Rockwell's+Four+Freedoms

//Norman Rockwell's 1943 Four Freedoms illustrations//

[|Freedom of Speec] [|Freedom of Worship] [|Freedom from Want] [|Freedom from Fear]

The Four Freedoms are goals created by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt on January 6, 1941 (1941 State of the Union address) that he believed “everywhere in the world” ought to enjoy. Roosevelt believed that there were four essential human rights that should be universally protected and should be used to motivate Americans fighting in World War II. FDR’s Four Freedoms speech inspired a set of //Four Freedoms// oil paintings by Norman Rockwell. These paintings (45.75 inches x 35.5 inches) were published in //The Saturday Evening Post//, for which Rockwell produced a total of 323 magazine covers. Each painting had an accompanying essay on the Four Freedoms. Rockwell’s paintings went on tour around the country and raised over $132 million in war bond sales. (//from Jesse Gore and Jessie Jordan//)

The analyses below critically addresses Rockwell's Four Freedoms and includes descriptions of the messages being conveyed by Rockwell, the means by which they these messages were conveyed, and the effectiveness of the message. In addition, are suggestions for new illustrations that represent current views of the Four Freedoms. Here is an interesting new interpretation from Ward Sutton at The Nation - []

(//Please post your name with text below. Include illustrations if you would like//)

My analysis of the Four Freedoms: //**Jesse Gore**//
 * //Tara Hill//**
 * **Freedom of Speech:** In this painting, there is a man standing up and speaking out. He looks to be younger than the rest of the people in the painting. He is wearing work clothes while the two older men beside him are wearing a suit and tie. It looks as if people are giving the man who is speaking respect and are listening to what he has to say. The man who is speaking is standing tall with his chin up so it looks like he feels empowered. Needless to say, I was surprised to find out later that people were actually disagreeing with the man speaking out! If I could change this painting, I would definitely want to add more diversity. The people shown in the painting are all white and I think people of difference races should have been represented. I also would have liked to portray the idea of disagreement in a more obvious way because in my opinion, the painting looked like an inspiring and peaceful discussion was taking place.
 * **Freedom of Worship:** In this painting, there are people praying, a woman holding rosary beads, and a man with a bible in his hand. The painting is dim and not very colorful and I think that gives it a more serious tone and mood. If I could change anything about the painting, I would want to represent more religions of different cultures because it seems that the only religion being portrayed in the painting is Christianity. Because FDR said every person in the world should be able to worship God in his own way, I think other religions should definitely be represented here to accurately portray FDR's vision.
 * **Freedom from Want:** This painting depicts the tradition of the Thanksgiving meal that we have with our families every year. The painting is very colorful, vivid, and bright. To go along with the bright colors, the people in the painting look happy and joyful. They are either talking with others or smiling. The home looks nice and the people are dressed nice as well. From this, I assume that this family is economically stable. Once again, if I were to change this painting in any way, I would add more people of different races to the painting so that ethnic diversity would be represented. FDR said, “…which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world.” This is a great quote, but people of the world are not being represented in this painting as the family members are all white.
 * **Freedom from Fear:** My first reaction was that the painting was very ironic. FDR said, “…no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor—anywhere in the world.” However, the painting shows a man holding a newspaper which tells of the horrific bombings in Japan from America. Although this decision may have been good for America at the time, it clearly was not good for the people in Japan. We threatened Japan’s safety, which is quite the opposite of what FDR’s quote is saying. Also in the painting, the kids are sleeping together and are being tucked in by their parents. This gives the illusion of safety and security. On the floor, there is a doll and what looks like a “security blanket” that many kids carry around when they are young.
 * Something that I found to be very interesting from Rockwell's Four Freedoms was the fact that he created these all based on situations or ideals in his own home town. While, this is not necessarily a bad approach, there is no way that he could have accurately represented the experiences of people from all over the world with this mindset. As you can see, all of the people in his paintings (minus the African American woman in the Worship poster) were Caucasian. This clearly limits the races and ethnicities of many people around the world. The two pictures that bother me the most are the Freedom of Worship and the Freedom from Fear. In the Freedom of Worship poster, Rockwell is depicting people that seem to be praying to the same God. Everyone is praying in the same way, and everyone again is all white. The rosary in one woman's hands shows that the people are Christian. While the prayer book in the forefront could be open for interpretation, Rockwell should have made clear what book was being studied, because I would assume that is the Bible. I personally really like the quote on this poster: "each according to this dictates of his own conscience." However, Rockwell does a poor job representing that ideal. There should be people praying in different ways, wearing clothing that clearly represents their different religious views, and something to show that "every person" can worship "in his own way" (words from FDR). I agree with what Wendy said in class that Rockwell's Golden Rule poster does a better job representing the world's religions. As far as the Freedom from Fear goes, I don't like this poster very much. It took me a long time to realize the newspaper article was discussing the bombing of Japan. I understand the premise of the poster, but there is a clear juxtaposition to me when it depicts the kids as being so innocent and then the quote at the top of the poster says "ours..to fight for." While someone mentioned that this type of painting could have been effective propaganda at the time it was issued in 1943, I don't think it would be good now. I would think the painting would need to be more literal to include some of FDR's thoughts. I understand that the poster is freedom FROM fear, but the newspaper needs to be a bigger focal point in my eyes to get the point across. Also, as discussed in class, the poster was clearly denigrating the Japanese people, which is not the ideal FDR would have wanted portrayed in a poster based on his speech. I love FDR's use of "everywhere in the world" at the end of each section of his speech. However, Rockwell is clearly showing the freedoms of Americans only. I think this was a very effective use of propaganda for the American people (hence the use of "buy war bonds"), but it does not align with FDR's philosophy of "everywhere in the world."
 * Samantha Selimo**
 * I enjoyed the Norman Rockwell exhibit more than I had expected. I learned a great deal of information simply by viewing the pictures on my own, making my own inferences, then reading the descriptions on the wall, as well as hearing what people in my group had to say. I also learned a little about Norman Rockwell himself. I learned he had an unhappy childhood, hence all the paintings of children and possibly Christmas, but also that he was married three times. It seems as though Rockwell did not have the best life, or the one he had planned, but through his paintings he did an amazing job at portraying America in the eras he painted. He captured everything from reality to fantasy in his paintings and added an immense amount of satire and irony into many of his works. When viewing the Four Freedoms, I was taken back. How quickly we forget or "block" from our memory how discriminatory the USA used to be. In every single painting Rockwell did to represent FDR's Four Freedoms, he only included one race, Caucasian. After analyzing the paintings I agreed with the way he represented freedom to want, because food is a necessity and we all want the security of a home, family, food, and happiness, but again he added no diversity to this painting. I was not as happy with the way he depicted the Freedom from fear. This painting got me to think, but from my take on the painting he was almost making a joke of the USA. He was saying look here, our children are "safe" in their bed while other parts fo the world are unsafe. This angered me a little, because FDR stated freedom from fear was for all, he did not think any nation should want to cause physical harm to a neighboring nation or anywhere in the world, yet at that time the USA was causing serious harm on Japan. His paintings made FDR's four freedoms come to life, but if people were to analyze them in more depth like we did, I am not so sure they would have wanted to buy the war bonds or even be proud to be an American. The Freedom of worship picture blew my mind. there was again only white people represented, but also only one religion. Overall, I thought the Four Freedoms were painted beautifully and showcased the USA and things we did want, but they were done with satire and showed no diversity.
 * Sarah Merritt**
 * Norman Rockwell is such a fascinating painter and certainly someone who I learned an enormous amount of information about today while visiting the North Carolina Art Museum. Much of what I had recorded from the Four Freedoms worksheet has already been mentioned above. I would just like to say that I really admire Rockwell for his depiction of FDR's Freedoms. This was probably very tedious to attempt to convey a President of the United States' vision for the future of its country. It was awfully brave for Rockwell to approach this task, which was subject to a large amount of scrutiny, and attempt to help awaken the American public in the time of war. I also applaud Rockwell for his use of personal touch to his artwork. I suppose he held his own interpretations to high regard because he chose to paint based off his hometown experiences and what he believed best encompassed the Four Freedoms FDR was referring to.
 * In addition, after doing some research on these particular paintings I came across this quote, "The artist, through the dramatic appeal of his posters, becomes the government’s mouthpiece in a language every citizen can understand," declared an article in American Artist magazine. I think this is very fitting and appropriate in that Rockwell was trying to impact the entire country and stoop down to the level of the typical American. Source: http://www.americainwwii.com/stories/fourfreedoms.html [Interesting Fact-The Four Freedoms took Rockwell seven months to complete, and allowed him to lose fifteen pounds total.]
 * Four Freedom Insight: __Freedom of Speech__-This particular painting takes place at a town meeting, where the man standing is given the right to make his case against a school board proposal that most people are favoring, while he is arguing; given the freedom to speak his opinions and have a say in what he believes in. I think this is a very simple, yet honest representation of freedom of speech. Personally, when I think of this freedom the first thing that comes to mind is literally shouting out my inner thoughts and ideas, rather than been shunned for something I am trying to convey. It appears as though people care to listen, however to make this more modern and fitting to today's society people would have their heads turned, look angered about someone's opinion, and you would see a diverse population. __Freedom of Worship__-This image shows a gathering of people praying in different forms. It is evident there is an individual of Catholic beliefs present but what about religions such as Buddhism and Judaism? This painting is absolutely amazing but you have to think about all those that do not even go into a traditional "church" for worship, yet they believe in a higher power. __Freedom from Want__- I learned that this picture resembles Rockwell's very own Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone seems to look economically stable and surprisingly happy. Each person is smiling, but there is not representation of the world. Why was the want of food chosen to convey this freedom? Having a "healthy peacetime life" as FDR states does not necessarily correlate with Thanksgiving. If this were to be put into a modern day painting, the entire world would be represented since that is what FDR inferred in his statement regarding this freedom. __Freedom From Fear__-I can clearly see why this is one of Rockwell's most famous and controversial paintings. The parents appear to be protecting and nurturing, while the covers act as a security blanket for the American looking children. Although, it is ironic that the US bombed Japan yet FDR says "no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against a neighbor". This ultimately seems like a freedom for America, rather than aiming to keep all countries, whether friendly or prosperous, at peace.

