Serikkyzy Meruert, Tue 5/6, reaction essay

The meaning of this picture can be interpreted the following way: "The hope for the green and ecological future is in the hands of the children all over the world." Two kinds of elements, the human and the non-human, as well as their relationship with each other, help the author of the picture to convey the idea.
            The author of this picture chose children and, more specifically, children's hands in order to convey his point. The observer can tell that these are children's hands. And, in many, if not all human cultures children evoke the feelings of hope, new beginnings, and the future. People very often say, "Children are our future." Furthermore, the children are of different ethnic backgrounds. This is evident from their skin colors, which vary from lighter to darker. This detail shows that the author probably meant children all over the world.
            The non-human elements of the picture are the plants and the soil. The plants are very young – they are just sprouts, and that signifies the fragility of life. The soil in which they grow, and the picture shows some nice chunks of it, evokes the image of our planet Earth.
            Finally, and most importantly, the relationship between these elements helps the author convey his message, which is something along the lines of the following: "The future of our planet and its ecology is in the hands of children all over the world." This idea can be arrived at by careful examination. First, the arrangement of the children's hands is in circle, which signifies the power of unity. This is the power that the children have when observed as a whole. The future depends on their cooperation. Second, it is reasonable to assume that these children are in the process of planting. And this is their joint effort. Third, the placement of the sprouts, which rest inside the children's hands, is a strong way to suggest that the future of the ecology is literally "in their hands."
            In sum, the author chose the images of children and young plants to say that the future of our planet depends on the joint efforts of children all over the world.