The Power of Images and Symbols: The Role of Television in the Attacks of September 11

In this essay I explore the multiple roles of and psychological functions provided by television during the attacks of September 11, as well as during the week or two subsequent to the attacks. I cite several of these functions and elaborate on two: contributing to the recognition of national heroes and helping to inspire a sense of patriotism as a unifying force for a distressed people.

The television coverage of the attacks, particularly replaying the tapes showing the hijacked planes purposefully slamming into the twin towers, evoked strong feelings of shock, rage, and fear. The coverage of firsthand stories from witnesses and survivors who suffered tremendous losses exacerbated the grief of viewers: for some, it was too much to bear. However, by providing continuous coverage, particularly on September 11, the day of greatest anxiety and horror for Americans, the networks implicitly sent the message that in spite of the enormity of the losses and the initial sense of chaos, we were able to continue to communicate and share with one another, receive information from national and local leaders, and feel connected to what was happening in lower Manhattan and Washington, D.C. This sense of a nationwide community engendered by television helped Americans gain some security that the entire country was not in danger of collapse. Furthermore, the feeling of connection was emotionally soothing. During the next several days, providing information that brought some understanding to viewers about the attack helped to relieve anxiety as well as intensify people’s sense of outrage.

A significant effect of the television images was the recognition of those whose actions were heroic. This contributed to the restoration of a sense of pride to a wounded nation. The first acclaimed heroes were the New York firefighters who lost their lives in the collapse of the south tower after they had run into the inferno to save others. For a people reeling from the once unthinkable evil and trying to come to terms with the idea

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that our own security lapses had contributed to the deaths of so many, witnessing courage in action helped to assuage our collective, injured psyche and re-establish some faith in human goodness. The firefighter (and the police officer and other rescue workers) was seen as one who would give up his life in order to save another, this act symbolic of courage and brotherhood. Although firefighters from all parts of the country consistently put their lives on the line, it was the first time that millions of Americans had witnessed their actions collectively and in such a dramatic fashion. Hearing firefighters speak about how many of their brethren had been lost intensified the perception of their profound courage and selflessness.

During subsequent days, the passengers on United Flight 93, who apparently fought with the hijackers and prevented their plane from becoming a missile that would have been used to destroy another American building and perhaps kill hundreds more, were acclaimed as heroes as well. Again, the message here was that these people had shown remarkable courage, sacrificing their lives in order to save others.

President Bush seemed to understand the importance to our collective psyche of having heroes to symbolize American bravery and goodness, these drawn in distinction to the terrorists who were termed “evil” and “cowardly.” When he appeared at Ground Zero on Friday, September 14, the President kept a firefighter by his side, his arm around the man, as he spoke to the rescuers and the American people about our resolve to seek justice.

Moreover, in his appearance before Congress on September 20, the President hailed the firefighters, police, and those who fought the hijackers on Flight 93 as heroes. Ultimately, all the rescue workers as well as those who died in the attacks were deemed heroic but the fallen firefighters who were the first responders were acknowledged as having been especially self-sacrificing. This recognition of courage and valor represents a shift in the consciousness of the American people, who formerly had idealized sports figures and celebrities. In the days and weeks that followed, special funds were established for families of the firefighters and members of the New York fire and police departments appeared on television programs and were honored guests at sports events.

The rescue workers in both New York and Washington helped to set the stage for the intense patriotic fervor with which Americans responded to the tragic events of September 11. Firefighters in Manhattan hoisted the American flag on a pole, presumably a fallen mast from one of the towers, in the midst of the debris in Ground Zero, this scene reminiscent of the picture of surviving Marines planting the American flag after the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II, and construction workers in Washington draped the flag over a wall of the Pentagon near the damaged section of that national icon. These images are a symbolic reference to the words in our national anthem, “that our flag was still there,” that represents American endurance, determination, and bravery. The courage of the rescue personnel, our new warriors, provided the nation with a sense of empowerment, their actions translating into a sense of defiance and determination that our spirit shall not be broken and our flag will continue to fly.

Another significant effect during the aftermath of the attack that television helped to foster was the outpouring of patriotism and its linkage with spiritual values. From the first day and night, viewers witnessed a number of selfless, caring actions by countless ordinary people. We saw candlelight vigils as people turned to prayer for help and consolation particularly with regard to the horrifying realization that thousands were missing and presumed dead. Many of those who used religious symbolism also held American flags. The scene on the evening of the attack showing members of Congress assembled outside the Capitol singing “God Bless America” helped to create a sense of national harmony. Other patriotic songs heard during the crisis, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “America, the Beautiful,” evoked pride, unity, and a sense of the nation as specially blessed. The idea emerged that seeking justice was not only our right but also a spiritual pursuit.

The Day of Remembrance service held in the National Cathedral on Friday, September 14, linked America, symbolized by the flag, with goodness and godliness. Near the close of the service, as the participants sang the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” the television cameras panned to a scene at Ground Zero that showed a construction vehicle with a flag attached to it and then to the flag-draped wall of the Pentagon. By virtue of the juxtaposition of images of massive destruction with those of emotionally-laden national symbols, there occurred an entwining of grief, a feeling of defiance that we shall not be overcome, love of country, and a belief that our striving for justice is sanctioned by God. Thus, the war against terrorism evolved into a quasi-religious “crusade.” How-

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ever, Washington quickly discarded the word “crusade” used by the President due to its negative, historical implications associated with the Christian wars against the Muslim world.

The television coverage tended to focus significantly more attention on the destruction in lower Manhattan than that which occurred in Washington. This is perhaps understandable given the greater devastation and loss of life in New York and the dramatic impact of scenes of people jumping from the inferno and the collapse of the two giant towers. Television helped to create an image of New York and its people as immensely admirable, their suffering and their valor becoming a rallying cry for evoking patriotism. There was little mention in the media of people panicking or looting; most of the coverage showed New Yorkers as brave, generous, and helpful to each other in extraordinary ways. This perception of the people of New York as valorous was underscored in the Interfaith service held for survivors in Yankee Stadium on Sunday, September 23. In this service, the city was celebrated for representing America as a melting pot and via speeches, prayers, and music; the multicultural New Yorkers were shown to be united against an enemy that sought to limit their freedom. As the assembly sang together “God Bless America” and the former anthem of black America, “We Shall Overcome,” I found myself feeling and thinking, “Ich bin ein New Yorker.”

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