Article 5

I think much of what we witnessed at 2 disaster memorial site was to show us what occurred at the time of the disaster and the circumstances that created this horrible devastation in the area of what is now the memorial park. I also appreciated how much they emphasized that everyone at the memorial was buried and commemorated together, regardless of race and class, showing that in death everyone is equal. What was not really discussed however were the people that were left alive and what they had to deal with after earthquake and the air bombing.
This picture struck me because it showed what those who were left alive had to cope with afterwards. There are what appear to be farmers or lower to middle class citizens clearing the area of the dead. Their faces are twisted and there hands are covering their faces. It is difficult to determine whether this is from the unbearable stench or from their mourning, possibly both. After the disasters, especially in this time period, there is no sterile or way to distance yourself from the debris and remains of the area. The survivors had to personally clear away their dead in order to rebuild their city.