As I listened to Adams’ composition I found myself lost in the music and my thoughts, while other times, I felt completely aware of every compositional choice he made. While I am not näive enough to think that I knew what was running through Adams’ head when he composed his piece I just wanted to share a few thoughts.

First, I noticed a few major changes in style. While the piece initially starts out as spoken, and street noises, perhaps to indicate the initial shock of the events of 9/11. The basic human sentence structure and communication used by newscasters is symbolized in the simple words used to communicate early in the piece.

Next, the piece moves into a dirge, like a march, symbolizing the constant reminder that exists in the smoldering ruins following the September 11 attacks. This march-like composition leads into a requiem truly “In Memoriam” of the victims of the attacks.

Later on, the piece transitions to include sounds that resemble cutlasses, which reference the quick, seemingly unfounded battles we entered into following 9/11.

Although these points stood out to me in my notes, there were so many other things which could be interpreted from this piece. As I previously stated, there were times I found myself lost in the piece, just as sometimes we lose sight or memory of the attacks on September 11. Then, just as in my daily life, there is a point in the composition which strikes me to remember the events that took place on 9/11.

Finally, the great thing about handling a composition of this size, is the ability of every person to draw something different from it. I look forward to hearing what parts of the piece spoke to which people.

I know a blog post isn’t mandatory today, but I felt it was necessary to say something since we’ve been discussing 9/11/01 so much these past weeks.

Ten years ago, the United States was brutally attacked by one of the most evil forces this world knows. Many lives were lost, and even more were mentally and emotionally injured.

One decade later, we remember those men, women and children who lost their lives that day. And we look forward to the future.

Whether or not we (or future generations) will remember 9/11 as we do today isn’t the question. It’s how will we decide to live our lives and move past that tragic event while paying respect to it.

To quote a character from the television show LOST, “I’ll see you in another life, brothers.”

God rest the people who have died due to terrorist attacks, and God bless the United States of America.

As members of an international community, us Americans are marred by many tragedies in our lives. But the greatest tragedy of America (or any nation for that matter) would be in forgetting these events. Our “forgetfulness” not only disrespects those that perished untimely but also sugarcoats our fixable weaknesses. In the end, our “forgetfulness” would spell out the untimely fall of our nation.

Although I do agree with Rieff’s assertions that memorials have negative impacts on our society, I see it impossible to try to forget them. It is usually through these hard times, that people become closely bonded. Simply ignoring the reality of these events, entertains the possibility of a weak nation comprised of people who share no kindred. Could there ever be a government (or even a citizen) in such a nation?

At the same time, however, there is also a necessity to view these events with a grain of salt. After 9/11, many innocent immigrants of Indian heritage were often viciously attacked and isolated simply because of a loose similarity (as simple as skin color) to the extremists responsible for the fall of the twin towers. It should be said that this cruelty is also seen in many other occasions, one being the persecution of the Japanese in World War II. Like Rieff, I believe that we lose our rights to democracy once we let ourselves fall victim to the propaganda within memorials because we are compelled to take an act of vengeance to even odds.

Though the clarity of history will often be blurred by influences of different interpretations, the canvas of emotions will always be captured in a memorial. There is no way to comfort someone like Oskar Schell, in Foer’s Incredibly Close & Extremely Loud by telling him that “it never happened.” What Reiff misses is the fact that these events often pull heartstrings that resonate deep within our souls.

Sometimes these strings could vibrate for generations. While it may be true that we are being subliminally bombarded by political mind games, it is also true that we have the option of ignoring these suggestions. This does not take copious amounts of focus; it only takes a shift in how we view things. Instead of the “eye for an eye” style of life, we will be much more productive if we share our pains and seek comfort in the family that America is.

I am glad that Adams wanted to achieve a majestic feeling to the music when he started writing it. When I think of the aftermath of death, I think of a heavenly presence-something different than the loud and busy lives of today. After reading through the passage I understand why Adams would link the papers falling from the towers with the “congregated” souls that one would imagine in a large cathedral. The papers falling can also symbolize the number of souls that were lost (or fell) from the towers. These souls can float like the souls in a cathedral. The sense of awe and of something mystical would take control of a person as they stood in the cathedral or outside the towers watching them fall.

I also like the fact that the piece had limited words. Emotions can be said by words, but sometimes, only the language of music can truly express it. Adam’s lack of words in the piece remind me of how many Americans were also at a loss of words when the twin towers fell. The surprise and amazement we felt was not of goodness but of concern and of panic. Yes, we watched the towers fall in amazement but during and after the event everyone was still unable to answer the simple questions of “how” and “why”.

One must understand that to forget is natural and a necessary part of life. If we did not have the ability to forget, then humans would not survive this largely harsh and brutal world. It is our ability to forget events, no matter how traumatic they may be, that allows us to reign over this planet as the dominating species. However, Rieff makes a rather clear and explicit point when he says it’s been ten years since 9/11 and many of us still have not even begun to forget this. This is, in my opinion, dangerous and potentially problematic, as not allowing ourselves to let go of the thoughts could lead us to harboring unwanted and unnecessary thoughts.

We must understand that when we force ourselves to remember 9/11 every single day of our life, and we forcefully try not to forget it, we are also inviting unwanted thoughts into our minds. For example, after 9/11, a concept I’d like to call “religionism” erupted. While racism is discrimination based on the race, religionism is discrimination based on religion. Many of us started inviting hostile thoughts about Muslims throughout the world and started acting strangely and suspiciously around Muslims. Such shameful thoughts could potentially lead us to act in a manner that is not only inappropriate, but ultimately illegal. It is when not being able to forget gets to this point that one must finally have the volition to forget.