**Morgan Faulk**
====Olivia Love: I am not very into art; however, I absolutely loved visiting the Normal Rockwell Exhibit! The level of detail in his work and the thought behind each of his paintings is truly amazing! I was happy that you instructed us to focus on the changes in theme and subject through time. I noticed the simplicity behind his first paintings. Many of them were natural landscapes; then towards the middle of his career he focused on morals and simple life events. I enjoyed his many depictions of children and their innocence when discovering the realities of life. The following are my thoughts and reflections on the four freedom paintings....====
 * **Freedom of Speech**
 * In this painting I see a working man, weathered skin, modest clothing, calloused hands, and a humble face standing before a crowd of middle-class people at a town meeting. The older man to his left is clenching the town book in his hand and the man in the forefront, looking back, comes across as interested, if mildly detached. For this painting to make more of a statement, I think that people around him should reflect their outrage at his controversial point. There should be clenched faces and hands, red-flushed cheeks, and wild hand gestures being thrown at this modest man. Though I can see the subtle meaning in the painting, it does not come across very strongly or commandingly.
 * **Freedom of Worship**
 * Here, I see different age groups and different Christian worship styles being reflected. An elderly woman lowers her aged face in prayer, a young woman clutches her rosary, and a man with a darker complexion holds a small leather-bound Bible. Though I like the painting for my own purposes, it is not reflective of religions and styles of worship around the world. A woman, covered with a hijab, should be bowing in typical Muslim fashion, someone should be kneeling, a coexist symbol should be plastered somewhere in the painting, and other forms of worship should be depicted in order to encompass the world.
 * **Freedom from Want**
 * A woman, with an apron, serves a large, golden brown turkey (that she has no doubt prepared) to her expectant family. The father looks on pleased at the fruition of his hard-work. Through the variety of ages and faces, you can capture the essence of the mood: unadulterated happiness. This picture does a lot of things wrong for me, though some things are just reflective of the time periods. One, the woman is serving the family while they mill at the table and offer no help. Two, the mother is wearing an apron and appears to be a servant, more-so than a member of the Thanksgiving party. Three, the father is supervising the actions of the wife (though this could also be read as a respectful gesture, aka him rising from his chair as the lady came in). Four, the lack of color represented in the photograph. Not one member of the family even seems to have a tan. To change this picture, I would incorporate, if not more color, then more variety in the food. Perhaps different foods from around the world (culturally identifiable foods) should be included on the table. This will signify that no culture should ever want for food. Also, some of the members of the table could be bringing in different dishes of food and setting them on the table simultaneously to the mother bringing in the turkey. This would signify that no one should want for work and no one should want for help. Further, the father should have a chair pulled out for the wife and be beaming at her, rather than the turkey, so that it shows he delights in his wife and not what she can produce or make. This, along with the family being present, would signify that no one should want for love.
 * **Freedom from Fear**
 * This is a bit tricky. Two children are being tucked into bed by their mother who puts on a brave, soothing face. The father looks on undaunted, and holds a newspaper in his hand. The “fear” is not seen until you read the headline that says “Bombings Ki…Horror Hit…”. A bombing would scare anyone. Unfortunately, America had little to fear at this moment since they had just dropped a bomb on Japan that basically decimated everything in its wake, including innocent Japanese children. FDR said that no nation should be provoked to attack a neighbor. Rockwell was painting this as justification for our actions toward Japan. Essentially he was saying “America should no be provoked to attack its neighbor”. Whereas this is true, it registers no sincerity for the price that came with our swift retaliation. When I picture freedom from fear, I see a rough, ruthless solider wrenching a young, dirty, and thin child from his mother’s protective arms. I see her mouth contort in pain and her eyes register deep-seated hurt as the soldier drags the wailing son away. A wagon full of equally tormented children waits nearby, manned by more armed soldiers. There is a band of three equally ruthless soldiers beside the devastated woman, waiting to pillage her and her house. The woman should not have to fear raising a child by herself, or that her child will be taken and forced to work, or that she will be raped. She shouldn’t fear being attacked by someone whether provoked or not. I understand that this freedom can evoke many different interpretations of fear and that Rockwell’s painting worked for Americans during that time period. Everyone will have a different idea of what should be represented here.
 * Emily Wood **
 * **Freedom of Speech**
 * This painting depicts a town hall meeting in Norman Rockwell's hometown. The first thing I noticed in this painting was that all of the men sitting down were clearly looking up at the man standing up. Also, you can notice that the men sitting down are older white men in suits and the man standing that is speaking is a middle-age man that looks like a blue-collar worker. Norman Rockwell most likely purposefully depicted the speaker as an "average Joe" to easily relate to the masses that he was trying to reach. The quote at the bottom of the painting is "save freedom of speech...buy war bonds" so the painting was obviously being used for propaganda during war times. Like most of the art work during the 1940s, all of the people in the painting we white males. These were the people that would be buying the war bonds because the men during that time period were the men that were the bread winners for the family.
 * **Freedom of Worship**
 * The second of Rockwell's "Four Freedoms" series is Freedom of Worship. In this painting you can see several people bowing their heads in prayer. According to President Roosevelt the second freedom is for "every person to worship God in his own way-everywhere in the world." Even though it is supposed to be everyone to worship in their own way, there is only the traditional forms of prayer depicted in this painting. There is a rosary and what appears to be a bible but there is not any representation of any other religion like Hindu or Judaism. To Rockwell's credit, there are races present other than Caucasian which is an improvement on many of Rockwell's other paintings but for a freedom of religion painting, the only religion really seen is Christian. From an artistic point of view, this was my favorite painting because it is the most aesthetically pleasing. The people in the painting are gazing upwards and the faces all look very serene and passionate.
 * **Freedom from Want**
 * This portrait is probably the most well known painting of Rockwell's Four Freedoms. It is a scene of a Thanksgiving feast, there is a large glazed turkey and a table full of food. The people are smiling and chatting with each other as the woman places the turkey on the table and the man in the picture is standing at the head of the table. One thing that really stood out to me in the picture is everything seems so pristine. The table and the curtains are crisp and white, the glasses on the table are extremely clear and everything on the table seems to put exactly proportional. For the time period, I think the quintessential "American dream" was to have the perfect family, the perfect house hold- everything picture perfect. Rockwell captures this in his portrait because he displays the images of what it is people "want" and the hidden message is that supporting the war is what the "perfect" people are doing.
 * **Freedom from Fear**
 * Our class discussed how this last Four Freedom was one of the more controversial pictures. The freedom from fear is supposed to be for everyone, everywhere but this portrait is clearly only the white, secular, American culture. There is a mother and a father tucking in their two kids. The family is clearly affluent because there are toys scattered over the floor, the father is in a suit, and they family lives in a two story house because there is a stairwell in the background. On the surface, the picture is sweet, comforting, and heart warming but there were people in other parts of the world that were not warm and safe, they were actually surrounded by fear. This picture was intended for the white American masses but it failed to include everyone else that it was supposedly also including when it said its "ours...to fight for."
 * Freedom from Fear: I feel that my reflection is slightly repetitive from my peers; however, I want to go into how I felt about the paintings regardless. I was very interested in this painting mostly because of the caption on the newspaper. You have this typical white family with two children. The wife is in an apron and the husband has on his business dress. Both outfits are very fitting of the time. I thought it was interesting that the caption of the newspaper was about bombings, yet the theme behind this painting is not having fear. I do not feel that Rockwell truly illustrated FDR's quotation because it says the entire world should be without fear, and the caption with the bombings in Japan does not illustrate this.
 * Freedom from Want: I love this painting, and I have seen in many times throughout my life and never truly known what it was about. I just thought it was a typical Thanksgiving portrait; however, it is so much more than that! I do think that it illustrates the "American Dream" as far as not being without; however, once again, I don't feel that this is universal. The United States is obviously a very blessed nation, and this painting does a wonderful job illustrating that but only that. With that said, I still love this panting! I love the dress of the grandparents, and how proud they are to present what they have to their family!
 * Freedom of Worship: I have never seen this painting prior to viewing the Rockwell exhibit; however, I found it very interesting! Rockwell included a lot of diversity in people as far as age. There was an elderly women and a younger women, and also a few men of different ages; however, there is no difference in the ethnicity of the people. They are all white, because I'm sure when this was painted churches were segregated. For this fact alone, I don't feel that this painting is very relevant now. Another reason is because all of the people in the painting seem to be practicing Christianity. I think that another painting I found in the exhibit where he put many different religious figures together in Bethlaham would have been more relevant for FDR's theme.
 * Freedom of Speech: I felt this painting reminded me of my small hometown. You have the "common" man standing up and speaking his mind, while all of the other businessmen are sitting around him. I felt that the other men's expression demonstrated that they were respecting the man; however, Dr. Lee explained that the man was actually being disagreed with. I do feel that it is a good illustration of FDR's quote, becuase it illustrates the underdog standing up and being able to say what he thinks.

