Krystal Sims

A worker makes firecrackers at a factory for the upcoming Diwali

festival, on the outskirts of the western Indian city of Ahmedabad

October 8, 2011. Firecrackers are in great demand ahead of Diwali, the

Hindu festival of lights, which will be celebrated across the country

October 26. Deepawali or Diwali is certainly the biggest and the

brightest of all

Hindu festivals. It's the festival of lights (deep = light and avali = a row i.e.,

a row of lights) that's marked by four days of celebration, which literally

illumines the country with its brilliance, and dazzles all with its joy. Each

of the four days in the festival of Diwali is separated by a different

tradition, but what remains true and constant is the celebration of life, its

enjoyment and goodness. Each day of Diwali has its own tale, legend and myth to tell.

The first

day of the festival Naraka Chaturdasi marks the vanquishing of the

Background Information:

demon Naraka by Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama.

Amavasya, the second day of Deepawali, marks the worship

of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth in her most benevolent

mood, fulfilling the wishes of her devotees. Amavasya also

tells the story of Lord Vishnu, who in hisdwarf incarnation vanquished the tyrant Bali, and

banishedhim to hell. Bali was allowed to return to earth

once a year, tolight millions of lamps to dispel the darkness and

ignorance,and spread the radiance of love and wisdom. It is

on the thirdday of Deepawali — Kartika Shudda Padyami that

Bali stepsout of hell and rules the earth according to the

boon given byLord Vishnu. The fourth day is referred to as Yama

Dvitiya(also called Bhai Dooj) and on this day sisters invite

theirbrothers to their homes.

All the simple rituals of Diwali have a significance and a story to tell. The illumination of homes with lights and the skies with firecrackers is an expression of obeisance to the heavens for the

attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace and prosperity. According to one belief, the sound of fire-crackers are an

indication of the joy of the people living on earth, making the

gods aware of their plentiful state. Still another possible reasonhas a more scientific basis: the fumes produced by the crackerskill a lot of insects and mosquitoes, found in plenty after therains.

The audience of this piece is definitely to the people of Diwali; all the ones who believe in

and participate in the festival.

Who do you think the audience is?

To me the focus was the pink firework and I believe this is the focus because they have such strong beliefs toward these fireworks once they are fired off during the festival. Also, this is the focus because these fireworks mean a lot to the people of Diwali because this is something that has been going on for millions of years, and it has to be important if they still have not yet to cease this tradition.

What do you think the focus is?

When the picture is

altered in this way I

think we can seewhat the focus

reallyis. The light beamsfrom the fireworkthat is put

togetheris the only

differentcolored beam,

whileall the other

beamslet off the sameshade of color.

Focus!

What do you think the logical appeal is?

Logos

The logical appeal is the significance behind the tradition, they understand how important the fireworks are to those four days and the significance behind them. Also, you see that they get the pieces of the fireworks but make them their selves, this makes the fireworks even more memorable, significant, and traditional to them.

Logos…

What do you think the emotional appeal is?

Pathos

The emotional appeal for this picture really only stands

out to the people of Dawali because they haveparticipated in the festival and they have lived

throughthis tradition their whole lives, therefore, to

them this isa special feeling to them; this tradition is apart

of theirlives. The fireworks let of this light that they

believebrings love and wisdom and washes away all

the bad andignorance.

Pathos…

What do you think the epithical appeal is?

Ethos

The epithical appeal is definitely directed to the Dawali

people as well. They would know the creditability

behind the work of art because they know the tradition,

they understand how important the fireworks are to

those four days and the significance behind them. Also,

you see that they get the pieces of the fireworks but

make them their selves, this makes the fireworks even

more memorable, significant, and traditional to them.

Ethos…

When there is no color, does it change the entire significance of the picture?

Yes, with no

color the picture’s

significance is most

definitely altered.

Without the color I

don’t think the

importance of the

fireworks are

symbolized anymore.

Just looks like a

regular picture of

someone making

fireworks. Also,

without the color the

appeals are very much

different. When the

one firework has color you get the logical

appeal that

these fireworks mean something, they stand out for something, however, without the color there Is no meaning to the fireworks they are just there. With the color the epithical appeal is the meaning behind the fireworks and the festival, but without the color you don’t even think twice about there being a meaning to the fireworks. You don’t have much of an emotional appeal to the picture at all unless you understand it or you are from Diwali, however, once the color is gone there is definitely no emotional appeal to any of it.

The colors are being juxtaposed in this picture. Foremost,

you have the pink contrasted with everything else which is

black and white. But then you can tell certain parts are

darker in the black and white than others. Where the hands

are placed, right below them where the shadow of the

hands is, the pieces of the fireworks have a darker shade to

them. Also, I think that the hands kind of look like one is a

dark skinned woman and the other is a white woman

because with all the dirt on the hands one still looks darker.

I think this could be significant because it could suggest that

everyone of their kind is coming together, and no matter

color or race they want everyone to join them because they

strongly believe in the tradition. They want all the bad,

hatred and negativity to go away and want everyone to see

there is no reason to hate each other, that is why

we should all act as one.

What is being Juxtaposed?

I think the artist only included the hands, first,because of what I said earlier I believe it is twowomen's hands. Second, I think the hand with

thetie around the wrist is a woman from Dewali

andthe other hand could just be someone who

wantsto experience what they do and just check it

out.Third, if the bodies were included it would

depictthe significance of them making their own

fireworksbecause the focus would no longer be on thehands.

Why do you think the artist did not include the persons body?

Last, I believe hands can show a lot of thingsabout people and here I think these handssymbolize security with each other, friends andfamily, tradition, bringing in the good and

lettinggo of the bad, and simply quality.

Dave, Amit. "TIME LightBox." Time Magazine. time photo department, 7 October- 14 October 2011. Web. 16 Oct 2011. <http://lightbox.time.com/2011/10/14/pictures-of-the-week-october-7-october-14/

Das, Subhamoy. "Diwali: Festival of Lights." about.com. About.com Guide, n.d. Web. 16 Oct 2011. <http://hinduism.about.com/od/diwalifestivaloflights/a/diwali.htm>.

"Diwali Festival 2011." Festival Pig. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct 2011. <http://www.festivalpig.com/Diwali-Festival.html>.

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