Ground Zero Summary
Cortia Henry
Journal entry 2
ENGL1010-106
9-26-11
“Ground Zero” In the essay “Ground Zero”, written by Suzanne Berne, the author makes her claim on how the empty site that was once the New York World Trade Center, is more visible with the adjusted eye without the tangible existence being physically there. The absence of it is said to be much more potent and looking at “nothing” is in fact “something”. However, the eyes of every visiting viewer fixated their undivided attention on the vast space of the site that resembles your typical construction platform. The acts of curiosity, horror, and grief depicted in the minds of people refills the space of that historical disaster. As a result, those horrific events penetrate through their thoughts causing them to relive the moment the disaster occurred and you can actually see the images of buildings collapsing, the falling of towers, the loud wailing of sirens, as well as running office workers. To know that such devastation happened in that very spot is known as unbelievable, but the reality of it all is its absence. To not see with the human eye the true effects of its occurrence was dissatisfying, yet it provided a broader prospective on what happened September 11th. Overall, my reaction to the essay was disturbed. I could picture the fear in those victims’ eyes and their terrible cries for help. I could see the unbearable senses of despair ripple through their hearts like an ocean wave. I could imagine the pain of those families who have to go day by day without the sight of their love ones ever again. It’s heartbreaking to even recall such tragedy knowing how many lives have been ripped away from the Earth in just a matter of seconds. Suzanne Berne’s descriptiveness throughout the essay really conveys how realistic and treacherous the events were. Her points were very valid therefore I agree, because just like her I feel that evidence doesn’t have to remain in order to imagine the events that
Journal entry 2
ENGL1010-106
9-26-11
“Ground Zero” In the essay “Ground Zero”, written by Suzanne Berne, the author makes her claim on how the empty site that was once the New York World Trade Center, is more visible with the adjusted eye without the tangible existence being physically there. The absence of it is said to be much more potent and looking at “nothing” is in fact “something”. However, the eyes of every visiting viewer fixated their undivided attention on the vast space of the site that resembles your typical construction platform. The acts of curiosity, horror, and grief depicted in the minds of people refills the space of that historical disaster. As a result, those horrific events penetrate through their thoughts causing them to relive the moment the disaster occurred and you can actually see the images of buildings collapsing, the falling of towers, the loud wailing of sirens, as well as running office workers. To know that such devastation happened in that very spot is known as unbelievable, but the reality of it all is its absence. To not see with the human eye the true effects of its occurrence was dissatisfying, yet it provided a broader prospective on what happened September 11th. Overall, my reaction to the essay was disturbed. I could picture the fear in those victims’ eyes and their terrible cries for help. I could see the unbearable senses of despair ripple through their hearts like an ocean wave. I could imagine the pain of those families who have to go day by day without the sight of their love ones ever again. It’s heartbreaking to even recall such tragedy knowing how many lives have been ripped away from the Earth in just a matter of seconds. Suzanne Berne’s descriptiveness throughout the essay really conveys how realistic and treacherous the events were. Her points were very valid therefore I agree, because just like her I feel that evidence doesn’t have to remain in order to imagine the events that