Nada Wafa My Analysis of the Four Freedoms: Perhaps, all of these pictures made the people reevaluate and realize the idea of freedom in a democratic society. He seemed to use the simple every day scenes to show the idea of “freedom. Each painting he has done truly expressed the ideas of freedom in the most inspirational and unique way I have ever seen! ** Ron Olson **
 * __ //Freedom of Speech:// __ Rockwell portrays many deep meanings in his paintings. He captures a universal connection behind his pictures. For the first painting he completed, //Freedom of Speech,// he attempted to show a young man who was dressed in a rumpled shirt and worn away jacket; perhaps he was wearing some work cloth. His cloth seem to be different in a way that the other men, who were older than him, were wearing white button shirts, suit, and ties. Everyone's vision is below the man's eye level, emphasizing the importance of his opinion and controversial topic that he brought up at the meeting. Everyone were listening respectfully to him. As for us, the viewers, Rockwell seems to also have us below eye level to show the sense of superiority the man has as he stands giving his report. Rockwell also uses a black background, which made the speak stand out even more. It may show also a heroic stance and show him as an important person. I believe that the person's face expressions on the lower left seem to show a reflection on how we experience and perceive the world and what reality truly is.
 * // __Freedom of Worship__: // Rockwell depicts a close up of many different faces and hands raised in a prayer without showing any type of real message of freedom. He shows how worship is something really personal. It definitely is hard to show in a picture, but he did a great job emphasizing the message of freedom of worship. He seemed to represent the different religions found in our country; thus, having different types of people (e.g. African Americans, Jewish, and Christians) depicted in the painting. He tries to show that a person should not be discriminated against because of their religion or race. There are eight people praying in their own different way. Their hands and faces are the only things we can see. He shows that people who worship are from different cultures and different religious backgrounds. Age, race, or color do not matter when it comes to worshipping. There is one woman holding a rosary and a Jewish man wearing a yarmulke and holding a bible in his hands. Another figure is an African American woman and a elderly woman who has braids pinned on her head. This seems to be a very successful drawing for the fact that he really represented what he hoped for the people to see, which was to simply just see what they were fighting for during the 1940's.
 * __// Freedom of Want: //__ As you look at the picture, the mid point of it is the turkey and the size of it may imply that it is the most important piece of the painting. The fruits seem to be appetizing, and the rest of the things on the table seem to be the tangible things we all have in life. Probably, because of the size of the turkey, it may show that as people we always want more than adequate quantities of many things in life. This painting also depicts a great sign of harmony and peace. I really like how the figures in the painting are looking at the viewer (which is us), because it seems as if they were inviting us to celebrate Thanksgiving with them. The grandparents are the only two people who are looking at the turkey, some are looking at each other; thus, emphasizing the importance of relationships amongst the family members. It shows happiness, peace, and harmony between everyone. The family seems to be a well middle class family and they do express the importance of gatherings as a traditional American family during Thanksgiving holiday.
 * __// Freedom From Fear: //__ Rockwell expressed this freedom by showing American parents tucking in their children into bed during the 1940's. The mother seems to imply that everything will be alright and the father seemed to tremble on that no everything isn't ok, since he is holding the newspaper in his hand. The father didn't even put the newspaper down when he was with his wife to tuck in the children into bed. Rockwell seemed to depict the righteousness of America in time of a tragic moment or in war.

