the more
leaning, triangular shape given to the man being shot. This technique of shape to these characters
could possibly be a technique used to grab our attention and emotions. The coincidental choice
of a monochromatic scheme of black and white for this picture adds a more vintage and serious
feel to the picture while still being clear and powerful. Also what can be seen in the picture is the
way the diagonal road allows attention to be brought to what is happening. This can be explained
in Molly Bangs piece when she explains what depth and size of objects of a picture can do to
influence how the reader feels emotionally. As said by Bang, "Diagonal lines give a feeling of
movement or tension to the picture."

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The pathos of this image is seen by means of being linked through that it has gained a
powerful significance around the world and therefore earning the "Pulitzer Prize." As said on
Eddie Adams Workshop, "He remains one of the most published photographers in the U.S., with
his work gracing the pages of newspapers and magazines like TIME, VOGUE, VANITY FAIR and
PARADE. His career spanned journalism, corporate, editorial, fashion, entertainment and
advertising photography. Taken by Adams, this photo has continuously gained credibility and
is one of the most respected and mind moving images that can be found to date. Emotionally this
image has the facility to be moving, terrifying, teeth grinding, and heart breaking. After reading
the story and facts behind this image and its photographer, one's first impressions of the image
has the potential to be completely changed due to the powerful story changing the reader's
perspective. As a human being, shooting and killing another is never correct in any situation, so
the values and emotions behind the image could be seen as sad since a life is being taken. On the
other hand, once the story and facts are read, emotions and value drastically change due to reason
and the vivid language provided explaining the death of this man. Therefore, this picture is still
moving and disturbing, because a human is slaughtering another so vividly in this picture that it
cannot be given bias justice.
The ethos of this image is seen by the emotional link readers have with the image of a
one man being killed by another. While a life is being ended, the lives of others are being saved.
Through this image it can be seen that by the laid back facial expression of the police chief that
the decision made was not a hard one, and the bullet penetrating the face of the prisoner was a
possibly well earned one. Worldwide attention has been caught due to the images powerful
meaning and visual of one human killing another through reason and feelings. The story behind

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this image will be passed on for years to come with the use of vivid language to describe it and
its meaning.
The idiom, "A picture is worth a thousand words" is not only true but accurate in its
literal meaning. The way a picture can influence a culture is nothing new whether it be through a
jaw dropping photograph or even propaganda. For one man to be able to end the life of another,
is beyond words can describe and that's why this image has had such a great impact on society
through its deep emotion and object symmetry.

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Works Cited
Adams, Eddie. "5 Iconic Photos That Changed History | Toronto Star." Thestar.com. N.p., n.d.
Web. 25 Oct. 2015.
"Who Is Eddie Adams." The Eddie Adams Workshop. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2015. (EAW)
Bang, Molly. Picture This: How Pictures Work. New York: SeaStar, 2000. Print.

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Evaluation Letter
My process of writing this essay has gone in different directions. First, I changed my
picture about a total of three times, which has made me change the way I thought and structured
my essay. In the end, I chose a very powerful and easy to talk about image. I first wrote a rough
draft to start with and then had feedback from classmates and a tutor to help me finalize its
structure and separate paragraphs as needed. My strengths in this essay were being able to talk
about the picture and its history. My weakness for this essay was definitely finding structure and
setting up the essay in general. I have gone back and forth on whether to keep things together or
to start a new paragraph. My concern about this essay is that it was a somewhat difficult to write
if you do not have the right image. For future students I believe you should give them a list of
pictures to choose from and that allows easier selection and to have the essay go smoother
without anyone trying to write a four page essay with an image that isn't very powerful.