Regarding The Pain Of Others Susan Sontag Summary

In the short story of, “Regarding the Pain of Others”, we see the author, Susan Sontag writes about how images are a powerful influence on the world and people around us. She uses many examples throughout history to back up her ideas. Such as on page 650 when she talks about how images of diseased and cancerous lungs are being placed on the outside of cigarette packs in Canada. This is so the owner of the cigarettes understands what can happen if smoking becomes a serious habit. Also to give the viewer the feeling of being responsible for what happens next.

She takes a very interesting approach to what it means for a photo to represent something. Sontag is telling the reader to imagine all of these key points in history and gives excellent
Sontag mentions how there are very few photos from that time that were taken. Acknowledging that without these photos we lose a certain connection to the past (our roots, page 652-653). Sontag continues and talks about how photos are instant routes to the past and make you realize what is going on around you nowhere in the present. Photos help us construct a better visual of the past. Memories stay with the person until they die, then those memories are gone forever. The only things that remains are the writings and images placed down in history (Page 652). The last page talks about slavery and how in America we do not have a slavery museum. Unlike everywhere else in the world. We are not proud of what happened in America and chose not to commemorate or honor it. Yes it happened and yes it was horrible, some think we should show this history in museums mainly because it was a major factor in creating this country (page 653). The citizens of the U.S do not seem too eager to open these museums, I mean who would? In my opinion, I think we should have these museums opened up to the public, not to be embarrassed as for how we started out as a country, but to worship and show how far we have come since