Analysis
Reflections by Lee Teter shows a former Vietnam War veteran paying his tributes to his fallen comrades at the National Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C..
The Briefcase that the man has represents that he is now a business man. This shows that a returning veteran can make a living once he/she has returned from duty. This is important because most veterans were not treated well after they returned home from Vietnam. A lot of returning veterans couldn't even find jobs after they returned from the war, because most people didn't support the war and didn't want to support anyone that was involved in it.
The small flag at the bottom of the painting that reads "POW" and "MIA" were given to the families of veterans after the Vietnam War that were still missing in action. The banner was also given to the families of soldiers who were prisoners of war of the Vietcong during the Vietnam War. These were to represent hope to the families of the soldiers who were never found. The names of the soldiers who were still missing in action are also on the national memorial as well.
The final detail of the painting is the wall of the Vietnam War Memorial itself. It is made out of gabbro, a type of rock. Most of the time in person, no matter the weather, the wall acts as a mirror to reflect the one that is looking on it. But this wall shows a reflection of the man's fallen comrades in Vietnam dressed in their military attire. This is to show that no one is forgotten when they give their life serving in the line of duty. This is also what the wall is meant to do, and to help heal the on lookers and let them know that their veteran's sacrifice was not forgotten.
The Briefcase that the man has represents that he is now a business man. This shows that a returning veteran can make a living once he/she has returned from duty. This is important because most veterans were not treated well after they returned home from Vietnam. A lot of returning veterans couldn't even find jobs after they returned from the war, because most people didn't support the war and didn't want to support anyone that was involved in it.
The small flag at the bottom of the painting that reads "POW" and "MIA" were given to the families of veterans after the Vietnam War that were still missing in action. The banner was also given to the families of soldiers who were prisoners of war of the Vietcong during the Vietnam War. These were to represent hope to the families of the soldiers who were never found. The names of the soldiers who were still missing in action are also on the national memorial as well.
The final detail of the painting is the wall of the Vietnam War Memorial itself. It is made out of gabbro, a type of rock. Most of the time in person, no matter the weather, the wall acts as a mirror to reflect the one that is looking on it. But this wall shows a reflection of the man's fallen comrades in Vietnam dressed in their military attire. This is to show that no one is forgotten when they give their life serving in the line of duty. This is also what the wall is meant to do, and to help heal the on lookers and let them know that their veteran's sacrifice was not forgotten.
Photo from: http://www.arts-wallpapers.com/galleries/LeeTeter/