Transcending the Superficial Overview

Personal Perspective:

Upon seeing this image for the first time, I find myself transported back to my own childhood. Such carefree days are always missed by those who can no longer live in them. Seeing the innocent, thrilled look on the children’s faces as they play with the spouting water reminds me of the pure emotion that is childlike playfulness.

 

Historical Perspective:

This photo was taken in 1942, a little while after the Great Depression ended. For these kids, the Great Depression was an event that their young minds most likely had a hard time understanding. They watched as their parents struggled to put food on the table, as stores closed around them, and their city or town quickly fell to ruin. All they could do was watch, not understanding why their world was crumbling around them. This photo was also taken right in the middle of World War II, a gruesome point in humanity’s history. These kids probably had a brother, father, uncle, or cousin overseas. During this time of turmoil and uncertainty, the opportunity for these kids to join their friends or total strangers out in the street was probably huge for them. The chance to forget their worries and misunderstandings of the world and play like the kids they are.

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Technical Perspective:

This photo must have been taken with a high shutter speed (1/250), as the running kids and water spray are frozen in time. This photo was also taken with a large depth of field (f/11). You can see the detail in the surrounding buildings and some detail on the faces of the background subjects. This photo was shot in black and white, as cameras capable of capturing color had not been invented yet. The black and white color space emphasizes the shadows and bright points of this image

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Ethical Perspective:

For this image, the ethical school of thought “hedonism” might be the best way to approach this image. In hedonism, the scholar Aristippus believed that individuals should aspire to maximize the amount of pleasure they experience in their lives and not concern about the future. These kids have no concern for the future and are simply embracing the opportunity to play in the water.

There is also the discussion of whether Weegee should’ve photographed the children in the first place. It is unclear whether the figures in the background are the children’s parents or are random passerby. Without the adult supervision, no one is there to properly monitor the children. Weegee may have taken advantage of this and snapped a photo of the children knowing their parents weren’t there to raise a commotion. These kids might not have cared but as an individual person, they have a right to decline having their photo taken.

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Cultural Perspective:

Our culture, for the most part, revolves around the notion of a work-life balance. You have your adolescent years to acquire skills for your career, then your adult years are spent working to support yourself and those around you.  You can see this in the background subjects. There is a businessman coming down the steps of his building and some women go about running errands. These kids, on the other hand, are defying the cultural norms of filling their lives with productivity and are taking some time for themselves.

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Critical Perspective:

For however long or short our lives may be, our lives are full of memories we will never forget. For adults, the big moments in life are unforgettable, but the small moments are skipped over. For kids, who don’t have many memories to look back on, the small moments are what matters most. This photo captures that with the expressions of pure happiness on the kids faces.