Out of all of Rockwell's four freedom paintings, I believe that this one best represents what FDR was trying to get across. Freedom of speech implies that one can stand and speak his or her mind at any time, and in any situation, no matter whether people agree or disagree with the speaker. In the painting, a man stands alone, amongst a crowd, and expresses his thoughts and speaks his mind. The people around him, all sitting, do not exactly look thrilled with what the man is saying, and more than likely Rockwell wanted to convey that the crowd disagreed with the man standing and speaking. I believe this to be the case because it's in those situations where freedom of speech is most valuable; that is, when nobody agrees with you and even may be hostile towards you, you are still allowed to stand and speak your mind. When everybody is in agreement with each other, freedom of speech is a mere afterthought. When there is disagreement though, and people are allowed to have their say, then freedom of speech is appreciated. Thus, in this painting, the man speaks and enforces his right of freedom of speech. This is why I think Rockwell did a good job with his choice to show freedom of speech, and what FDR meant for it to be, and again I believe it's the best one out of all the four freedom paintings. It highlights what the freedom is and why it's significant. In this picture, Rockwell shows a group of people praying, and the freedom expressed supposedly is freedom of worship; that is, people of all nations should be able to practice their religion without persecution. FDR put it as "the freedom to worship God in his or her own way--everywhere in the world." Looking at how Rockwell depicted this freedom however, one should notice a couple of issues, at least in comparison to what President Roosevelt stated. First off, almost every single person in the painting is white. Even back in the 1940s, I don't think that most of the world was white. In fact, I think, like today, it was pretty diversified. FDR stated that the freedom of worship should be available "everywhere in the world." Rockwell instead chose to paint white America. The second issue with the portrait is that everybody in it is praying with their hands, like a Christian. Again, back in the 1940s, I don't think that most of the world was Christian. Like today, I'm sure that many different religions were practiced, and even Christianity is hugely popular around the world, it isn't the only one practiced. Rockwell though picked it as the only focus of his painting. It makes sense when you think that almost everyone in the picture is white, and probably American, so Christianity is more than likely their religion. The problem though is that FDR stated freedom of worship for everyone in the world, and Rockwell painted only white Americans practicing American Christianity. Instead, Rockwell should have depicted one person for each major religion from around the world. So, for example, he could have painted one white person for Christianity, one middle eastern person for Islam, one european for Catholicism, and so on. This way, FDR's remarks would have been better represented, and not so bias. Because of this bias, I do not believe that Rockwell accurately depicted what FDR stated. This is, by far, Rockwell's worst four freedoms picture in my opinion, again in comparison to what FDR stated. FDR said that freedom from want is "economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants--everywhere in the world." There's that "everywhere in the world" comment again; it is the crucial sentence here. Now, take a look at how Rockwell chose to paint FDR's comment. Is it even close to what FDR remarked? I just do not think so. The picture shows a white American family, sitting down, and getting ready to enjoy a large Thanksgiving feast. Everybody is smiling in the picture, and all are surely ready to eat and not be in "want" for food. How many other nations though, especially back in the 1940s, could realistically enjoy a similar meal? Five? Maybe ten? The fact is that there aren't many who could indulge in such a feast. Many countries probably couldn't even hope to have their people sit down as a family and eat in peace. The only message that I think this painting accurately gets across is that America has freedom from want, and that the country as a whole is safe enough to sit down together and feed itself. "Look everybody", says the Grandmother, "we can all be thankful today for the ability to get fat and not have not want!" That's what I see when I look at this picture. I just don't believe what Rockwell chose to paint does any justice to what FDR said. The painting does not display anything about the rest of the world, but rather shows how America has secured itself, through economic understandings, a "healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants." As for "everywhere in the world"? All Rockwell has to say about them is "look at America, and be jealous!" This is the final painting for the four freedoms set, and like the 2nd and 3rd pictures, I don't like how Rockwell depicted what FDR stated. In fact, this picture is remarkably ironic compared to what FDR said about freedom from fear. FDR's comments were this: "freedom from fear, which translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor--anywhere in the world." So, how did Rockwell choose to illustrate this? He painted a white American family (surprise!), with two children being tucked safely into bed by their parents, and alas everyone is free from having fear. Besides showing white Americans again, and thus ignoring FDR's "anywhere in the world" statement (just like in the three other paintings), Rockwell added some cruel irony in this picture that, in my mind, further shows the bias for America. Take a close look at the paper being held by the father; look at the headline. What does it say? It shouts "BOMBINGS KILL...HORRORS HIT." Now, is that in America? Of course not! It must speak of "anywhere in the world," where people have to hide in fear from "bombings" and "horrors." Not in America though, where parents can tuck their children away at night knowing that all is safe, and that there is "freedom from fear." What a cruel message to send from Rockwell, and it in no way meets the statement made by FDR. President Roosevelt wants all the world to have freedom from fear, but Rockwell instead chooses to highlight how the world //doesn't// have freedom from fear, and America does. It's just another poor illustration of what FDR wanted to get across. The four freedoms paintings were great for America, but none of them did justice for "the rest of the world," which is what FDR wanted to make a point of in his speech. Don't get me wrong; Rockwell's work is wonderful and incredibly creative, but in the four freedoms aspect, it does not, in my opinion, do its rightful and meaningful job to the rest of the world.
 * __ Freedom of Speech __
 * __ Freedom of Worship __
 * __ Freedom from Want __
 * __ Freedom from Fear __

description of the messages being conveyed, the means by which they these messages were conveyed and the effectiveness of the messages


 * Caroline Tucker:**
 * __Freedom of Speech__: When I first observed this piece at the museum, these were my observations: A middle-aged man stands amongst a crowd. The man's eyes are uplifted and everyone around him is gazing up at him in admiration or interest. His mouth is slightly open, delivering a speech or offering his opinion. I read a quote in the museum about how Rockwell used different perspectives to portray characters in a specific manner. In this instance, Rockwell uses a lower angle to make the main character seem almost godly. His confident stance and relaxed facial expressions convey power. Later, we discussed the true background of this work. It turns out, the man featured in this painting was actually delivering a controversial statement that outraged many listeners. This is quite a juxtaposition to Rockwell's depiction of the scene. Interestingly, I find the actual events to be more symbolic of the "freedom of speech" than Rockwell's illustration. This freedom, in my opinion, means that everyone is entitled to his or her beliefs and has the right to express them, regardless of popular opinion or majority rule. I think the poster would have been more effective if Rockwell had included several listeners in disagreement. This way, it would be assured that everyone would have a voice, no matter how controversial.
 * __Freedom of Worship__: This picture shows the faces and hands of several people looking very somber or saddened. One prominent woman whose face is washed in light clutches rosary beads while her neighbor bows her head in prayer. There is little color in this painting and the overall mood is very serious. The message seems to be that times are desperate, and one must turn to God with his or her troubles. This poster does create a sense of urgency and doles out responsibility with the line, "Each according to the dictate of his own conscience." One thing that disturbs me in this piece is the complete lack of diversity. The poster claims to be promoting the right for all to worship freely, yet there is little discrepancy as to age, race, and religion depicted. It seems that all featured worshippers are middle-aged to old. They are all white. There is no religion represented besides Catholicism. What can be gathered, therefore, is that the freedom of worship should be contained to those who fit this mold. If I was to reinvent this work, I would show people of various ages, races, religions, etc. all joined together working for a common goal. I would also create a happier mood, because religion is also about triumph and salvation.
 * __Freedom from Want__: This unassuming poster is one of the most controversial of the four "freedom" posters. It shows an elderly man and his presumed wife tenderly arranging a picturesque turkey on a table lined with many smiling faces. At first glance, this work gives you a warm, cozy feeling of family, laughter, and good food. It fits with the freedom from want, because after all, what more could one desire? I think the irony in this picture is that it is of a middle-class white family, telling the public that they're "free from want." What about the low-income minority families who don't enjoy even these basic commodities? Once again, I think this painting is amazing, but for the purpose it was assigned, it could use some upgrades. If Rockwell had used some diversity, it would have better captured a true definition of the freedom from want.
 * __Freedom from Fear__: Finally, I viewed Rockwell's interpretation of FDR's last freedom: the freedom from fear. This picture shows two parents tucking their two children into bed. The father is loosely holding the paper at his side as the mother pulls the covers up to her angelic children's chins. If used for an alternative purpose, this would be a simple picture of a middle class white family's nighttime rituals. However, the caption blares, "OURS...to fight for freedom for fear." In his initial address about the four freedoms, FDR declares that these freedoms should apply "anywhere in the world." However, once again, Rockwell features the same type of people: white and middle class, once again making the message not applicable to the rest of the world. In fact, this particular freedom comes at the expense of others and their fear. FDR was leading the US in WW2, so fighting for our freedom from fear meant inducing fear in our enemies. This is totally opposite of his message and plea for worldwide freedoms. I think it was the most crucial to incorporate diversity in this painting, due to the timing and intention of FDR's speech.


