Burning Monk

I first saw this picture in my AP English Literature class, it immediately caught my attention. I've always loved photography and the beauty of capturing a lasting image of everyday life, but I find it even more amazing to see a photograph of a still moment amongst chaos; which is what I see when I look at the picture of the burning monk. When I first saw the picture of the Monk, I couldn’t help but be shocked by what I initially saw, a man on fire! But, after actually taking a good look at the picture, I noticed the peacefulness of a man burning himself to death in the midst of people running around in their own worlds. Looking at the serenity of a man killing himself, seated, praying, because he’d rather die than to deal with what was to come of his world and the irony of such a man engulfing himself in one of the most violent of natures wonders. This picture will stand the test of time because it captures a moment when time stand still for a moment while a man makes a great statement to the world around him. The picture will also stand the test of time because as long as there is war, something people don’t agree with or something that people feel they need to take a stand against, the picture of the monk will always serve as a reminder of how far someone will go for what they believe in.