Through the Vietnam Veterans Model, Maya Lin is sending a message about the importance of remembering the armed service members who were killed in the Vietnam War. She does this through the design: the black, reflecting stone, and the long list of names of those who were killed. The artist's purpose is to express appreciation for these fallen soldiers' service and to remember them long after they have died. She establishes a somber, reflective mood for those viewing the memorial.
1. The memorial is incredibly effective in memorializing those who died. It's vast length and number of names listed is an accurate reflection on how many people were killed as a result of the war. The fact that all the names are listed humanizes these people. It gives names instead of statistics. Additionally, the reflective nature of the memorial makes a statement about the viewers. It is forcing them to see themselves along with the dead.
2. This memorial is so much about humanizing not only the dead, but the troops who are currently serving our country. It also shows that there are real consequences to war that we may not want to confront. It makes the viewers think about all of these ideas and their role in them.
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