In addition, it is important to understand that when we forget about an event, particularly something as traumatizing as 9/11, we are not letting go of the importance of that date, nor are we letting go of the people who died that day. Rather, we are training our mind in such a way that this day does not hinder us from our daily activities and does not impede us from successfully completing our lives. This is one reason why memorials are so important – they remind us that 9/11 happened and that we will not dare let go of all the people who died that day. By enacting memorials, we are able to live our lives normally and remember the tragedy of the day and mourn for those who died that day.

Oskar Schell is both a complex and irritating character to interpret. To call him precocious would be a vast understatement – a nine year old boy who’s able to roam the city by himself and who asks questions with such profound depth is difficult to find; in fact, it’s almost unrealistic. Why does Foer assign such abnormal traits to a young boy who undergoes such a normal tragedy? Critics have argued that Oskar relates to all American constituents who lost a loved on on September 11th, but is this really the case? Why is Oskar so different? Rather, is he really all that different? I contend that Oskar, while ostensibly strange and bizarre, is a relatable character on multiple levels.

For one, Oskar like most children (including myself) – imaginative and always concocting inventions in his head. For instance, Oskar imagines a kettle that would sing “Yellow Submarine” in the opening of the novel, and much like Oskar, I was also a kid whose imagination assuaged personal distress. For Oskar, his imagination of things that clearly aren’t real is an escape from what is real – in this case, his father’s death and inevitably, his own death. Haven’t we all resorted to our imaginations during times of tragedy? When my grandmother passed away, I invented a machine in my head that would bring her back to life; a machine that could be used once a year to bring someone back to life – a machine only for me and no one else…and I was 16 at the time. Oskar is only nine, which underscores the relativity of his character. Oskar is inherently a spacey and inquisitive boy who isn’t afraid of his own thoughts. He doesn’t stifle his curiosity in fear of disapproval. He resorts to imagination to abate his agony and he fires away with questions when something doesn’t make sense to him. He doesn’t necessarily think before he asks questions, just like most kids don’t. Oskar is the epitome of an average child in terms of his behavior and in terms of his thoughts. Consequently, Foer creates Oskar in the image of children who had to grow up without a father or a fatherly-figure after 9/11. There is a little bit of Oskar in all of us if we examine closely enough.

Throughout life, there are many instances in which we remember things – intentionally and unintentionally – that we have been exposed to at some point in the past. Whether the experience occurred ten hours ago or even ten years ago, the simple act of remembering helps to shape our actions and decisions in the future. But what happens when we can no longer remember? Should we even allow ourselves to get to a point where the only thing left for us to do is forget? Rieff feels that this phenomenon is inevitable. In his opinion, as much as we try to hold onto the past, memories will eventually fade.

In the case of 9/11, most New Yorkers will agree that they will never forget about what happened on that sunny Tuesday morning. It is because of that tragedy that security has become stricter in airports, racial tensions have increased, and a great wave of patriotism has resurfaced among Americans. How could an event that produced such effects and changed the lives of millions simply be forgotten? In his essay, Rieff mentions a quote from George Santayana that states, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” If we are doomed to a future where no one understands what it is like to see our nation at its most vulnerable, I believe that it is possible that the national security could again be threatened. If what Rieff is saying is valid, and 9/11 will indeed eventually be forgotten like Pearl Harbor in this generation, then individuals in the future will lead normal lives, security may go back to the way it was before the Twin Towers came down, and no one would even entertain the idea of something like that happening again. Take Pearl Harbor, for example. The idea that tomorrow the Japanese could bomb Hawaii does not make sense to any of us. All of what we know about the 1940’s is what we’ve heard from history textbooks and our ancestors. The same is true, I believe, for 9/11 and the future American citizens.

It is of paramount importance that we continue to remember by participating in memorials, sharing our experiences with each other, and keeping the spirit of America alive. This sense of community and togetherness brought about by something as terrible as 9/11 is what makes so unsusceptible to the enemy. It is what builds an impenetrable wall of safety around the U.S. We cannot forget, because although Rieff believes that to remember is to harbor vengeance and anger, to remember is also to remain strong and unified. And that is what being an American is all about.

We talked in class about how memory is shaped around the pieces we remember, forming a composite idea that fades over time.  I couldn’t help but compare this to art, which is also influenced by our perspectives and can mean vastly different things to different people.  How artistic expressions relate to our lives also changes through different periods of life over time, all based on our experiences.

In a similar way, I think 9/11 affected people in many different ways.  Those who literally experienced it firsthand have vivid memories, like those who directly connect to a piece of art.  However, even people like myself who had never even seen the towers, much less know someone affected by it, will not directly connect.  Nevertheless, they will still respect the highly emotional nature of the tragedy (or piece of art).

Therefore, I somewhat disagree with Rieff’s assertion that 9/11 will be forgotten as memories fade.  The event might resonate differently to different individuals, but the powerful sentiments can and should still be felt.  Just as art can generate fervent emotions, memories can always be revived if they are constantly reflected upon.  9/11 will always be an intense memory for those who experienced it and saying otherwise, especially nearing the 10th anniversary is disrespectful.

Of course as generations pass the remembrance may lose its sensitivity, that is true for anything.  It doesn’t justify diminishing the rightfully strong feelings of those who are yet in the wake of the tragedy, nor does it make them less valid.

From Adam’s interpretation with “On the Transmigration of Souls” to the 9/11 memorial itself, there are many art forms with which to reflect upon Semptember 11th.  When observing these mediums, I believe people should not repress their genuine emotions, for this is when history is doomed to repeat itself.