In another assignment from my spring 2011 Rhetoric and Civic Life class, I had to analyze the rhetorical aspects of a specific object or speech. I chose to write about the symbolism of the New World Trade Center. I was very happy with this essay, and I believe this essay to be a success. This is in no small part due to the fact that this work is a direct result of the conviction that I had embraced when writing my rhetoric blog: pick an interesting topic and just enjoy expressing your ideas about said topic. This new idea helped alleviate the pressure of writing a big, detailed essay, and I just had fun letting my ideas write themselves. The gravity of the subject material also provided me with an abundance of information, though I take all the credit for the rhetorical ideas I elaborated on.
Though I believe this essay to be a success (in fact, I believe it is the best essay of my entire freshmen year), there is still room for improvement. I made some revisions to this essay. Basically, I listened to the suggestions that my professor wrote when he graded the piece, and added them to the essay. For example, my professor wrote that my choice of words in one sentence wasn't quite right (I used the word beaconing, and instead should have used beckoning). I subsequently listened to his advice and made the change like he said. Here is the entire, revised piece:
The Symbolic Aspects of the New World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was created to serve as a symbol of the hope that world peace could be achieved through global trade. By undertaking this project, architect Minoru Yamaski hoped that his gargantuan towers would set the precedent for a new age, an age where economic relations would lead to global unification. To illustrate the belief that the World Trade Center would usher in the new age of globalization, Yamaski purposely designed the towers with the international style of architecture. Upon completion, the towers quickly became iconic throughout the world. In fact, economists described the Twin Towers as being “the very physical heart of the global economic system.” Unfortunately, the towers’ legacy will be vastly different from that which was envisioned by Yamaski. The horrific terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001 not only physically destroyed the towers, but also proved to the world that the symbolism of the World Trade Center was wholly wrong: the world was not united. After much recovery and debate, the Port Authority of New York finally decided that it had to rebuild the World Trade Center. Several years of development setbacks succeeded this decision before an actual plan was finalized. The plan, which includes a massive main tower, formerly dubbed the “Freedom Tower,” and several smaller satellite buildings along with a 9/11 memorial, is expected to be completed in 2013. The architecture and layout for the new complex is vastly different from both the old complex and New York architecture in general. The design, layout, and architecture of the New World Trade Center is purposely dissimilar from the original World Trade Center in order to both symbolize the convictions and truths of the new age, the post 9/11 age, and contrast these new beliefs with the ideals of the pre 9/11 era.
A new era emerged from the rubble and smoke at Ground Zero. Though they knew that they would be taking innocent lives, the terrorists behind the attacks failed to realize that they would also be rejuvenating the courage and faithfulness of the American people. The heroism of the nameless people who selflessly aided the victims of September 11th proved to the world that even in the face of unimaginable horror, human virtue will not waver. Because of this, a newfound sense of optimism (and precaution, which will be discussed later) unexpectedly emerged. This optimism reflects the belief that humans can overcome any obstacle and can make this new age of hope better than the old one. The design for the New World Trade Center complex embodies the optimism of the new age. The architects for the new complex, Daniel Libeskind and David Childs, utilize a unique design to establish the complex as the centerpiece of the future. Libeskind and Childs purposely chose an uncommon style of architecture for the complex, fittingly called modernism, to symbolize the new, “modern” age that will be expressed through their buildings. Modernism has gained popularity in recent years but is still rare in New York. Therefore, the modernistic World Trade Center will purposely clash with the rest of the city. While the majority of Manhattan architecture consists of simple, equilateral boxes in a linear city grid, the World Trade Center will be comprised of irregular, angular buildings in an unconventional spacing. In fact, Childs directly stated that civilians at street level should “feel completely unfamiliar with the out of place angles” of the complex. This feeling of unfamiliarity serves as an emotional appeal to onlookers, as the sense of wonderment gained upon looking at these futuristic buildings epitomizes the transition from the old age, represented by the commonly seen architecture of New York, to the new age of hope, represented by the New World Trade Center. Furthermore, the difference in design between the old and new complex represents the differing beliefs in how peace would be achieved: the international style of the original World Trade Center conveys the sense that peace would be achieved through economic unification while the New World Trade Center exemplifies the belief that peace would be achieved through hope and optimism. (Libeskind himself called the New World Trade Center a “global symbol of optimism.”)