 * Wes Brown:**
 * __Freedom of Speech__: When first observing the picture I was automatically drawn to the man standing in the crowd. When thinking of freedoms in American freedom of speech is often times the one main attribute that many Americans want and fight for. The picture itself struck me by the man standing as the focal point of the picture. Perhaps he was a father fighting for the future of his children, or perhaps he was an anti-war protester; either way his voice was being heard. Although he was able to say his peace the picture portrayed the notion that just because you're able to say something doesn't mean everyone will hear it (as seen in the crowd of people surrounding him), which is true to this day.
 * __Freedom of Worship__: I was drawn to the __Freedom of Worship__ painting the most when first entering the section. The many faces of the men and women and the intricacy of the painting allowed for me to see truly how worship is something that is individual and can be different for all people. When thinking about Freedom of Worship in the context of World War II it seemed so important to every country as religious persecution was happening around the globe. However, I can see how Freedom of Worship plays an avid role in our society today as many citizens of the United States are singling out the religion of Islam as a catalyst for many of our Middle Eastern aggressors, whereas it is more centered on individual concerns and issues. Because our country is founded on Freedoms of Worship and against religious persecution I feel very strongly about this freedom and how everyone has their own method of worshiping as well as being a devoted Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, etc. This can be shown by the woman holding her beaded cross in the Norman Rockwell painting as well as in real-life scenarios.
 * __Freedom from Want__: As many would assume during times of the Great Depression many people wanted a stable family situation and money to backup their stability. As many have said before me I never envisioned Norman Rockwell depicting this picture as such a stereotypical family setting whereas I would have originally depicted the painting as perhaps homeless people outside of Macy's or a department store looking in wanting something. That's what I think the theme should have been - "Outside Looking In" as many non-Americans would have definitely been a component of this theme both during our country's establishment as well as to this day and during WW2.
 * __Freedom from Fear__:


 * Jessie Jordan: **** Four Freedoms Analysis: ** While I love Norman Rockwell as an exemplary model of an American artist, I do not think the Four Freedoms are my favorite pieces, nor do I feel they accurately portray what Roosevelt was getting across. It seems all of the paintings are represented from a purely ethnocentric perspective, which contradicts the fact that these Four Freedoms are supposed to be universal. While I do understand the time period in which these paintings were done, its interesting to take note of, especially in lieu of Rockwell's social awakening towards the end of his career. Knowing that these paintings are representative of the small town Rockwell lived in also lends itself to the fact that each painting consists of middle class whites.


 * ** Freedom of speech: ** While the focus is certainly the man standing up in a crowded room, there seems to be little emotion in the faces portrayed; in fact, it seems that those looking at the man have an heir of approval towards the man in plaid. To me, freedom of speech is edgy. It reminds me of dissenting opinions and flared language; this picture seems peaceful and friendly. I suppose the confidence portrayed by the man standing is supposed to support the idea of free speech because confidence is necessary to speak out. I still think this is a beautiful painting, but not necessarily the greatest depiction of free speech.
 * ** Freedom of Worship: ** To mainstream America, Catholicism has been seen as almost foreign. The history of our nation has a great divide between Catholic and Protestant religious groups; therefore, the fact Rockwell incorporated rosary beads into this painting was probably a progressive move for the time period. Had the painting been created today, Judaism, multiple ethnicities and Muslims would have most likely been included in the painting. The concept, I believe, //is// representative of free worship, yet the diversity aspect is lacking.
 * ** Freedom from Want: ** This picture is far from the interpretation I envisioned when I heard FDR’s third Freedom. He said, “ The third is freedom from want—which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world.” I do not feel this painting accurately portrays the ideology FDR was communicating. To me, this painting says “Thanksgiving.” Period. Because the freedom directly states universality, I think Rockwell’s interpretation of a purely white family severely limits the scope of freedom Rockwell was trying to invoke.
 * ** Freedom from Fear: ** I get what Rockwell was going for -- the idea that a family can safely tuck their children in bed with the freedom of knowing that they will all wake up safely and continue on their journey tomorrow. I think that while I would have chosen to portray freedom from fear differently, Rockwell’s interpretation is abstractly unique. He chose a direction that most would not have chosen, which is bold but I think it is fitting…not necessarily from the first glance, but after some thought. However, FDR wasn’t merely talking about small-town fears, but a “ world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor—anywhere in the world.” The type of fear the painting suggests to me refers to just local violence, instead of strategic warfare strategies, and of course the issue of universality and multiculturalism stirs in me when I look at this painting.


 * Lauren Avery's Four Freedoms:** while I enjoyed the paintings and the general messages FDR and Rockwell were trying to depict, I think that the images are a quite outdated. Paintings today depicting the same message would include many more differences as far as race and religion, and I don't think the "Thanksgiving" image necessarily would be something used to display a lack of want. Below are my interpretations of the paintings.


 * __Freedom of Speech:__ In this painting, a man is standing in a room among many others. His eyes focused in the distance and he has a firm grip on the empty seat ahead of him. To me, this many seems to represent the working class, and maybe is rallying support for some sort of labor union. His clothes almost look dirty and his hands worn, and a paper sticks out of his jacket like it may have been a paycheck or even a newspaper. He sits around men who are dressed up in suits and ties which would seem to suggest that they’re higher class, but those men are all focused on the working class man. To me, this power reversal represents the right that every individual has to speak their mind, regardless of race, age, or socioeconomic status. The painting also has a hopeful feel to it; the man is almost smiling and looks determined and faithful in whatever it is he is proclaiming. Even the gentleman who is much older than him (who sits to his right) is listening and watching intently at the younger man—even though typically we assume that our elders are wiser. In my opinion, Rockwell very effectively portrays the “freedom of speech” message in the way that he presents a powerful man literally “standing up for himself.”


