MW3DVA1 Analyzing Symbols by Kayla Price

Kerry James Marshall – Past Times (1997)

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 16:35:26 UTC

Auguste Rodin – The Thinker (1904)

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 16:35:26 UTC

Louise Bourgeois – Maman (1999)

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 16:35:26 UTC

Maya Lin – Vietnam Veterans Memorial (1982)

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 16:35:26 UTC

Pieter Claesz – Vanitas Still Life (1630s)

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 16:35:26 UTC

Look

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 16:35:26 UTC

A large outdoor park scene with green grass and a calm blue lake in the background.
Several people are relaxing on blankets, eating, and listening to music.
Figures are playing a game that looks like croquet or golf.
There are radios or speakers, a dog, a picnic basket, and scattered food items.
The people are dressed casually in bright summer clothing.
Trees and a skyline appear in the distance.

Think

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 16:35:26 UTC

The sunny park and relaxed figures might symbolize leisure, enjoyment, or community.
The game equipment and music could represent celebration or togetherness.
The large open space might suggest freedom or a place where people can gather safely.
Bright clothing and lush greenery may symbolize happiness, life, or abundance.
The mix of activities—picnic, music, sports—might hint at balance between play and rest.

Connect

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 16:35:26 UTC

The painting may be celebrating the simple joys of spending time with loved ones outdoors.
It could encourage viewers to appreciate everyday pleasures like music, nature, and friendship.
The combination of games, food, and music might suggest that ordinary moments can be meaningful and worth honoring in art.

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 16:35:26 UTC

Step 1 – Observe (LOOK)
Carefully examine the artwork for 2–3 minutes in silence. Notice:

Objects, people, colors, shapes
Actions or gestures
Space, setting, or atmosphere

Step 2 – Reflect (THINK)
Write 2–3 ideas about what those details might symbolize or represent.
Use only your own thinking—no Googling!

Step 3 – Synthesize (CONNECT)
Write a short statement connecting your observations and ideas into a possible overall message or feeling the artwork communicates.

Step 4 – Post on Padlet
Create one post that includes:

Your LOOK description (1–3 sentences)
Your THINK interpretations (2–4 sentences)
Your CONNECT conclusion (1–2 sentences)

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 16:35:26 UTC

LOOK

“I notice…”
“In the background there is…”
“Several figures are…”

THINK

“This might represent…”
“The use of ___ could suggest…”
“Perhaps the artist wanted to show…”

CONNECT

“Altogether, these details make me think about…”
“The symbols seem to communicate a message of…”
“This artwork might be encouraging viewers to…”

René Magritte – The Son of Man (1964)

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 17:55:23 UTC

Blake and Gabriella

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 21:29:42 UTC

Darilene and Moriah

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 21:32:04 UTC

Look - Kurtis and Bradley

bbartholomew105958 — 2025-09-29 21:41:47 UTC

There's a skull on top of a pile of books, and bones behind that. There's a glass upside down, representing something going wrong, as someone's dead. Next to the skull is a writing quill. There's also a music box or some kind of compass or watch on a piece of fabric connected to a key, and some sort of pottery supposedly for a candle off to the left.

Think - Kurtis and Bradley

bbartholomew105958 — 2025-09-29 21:44:28 UTC

The skull definitely represents death, and the glass some sort of mishap. The key could represent a secret, one taken to the grave perhaps. The skull and bones being on top of a stack of paper and books symbolizes that the person who died died while completing some kind of studies. The green table cloth could represent a new beginning, or a fresh start to life.

Bradley and Kurtis

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 21:45:32 UTC

Ellie and Matilda

kprice134 — 2025-09-29 21:45:56 UTC

Connect - Kurtis and Bradley

bbartholomew105958 — 2025-09-29 21:48:13 UTC

The painting might be encouraging viewers not to keep secrets before you die, or to possibly spend time outside of simple studies and learning, to make the most of your life. The glass represents misfortune, and serves as a reminder that misfortune and mistakes can befall anyone. The music box (if it is one), can represent another means that stories are preserved, as music is a medium through which stories are preserved, the key it's attached to representing the gatekeeping of said stories and knowledge.

Darilene Correa-Analyzing Symbols

2025-09-29 21:49:00 UTC

Observe- From what I can see, the color is gray with a mix of a navy green?, so it can seem pretty old. I notice some smoothed out squares and the rock he is sitting on. His actions are sitting down as well as thinking about something. For the space around him its colorful with a tower behind him and blue skies.

Reflect- I believe that he is symbolizing thoughts or curiosity. I can tell because he is pondering about something while looking serious about it.

Synthesize- While looking at this photo I can tell that he is thinking hard about something while sitting down, maybe showing he is deep in his thoughts. The feeling is quite serious and bold about what he is thinking about. This could possibly show communication to others by showing to think all the time or rethink about something.

Matilda and Ellie

mhardison115306 — 2025-09-29 21:49:21 UTC

I see polish black grain walls with a lot of sheer number names the reflective surface of the granite also allows visitors to see their own reflections. The memorial encourages profile reflection of the Vietnam war, and the sacrifices made by those who served.

Blake and Gabriella-Maman

bcybart69033 — 2025-09-29 21:58:40 UTC

Look

It is a black arachnid-like structure with a mesh near the abdomen. The legs look plasticky, or tube-like

Think

It looks eerie, almost like it symbolizes death or horror, or something unnatural. Its size and shape makes it seem threatening like it doesn't belong.

Connect

Since it faces the church, it suggests that danger or fear can appear even in places we see as safe. It's a reminder that challenges and darkness can appear anywhere.

Ellie and Matilda

elliebellie000 — 2025-09-30 04:12:56 UTC

Look

The memorial is a long black wall covered in what's got to be thousands of engraved names

Think

The black color seems to represent mourning or loss. The engraved names show that every person who died mattered individually. The reflective surface lets you see yourself and can connect you to the memory of those who served

Connect

Overall I feel like the memorial symbolizes respect and remembrance, it encourages visitors to reflect on the sacrifices of those who served and the impact of war