In Sally Mann's Photograph, Candy Cigarette

I remember waking up in the morning to the smell of cigarettes. After getting dressed, I would walk to the kitchen to eat breakfast and always found my uncle perched out of the window smoking a “Marlboro Red” cigarette. As we walked to school, my younger brother would often mention to me how neat it would be to smoke a cigarette, “too bad we’re not older” he would always add. As I walked into class and sat down I would always imagine myself as an adult smoking “Marlboro Red” in a shiny red convertible Corvette. I came to the conclusion that being older naturally came with its perks. Many children relate to my experience of wanting to mimic those who are closest to us. Although we all are visually stimulated by what surrounds us and even by our closest family members; children are more vulnerable and sensitive to this kind of stimuli. In Sally Mann’s photograph,” Candy Cigarette”, the common issue that we see in children that is, their desires to rush into adulthood
is displayed through the use of symbolic elements, expression, and background.
Sally’s photograph is rich in symbolism. For example, the path the children stand on symbolizes a course she is choosing to walk away from. As the children continue on their pathway to enjoy their childhood, Jessie decides to reroute her life by rushing towards adulthood in search of an adventurous grown up avenue. Therefore, missing out on the experiences of childhood. In addition, Jessie’s sister symbolizes uncertainty; she is unsure whether to follow her brother’s path and continue her childhood or follow her Jessie’s and begin to chase adulthood. Another form of symbolism is found by examining Jessie’s backless white dress. Although Jessie’s dress color represents purity and innocence, the backless portion of her dress contradicts this, signaling to the viewer that her innocence has been lost. The dress also implies that Jessie is trying to achieve adulthood by expressing and channeling her sensuality. Lastly, Jessie’s photograph gives us one last piece of evidence, which supports the fact that she is changing her trail from childhood to adulthood, the watch on her right hand. This watch symbolizes the time she is spending on chasing her desired adult life, and also gives us a sense that she is trying to achieve the level of responsibility that is expected from an adult.
In Sally Mann’s photograph, a couple forms of expression are present.
For one, Jessie is looking directly at the photographer. She is well aware that she is being photographed but craves for the camera to capture her “coming of age”. Jessie holds the cigarette confidently; her facial expression is in discontent as an adult whom smokes regularly would appear. Jessie’s worn down posture are much like an adult’s whom is exhausted from a casual routine day and wants to catch a break. Jessie’s slouchy posture also illustrates the hardships that adults undergo, although she has not yet experienced this. She holds the cigarette between her index and middle fingers as if she were holding up the universal peace sign much like a professional would which illustrates mimicking her angle image of a smoker. Finally, Jessie’s hair is much different than that of a normal girl of her age her hair is loose and appears as if she had just gotten up from bed. Jessie’s hairdo, expresses her desire to appeal to men (or
women).
The photograph’s lighting seems dim, and it appears to take place in the afternoon. However, the black and white color of the photograph makes it seem as if it is a distant memory of Jessie’s. Perhaps a memory that Jessie has that she remembers from her younger self and how she regrets to have chased an adult life while still young. The pitch black background and blurred image of her brother creates the feeling a vague remembrance of both the environment and her brother. The brightly lit colors of her skin and the details of her own image project her ability to clearly picture herself when she decided to walk on her life changing path. Overall, the lighting and details display the photographic memory that Jessie remembers throughout life.
Photographs can be as powerful as any piece of literature. The use of elements create depth in a photograph that can be understood by sight alone. Sally Mann’s photography is a great example because it is full of symbolic elements, expression, and atmosphere which is clearly displayed in the “Candy Cigarette” picture. The photograph’s abundance of elements creates profundity and serves as a canvas for the beholder’s imagination. Mann’s message in this photograph is that children shouldn’t rush to grow up because growing up isn’t as rewarding as a child’s eye perceives for it to be. This photograph even includes some irony because Jessie’s body language illustrates the hardships that comes with being an adult, but children still continue to blindly chase it.