 * __Freedom to Worship:__ In this painting, Norman Rockwell illustrates the freedom of religion that is regarded highly in America. It is a close up of several people’s faces profile. The people in the picture all have different skin tones and hair colors and are from varying age groups. To me, this is a mini representation of how diverse America is. These people all have their hands together as if they’re praying; some have their eyes closed, some have them open looking in the distance hopefully. The most prominent figure in the painting, to me, is the elderly woman in the middle—she is the person whose face is shown the most. She is looking down with her hands together to her face, presumably in prayer. There is a black man next to her whose head you cannot fully see, but to me it speaks volumes. The drastic differences in this younger man and the elderly woman next to him are stark at first glance—dark skin, light skin, young and old—but then upon closer notice you see that they are both praying. I think that Rockwell uses these two people (and the others) to say that despite our differences, we should all be able to practice whatever religion we choose.
 * __Freedom from Want:__ This is a painting that seems to show a family in complete harmony and happiness. It illustrates a group of people, presumably a family, sitting around a nice large table eating. The matriarch is placing a large turkey on one end of the table while the others chat amongst themselves, smiling. The table is decorated with what looks like fine china and silver, and the guests all seem to be nicely dressed. To me, Rockwell is using this painting to spark the all American image of Thanksgiving in viewer’s minds. All of the people in this painting seem to have everything they wanted; it is almost representative of the American dream. A home, a wonderful close-knit family, and wealth. This family seems to be free from want—they appear to have everything they desire.
 * __Freedom from Fear:__ In this painting, a man and women are pulling the bed covers over two children. The children’s eyes are close and they are already asleep as the mom leans over and seems to be saying “Shh…” and the man stands next to her, holding a newspaper looking lovingly at the children. To me, this man and women represent the way that American citizens should be able to do things like put their children to bed at night, without having to worry that something will happen while they’re sleeping. The parents both look happy and worry free, and the children rest peacefully—clearly not concerned with the evils that lurk in our world today. Rockwell’s painting would be relatable to many people because we all have people in our lives that we care about, and we all want them to be safe. I think the painting depicts a happier world in general—where things like kidnapping, and homicide do not exist and we as an entire population can be free from the fear of such things.\


 * Caroline Clark:** I had a wonderful time at the Norman Rockwell Art exhibit and I really can't believe that was my first time visiting the Art Museum since I've been in Raleigh for 5 years! I think the "four freedoms" paintings were very interesting and well done, but I don't believe they were a well representation of FDR's speech. The paintings were very one-sided and didn't do a good job at representing America to me. I enjoyed the other paintings much more than these four.
 * 1. Freedom of Speech:** This painting depicts a white male in the middle of a town meeting being looked at by the other people in the town. Though he is sending a view that many of the people in the meeting do not agree with, I couldn't really tell through the art. It almost seems if they are looking up at him. I believe this is an accurate portrayal of a town meeting and the freedom of speech, however, only in a certain part of town. These people seem to be older white men and probably middle class. There is no representation of women and other minorities. When I think of America, I think of a melting pot; not just a foundation of old white men.
 * 2. Freedom of Worship:** In this painting, I once again believe Rockwell is showing the power of freedom of worship and the relevance of it according to Roosevelt's speech, but there is something again missing. It is all older people shown in the picture and I believe that sends a message of devaluing religion for younger people. I think there is a good representation of men and women, but I think there should have been younger people included. I also think in America we have a great deal of difference of religion and since there is such a freedom of worship, I think these religions should be included. It would have made sense to see the many different religions of America.
 * 3. Freedom from Want:** This painting doesn't reveal the point FDR was trying to get across in his speech. This painting simply shows a white, middle class family having a meal at Thanksgiving. I am aware this is a depiction of a happy family who has plenty of food and happiness, therefore they are free from want. But, when I think about America, I do not think about only a white family eating during the holidays. Though these people have everything they want, there could easily be a family across town who doesn't the same freedom. Diversity would have helped.
 * 4. Freedom from Fear:** In this painting, a mother and father are tucking their children into bed and the father is holding a newspaper that is reporting bombs representing evils in the world. I think this picture is a good portrayal of our "freedom from fear" in America because we are always wanting freedom from evil and shield our children from this, but when we cut on the news, cases of this are always being reported. We try to hide this from our children. Once again, I would like to see a bit of diversity in the painting. It seems as if the mom is the nurturer and the father deals with business with the paper in his hands, but these roles have changed significantly today. Overall, I understand the point Rockwell was trying to get across, it just seems outdated at this point.


 * Chelsea Perkins:**
 * Freedom of Speech: This picture shows a working man, standing among a crowd of men in business attire. He is standing alone, and everyone seems to be paying attention to what he has to say. The discussion seems very peaceful, although I learned that they actually disagreed with what he was saying. The picture portrays freedom of speech in a very peaceful way - which I think is too idealistic. The picture is implying that one can stand up and say whatever he wants, without any disagreement or conflict, and that just isn't true anymore. I understand the tone that Rockwell was trying to portray and it does give that warm fuzzy feeling, I just don't think it's very realistic of the actual freedom.
 * Freedom of Worship: I don't think that this picture actually portrays the freedom, either. The picture depicts a group of white Christians praying together. There is a Bible featured, and also a set of rosary beads. The rosary beads surprised me, as Catholics are somewhat of a minority. The color is very dim/faded, and the scene comes across as very serious, perhaps mournful even. I don't think this particular painting was very effective with its message, and would definitely have to be updated today. I would like to see more diversity featured in the painting, and people of all ethnicities and religions should be featured. I like the diversitiy of age in the painting, but featuring all Christians takes away from the FDR's message.
 * Freedom from Want: This painting features a white, middle-upper class family enjoying a Thanksgiving meal together. I've seen this painting before, and actually like it quite a bit - I just don't think it portrays what FDR was trying to say. The message is all wrong for this painting. I think it portrays the typical "American dream" that so many people desire. The people in this painting are free from want - but what about everyone else? The Great Depression was only a few years before this, and I highly doubt that everyone in America was able to enjoy a wonderful dinner like this.
 * Freedom from Fear: This painting features a set of parents tucking in their children before bed. The parents are putting on a happy face, and the children seem happy, completely oblivious to what is really occurring. I think that this painting is so interesting, and very ironic and contradicting. This scene is supposed to represent freedom from fear, but the newspaper in the painting features the United States bombing Japan. FDR believe that the freedoms should apply to everyone in the world, but with this representation, this freedom clearly doesn't apply to every nation - just the United States. Again, I don't think this picture accurately portrays what RDR was trying to say.


 * Margaret Nelson**
 * I really enjoyed looking at the Four Freedoms posters, partially due to the fact that I only recognized half of them. I was unfamiliar with the freedom of worship or the freedom of speech in the context of the four freedoms speech. The one thing that I found the most interesting was the fact that none of these were the real paintings; they were posters from the time period, obviously seen by the folds and wear.
 * **Freedom of Speech:** I think the freedom of speech poster is a great representation of the idea to have every American's voice heard and to keep democracy alive. Here, the man standing looks like he belongs to the working class and is much younger than all those around him, generally making him the least likely subject to speak in a meeting like this. But to have him be the focus of the artwork gives it a much more patriotic feel to it, giving the underdog a chance to show his ideas and maybe help the cause. I think this is an effective representation of the message though, like all the other paintings, it would be better to see more diversity.
 * **Freedom to Worship:** I understand that the point of this particular piece was to show a range of religions and those able to practice the religion of their choice. However, this poster did not seem to convey that sense to me very well. Though there may be details that I am not able to see, it looks as though the only differentiation between the worship is with the one Catholic woman who is counting on her rosary, but all still seem to be praying to some form of a Christian God. I don't think this was as effective as the others, just because it's difficult to see any variety in the worship and were again, majority Caucasian. To update the poster I would attempt to put in a man with traditional Jewish worship attire, or someone with a Koran, as long as there was a visual representation of the variations in worship.
 * **Freedom from Want:** There was a clear message with this painting, of a freedom from want, meaning that each person in the United States had the right and opportunity to be provided for and taken care of. In this picture, it shows this idea through a family during the holidays, whether Thanksgiving or Christmas, being able to eat together inside a home, surrounded by family and friends. I thought this was an effective representation of the idea and was able to capture not only the wealth of food, but also the wealth of company and love that is provided from friends and family. It would have been better to have seen an integrated table, but I still think it's a representative piece for freedom from want.
 * **Freedom from Fear:** I liked the poster used for the freedom from fear, though I found it ironically dark and eerie. I understand that its purpose is to show the good old days, when you were able to put your children to bed, knowing exactly where they are and not having to worry about anything bad happening to them. Though still effective, I would say it may not be as clear as the other pieces, but is still a wonderful poster that shows the necessity for a return to innocence and trust in the American spirit.