While their was a newfound sense of hope that emerged after 9/11, their was also a sense of mortality. In the post 9/11 era, the world learned firsthand of the potential dangers lurking in the shadows. Nobody was safe; the aura of invulnerability that shielded the civilians of the world disappeared. Security and safety precautions dramatically increased (and have stayed that way since), and the ideology of trust vanished. In addition to the vastly increased security at airports and stadiums, office buildings have increased security as well. The designs for the main tower, One World Trade Center, reflect the caution and desire for stability commonly seen in the post 9/11 era. For example, the cubic base of the huge skyscraper, which has side lengths of 200 feet, has been heavily fortified to ensure structural stability. In fact, the base alone is 200 feet high and 200 feet thick, and the first 30 feet of the base is entirely solid, a feature that was not present in the original World Trade Center design. Also, while the new building is planned to be larger than the original, it will have fewer floors designated for office space (84, as opposed to the original’s 102). Finally, the building will be reinforced by a vast amount of steel beams and will even have an extra stairway designated specifically for rescue workers. Again, these precautions, which in all likelihood would have been deemed unnecessary before 9/11, convey the sense that one cannot build without understanding the dangers that could potentially befall a landmark. This logical appeal to people’s well-being is in direct confrontation with Minoru Yamaski’s design, which prioritized grandeur over safety. As a whole, the differences between the old and new World Trade Centers embody the ubiquitous shift in ideals from the pre 9/11 world (which believed in grandeur and trust) to the post 9/11 world (which stresses caution and stability).
On the fateful morning of September the 11th, America’s freedom and stability were precariously teetering on the edge of oblivion. Though many lives were lost, the country as a whole stood firm. One of the many results of 9/11 was the fervent patriotism that swept the nation. The concept of universal liberty, perhaps taken for granted before 9/11, became renewed. In order to preserve confidence in their state, the American rhetoric became consumed with patriotism, and the word “freedom” was strewn throughout every corner of the country. This was a time where the impenetrable strength of the “world’s strongest country” was exposed, and in order to preserve their image and ease their perturbed minds, the America people had to constantly demonstrate their patriotism and unity by hoisting their flags and crying for their freedom. The plans for the New World Trade Center were conceived around this time, and, because of this, a main theme of the design concerns America’s quest for the consolidation of its patriotism and freedom. In a rather blatant attempt to create a sense of freedom and unity, the main tower of the New World Trade Center was named “The Freedom Tower”. (The name was later changed to One World Trade Center, but is still recognized as “Freedom Tower”.) Also, the overall height of the building is set at 1776 feet, which serves as a nod to the year the Declaration of Independence was signed, another symbol of freedom. Furthermore, the actual design of the tower is meant to mimic the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is widely regarded as the iconic expression of freedom, and by resembling this icon, the World Trade Center further demonstrates its emphasis of freedom. Finally, in a subtle manner, the “Freedom Tower” metaphorically conveys the belief in unequivocal, ardent freedom. The tower is comprised of ultra reflective glass in order to reflect the sky. Traditionally, the sky has been thought of as the one natural source of freedom and free-will: its horizon extends limitlessly, ignoring the hardships and trivialities of the world in the process. Through its reflective glass, the World Trade Center becomes the sky itself, and by doing so, becomes a physical manifestation of freedom. Again, this idea contrasts with the first World Trade Center, which focused on the literal aspects of freedom through economy rather than the symbolic aspects represented by the New World Trade Center.
After 9/11, the contrasting views of optimism and caution became juxtaposed as the two main beliefs of modern society. The Port Authority of New York, however, was aware of the fact that these new truths would eventually disappear if Ground Zero remained a hole in the ground. The Port Authority resigned itself to rebuild the World Trade Center, not as an exact replica, but as a new design meant to embody the beliefs of the new age. By symbolizing progress, stability, and freedom, the World Trade Center will become the lighthouse of the new era, beckoning people toward the age of peace.
Works Cited:
Collins, Glenn, and David W. Dunlap. "Redesign Puts Freedom Tower on a Fortified Base." The New York Times [New York] 30 June 2005. Print.
"Repeat- Writings on Architecture: Freedom Tower from Tragedy to Farce." Relocate. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.lynnbecker.com/repeat/freedomtower/freedomtower.htm>.
Schrader, Stuart, and Christy Thornton. From World Trade Center to Freedom Tower: Toward a New Symbolic Economy? Tech. Print.
"Why Symbols Become Targets." Daily Nature and Science News and Headlines | National Geographic News. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/ news/ 2001/09/0913_TVsymbol.html>.
