Analysis: The Immigrant Mother

Good morning Mrs/Mr and classmates.
A person’s life path is ever changing ever evolving every action or inaction, every event; decision will change things even if it’s only in an insignificant barely noticeable way. The two texts, the article “like a horror movie” and the visual “ the migrant mother” use different technologies and language techniques to convey the concept of changing lives.

Both texts represent two different situations that have severely changed the lives of the people in the article and the family in the photograph. They both had a stable life where they were sheltered under a warm roof, but then lost everything they owned and became homeless. “How would you feel if you lost everything you’ve worked for in mere seconds?” it is an unbearable thing.

Although each text uses different language features, they both depict the hurt and sufferings that the people have faced. The article uses witness’s account, factual
and emotive language whereas the photograph uses visual language, namely, the character’s facial expressions, texture and focal point. To start with, the photograph uses mainly visual language to present a family that is suffering from extreme poverty and it also depicts the determination of the mother to do her best to care for her children and to endure through difficult times. The different textures used in this photograph such as the woman and children’s clothes that are dirty, tattered and frayed at the edges represent the social and economical status of the mother that suggests that she does not have the means to keep herself and her family clean and provided for. Isn’t this image powerful in conveying her harsh situation?
Her dark eyes that are focused on something in the distance, and her eyebrows that are pushed together in a way that seems that she’s trying to see a better future somewhere in the distance. She is looking for answers, not giving in to despair. Even the presence of a photographer taking a picture of the mother does not distract her attention. She has more important things to think about. “ Would you be able to endure through these difficult times without giving up?

The most notable detail that indicates the sufferings that this family has had that changed their lives extensively, is the extreme amount of emotions displayed on the mother’s face that is represented through the worry lines on her forehead and the wrinkles on her face. Which depicts that she went through extremely hard time by losing everything she worked for and left with only memories that remind her of what she used to have and what she used to be.

The composition of the figures in the photograph suggests the mother’s importance. The mother is at the centre of the photograph, just as she is at the centre of her family. Which is clearly shown from the way her children are resting against their mother. She is responsible for the survival and well being of her children. Doesn’t this photograph clearly convey the sufferings that this family went through?
The migrant mother is homeless and displaced in a foreign environment without a shelter to protect her and her children.
It is hard to imagine the level of poverty and struggles that this family is suffering from.

Similarly, the article, “ like a horror movie” depicts the sufferings and the horror that the earthquake survivors have faced after the destruction of their town and the loss of their beloved ones. These people have become homeless after the destruction of their houses. The article uses different language features than the photograph, however, it also conveys clearly the hardship that the earthquake survivors have faced.
The emotions of the survivors regarding the loss of their beloved ones and their own injuries and the impacts of the earthquake on their lives are conveyed through the journalist use of witness’s account “ Everyone around me was saying things like, it hurts” “ my right leg was pinned by something so I couldn’t move” “ as we were eating lunch there was a major shaking, and suddenly the floor
fell”.

Emotive language such as “ devastating” “ crushed” “horror” “ feared” and “ worried” are used to evoke our emotions, and to make us empathies with the survivors and victims. The captivating stories of those who did not survive will always stay in our minds.

This article present stories of people that have lost their family members, friends and colleagues also stories of people that got injured and became disabled. Can you imagine the way you would feel if you lost your beloved ones or if you lost an important part of your body? Would you ever be able to forget about it?

Although each text used different language features they both pertain to the concept of changing lives. The mother’s distraught look on her face, which looks tired from all the struggles that she has faced trigger the same emotions as the strong emotive language used in the article such as “devastating” “ hurt” and “crushed”. As I read the tragic stories of the survivors, that they have shared in the article and contemplate the photograph of the migrant mother I truly felt concerned for these people that have lost everything they have, and I am sure that you would feel the same. Thank you for listening to my speech.