 * Amanda Wiehler's Four Freedoms Analysis**:

__**Freedom of Speech**__ In this painting, Rockwell focused on a middle aged man, who most likely represents the “common man.” Although I have several suggestions as to how the freedom of speech could be presented today, I believe this painting was a great portrayal of the time in which it was created. I first noticed the setting of the town hall and the brochures several members of the crowd are holding. Also, the way the subject of focus is dressed suggests he is a farmer, or industrial worker. He is wearing a worn jacket, his skin is weathered, and his collared shirt is without a tie. In contrast, the men surrounding the speaker are wearing business attire. The individuals in the crowd may have owned businesses or worked for big corporations. Rockwell wanted to depict that everyone should have a voice, not just those with a high standing in society. Unfortunately, during the time the painting was created, the public did not appreciate diversity. Therefore, the subject of focus, as well as the individuals surrounding him, are white. Additionally, I noticed a young woman in the crowd. She is shyly looking up to the subject of focus. This suggests how women acted in public during this time, quiet and meek. In addition, the men looking up to the subject of focus have looks of approval and are engaged in what the man is saying. I particularly found interest in the older gentleman to the left of the subject of focus. He is grasping the town hall booklet, and his lips are curled to suggest his agreement with the subject of focus. I found that the subject of focus had little emotion in his face. The man could have been unsure of what he wanted to say, or nervous. Furthermore, Rockwell created the perfect scene for this painting. Roosevelt made it clear that everyone in the world is entitled to freedom of speech and expression. This painting clearly addresses the freedom of speech. Today, however, the freedom of speech should include individuals from various backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities. __**Freedom of Worship**__ To begin with, this painting focuses on individuals worshiping God in many different ways. As Franklin Roosevelt addressed, every person in the world should be able to worship God in his or her own way. I particularly liked this painting and the emotions carried by the individuals in the painting. I especially liked the middle aged woman in the center holding a rosary and with a look of hope in her eyes. The woman in the upper corner of the painting has a look of sadness as she holds her hands in prayer. When I first viewed this painting, I had a feeling of serenity as I carefully analyzed each individual’s expressions. Furthermore, I found that the painting failed to represent multiple religions. The religion that I saw represented in this painting is Christianity. The freedom of worship should not only touch Christianity, but the other various religions represented in the United States. Franklin Roosevelt did not address every religion in his forming of the four freedoms; however, I believe today’s depiction of the freedom of worship should include the multiple religions that are present in the United States. __**Freedom from Want**__ This painting illustrates a traditional Thanksgiving meal, in a typical American household. The individuals are gathered around the dining table, and the emotions of the people in the room are happy and gleeful of the meal they are about to enjoy. Franklin Roosevelt wanted to ensure that every nation has a healthy peacetime life. Thanksgiving is the time of year when families get together to celebrate what they are thankful for in their life. Rockwell wanted to present the family members as happy for the shelter over their heads, the warm meal that is served, and the health of everyone in the painting. The items on the table are not lavish; the meal consists of a large turkey with sides of fruit, vegetables, and water as the beverage. Again, there is no diversity in this painting. Also, it seems that the older woman serving the turkey was the only one cooking the meal. This setting is typical of the time period when this painting was created. Although this painting is of Rockwell’s family, I believe a modern representation would include a family of a different ethnic background. __**Freedom from Fear**__ I understand what Rockwell wanted to portray in this painting. The mother and father are putting their innocent children to sleep; they know the children are safe and sound even as the world around them is in turmoil. The mother and father’s expressions are not distressed even though the newspaper reads of bombings. The father’s face is solely focused on the children with little worry in his eyes. Roosevelt made it aware that physical aggression against a neighbor was wrong anywhere in the world. I don’t believe Rockwell represented the “world” in this painting. Rockwell only captured a typical American family as his subjects. In order to depict freedom from fear in a global aspect, I believe that he needed to address more than just a portrait of an American family.

__**Hannah Wilson**__:

__**Freedom of Speech:**__ The first thing I noticed was the single man standing up with his head tilted slightly upwards. I then noticed all the people that were sitting around him were older than him and were either looking up at him or not looking at him at all. I thought the man felt some sense of empowerment and that was why his chin was held high. I don't think this is an ideal situation when it comes to town hall meetings. Usually people are arguing especially when they disagree with what someone is saying. The picture did not represent the United States in that it is a very diverse country. I see mainly middle to upper class white Americans. However, I did see that both genders were represented in the painting.

__**Freedom of Worship:**__ In this painting I noticed people were praying and one woman in particular had a rosemary in her hand. Once again, I did not see different types of religions represented in the painting such as Judaism or Islam. The quote by Franklin Roosevelt, "The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way-everywhere in the world," was in a sense not represented. Of course it shows the practice of religion being portrayed in the painting, but it does not represent all religions from everywhere in the world. I believe that Norman Rockwell only wanted to reach the majority of people in the United States, which are white Christians. However, I think the painting is very touching through the emotions he pulls through the people's facial expressions; it truly shows the power of religion.

__**Freedom from Want:**__ Instantly I thought of my family on Thanksgiving when I looked at this painting. I thought of families across the United States gathering around the table to feast. However, not every family in America has the money to have a feast such as this. I think the meaning of his painting was to tell people that we want to protect moments like this when we are with are family, and not have to worry about having to afford things such as food. It seems that no matter how great our economy is there will be people who go without food or who go without shelter. It is the harsh reality that we as humans must face. I think that this does represent Franklin Roosevelt's quotes very well in that it shows a family at peace, not worrying about economic struggles.

__**Freedom from Fear**__: Rockwell's painting represents that even though there are terrible things happening in the world families should be free of fear. The painting shows two parents tucking their children in to bed without having a care in the world. The dad is holding in his hand a newspaper that reads of bombings, but the father has a slight grin of his face not seeming to care. This would in noway be realistic, it portrays Americans as having no thoughts or feelings about tragic events that are taking place in the world. Roosevelt's quote speaks of freedom of fear of "acts of aggression against any neighbor-anywhere in the world," but in the painting he only represents Americans being fearless while bombings are taking place outside of the country.

Activity One:

**__ F __****__ reedom of Speech __**
=== This illustration was the first one that I came to and it immediately grabbed my attention. It portrays an older gentleman with a determined look on his face. He seems to be in a meeting or gathering of some sort and wants to voice this thoughts and opinions. I think that showing the Freedom of Speech this way is a great way to show the differences in opinions but the freedom to have a voice. A new way to illustrate this piece would be for the gentleman standing up to have a more believable appearance that he has a backbone. He seems to maybe doubt himself and that he isn’t exactly putting himself out there too loudly. In America, we have the right to voice our opinions with confidence as this one could have shown that a little more clearly. ===

**__ Freedom of Worship __**
=== This next piece was really an amazing one because it showed much diversity. There is an older lady at the front and center of this piece. In the forefront, there is a woman from an entirely different background as well as age. This diversity and freedom allows the opportunity to worship. One new way to illustrate this piece would be to have the people worshipping and praying in their own unique ways. Not everyone prays with their two hands folded, and this could be shown more accurately. ===

**__ Freedom from Want __**
=== This one was a little confusing to me at first because I wasn’t sure how the Freedom of Want was found in this piece. I think that the idea here was that some people do not have to sit and wonder when their needs and wants will be met- they just are. Not everyone has to ponder and stress about where their next meal comes from or if there family is able to gather around to share it with. This picture seems a little unrealistic because not everyone has the same “wants” in life. Some people may want just a healthy, happy family. Others way want the more materialist things in life. While this picture shows that the family is completely satisfied, there may be bigger wants that are unseen (safety, love, and wealth) and those could have been portrayed better in the illustration. ===

**__ Freedom From Fear __**
=== I really enjoyed this particular image because it had a lot of emotion in it and seemed to tug on my “heart strings”. For the Freedom of Fear, the picture shows that parents do not have to worry about the safety of their families and that they are always tucked safe away in their beds, untouched and unharmed each night. This shows the idea that Americans do not have to live in fear but one thing I could have changed about this picture would be to maybe include something not related to children. Not every person is a parent so they may not appreciate or get as much out of this particular image, as they would something else that they may fear. ===

Freedom from fear:
== I did not like this representation of the freedom from fear. I did not really think it shows freedom. I understand that it means parents can tuck their little ones in without fearing their harm, but I feel a better representation is needed. If I were to see this picture in modern form, I would recommend something with based around 9/11 or the war on terrorizing. ==

Freedom from Want:
===This was another picture I really did not like. Once again, I do not think it represents freedom from want. I understand that it means a family does not have to fear not putting food on the table for their family and that they will have what they need, but I think a better representation would be needed. If it were to be represented this in the modern world, I would like to see a little girl. This little one should be homeless, dirty, and smudged. She should be super skinny and look sad. This would represent the world we want to change for our children.===

Freedom of speech:
===I loved this picture. I loved how the main character looks different from everyone and has captures all their attention. I love the look on the man's face as he stares down his competition and voices his opinion. To change this into the modern world, I would want some different ethnicitys in the group and perhaps have a few of the people yelling and disagreeing with the man.===

Freedom of Worship:
===I liked this picture as well. Once again, it really captures the meaning of worship. It shows how people are gathering to worship, but I wish it would show more varied religions. It really only represents Christianity and does not take into account the other religions; nor does it vary ethnicity. If I were to represent this in the modern world, I would have different religious symbols around those who are praying and have different ethnicities represented as well.===

Wendy: When I look at the Four Freedoms I see a snapshot of American History. I see the prejudices of American during the time Norman Rockwell was painting. The people in these pictures are all white and most would assume they were all Christian. While I'm sure Norman Rockwell did not want to only represent the interests of white America, it is very telling of the times. The Freedom of Speech painting represents a man standing up in front of a group of his peers. I think that a man standing up for a more clear issue would be a better representation of really being free to speak. Freedom of Worship represents a group of people praying. While this does represent that people gather to worship, it only shows people of the Christian faith. As I said while we were at the museum I think that Rockwell's painting entitled "The Golden Rule" is a much better representation of Freedom of Worship. Freedom from Fear to mean does not represent fear. While the parents may have been worried, it doesn't come through as they tuck their children into bed. I really did like the representation that a teenager did of the painting. It showed a child cowering before a menacing shadow. I think that it is a much better representation of fear. The Freedom from Want painting I think does a much better job representing Thanksgiving or Christmas than freedom from want. I have seen this painting for years and I never knew what it really was. I knew it was a Norman Rockwell painting, but I didn't know what was supposed to represent freedom from want. I can't think of another painting to represent the idea better, but I think that something showing the homeless getting aid might be a better representation. While I may not agree with Rockwell's representations I think that they were more influenced by the times rather than his personal desire to leave people out. During the time he was painting he couldn't publish paintings that showed blacks in roles other than servant roles. I'm sure representing Muslims or Jews would have been just as upsetting. I think that the representations were the best that he could do at the time within the societal constraints he was working with. They are beautiful pictures, but I think they miss the mark.

**Kay Balagtas: ** Freedom of Speech This picture portrays a very bold setting, in which a man is standing strong in the middle of a crowd that differ drastically from him. The man standing appears to look determined, yet melancholy, while the prestigious looking men are agreeing with what he is saying. In today’s society, I feel like much more passion and desire in personal beliefs and values would be conveyed in paintings representing society’s freedom to speak freely.

Freedom of Worship I found this picture to be very calming and soothing, in that the peace revealed through the images conveys a strong image about faith. The men and women of all ages are gathered in an intimate atmosphere, which guarantees that everyone has the right to practice religion in public spaces. While I like the message that the image is trying to illustrate, others may not agree because there are many religions in the world who may have a different form of worshipping. Although it is a general depiction of freedom of worship, I think that it speaks for all religious practices.

Freedom of from Want The elderly couple in this picture almost seems to symbolize the generalization of the American family- in which traditional values, such as gathering with close loved ones and family and serving a humungous turkey at Thanksgiving. It looks as if the family is well-off and well-taken care of by the motherly-figure in the family, which shows that everyone is entitled the freedom of obtain a happy and pleasant lifestyle. While it would be nice for everyone to experience the way of life as portrayed in the painting, this is definitely not the case, as people are on welfare, unemployed, and face other adversities.

Freedom from Fear <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">The depiction of the absence of fear in everyday life seems surreal to me. Of course, we would like to be able to tuck in children at night and keep them safe and free of any harm, but in reality, anxiety is just unavoidable. However, the painting depicts that despite of trials and tribulations that may occur in the world, like war, we have the right to feel protected and free of any detrimental mischiefs in the world. It is ironic that the children are guarded with a shield, because war is occurring in the world at the time.

**Julie Dixon** **Freedom of Speech:** The focus of this painting is a man standing in a crowded room where all of his counterparts are seated. He appears to be a working man, somewhat worn, in the midst of middle class people. Perhaps Rockwell used a working-class figure in order to relate to his intended target audience. He appears to be a respectable man. It is interesting to note the expressions on the faces of the other men in the painting as they look up at the man who is standing. The fact is yes, they have expressions, but they seem to be lacking emotion in my eyes. I imagine freedom of speech as standing firm, arguing, possibly even picketing—while I like the painting, something is missing for me. **Freedom of Worship:** The subdued colors of this painting help to set the mood. It is one of solemnity and reverence. One woman has her head bowed in prayer, another holds her rosary, and a man holds on to his Bible. Personally, I really like this painting because the portrayal of Christianity reflects my beliefs. However, it is not reflective of all of the religions that are present. There is no representation of Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, etc. To really represent freedom of worship, I think that maybe those should be included, but I do like the painting as is. **Freedom from Want:** Now here is a painting that I have seen on countless occasions. It is the ideal—the American dream. A happy family seated around the table with a beautiful turkey being placed in front of them. Everything is very neat and tidy; nothing less than perfection can satisfy the typical desires associated with want. One can only imagine what the room smells like. I believe that this is Rockwell’s most effective “Freedom” piece—it encapsulates the stereotypical American desires. **Freedom from Fear:** I tend to find this painting a little ironic. A father clutches a newspaper telling of the bombings that have recently happened in Japan while he and his wife tuck their children into bed—a sweet setting, but there is so much more than meets the eye at surface level. While the United States ultimately succeeded as a part of World War II, I don’t know that I would be free from fear with newspaper headlines that are clearly focused on the war. I think that Rockwell’s painting probably worked for Americans as the time, but here again, I don’t believe that this is the best representation of freedom from fear. I think that it is also important to note that the freedom being displayed in this painting is being made available to the stereotypical white, middle-class family. Isn’t this painting supposed to represent freedom for everyone? How could other races, ethnicities, cultures relate?

Freedom of Speech This painting depicts a man standing up in a room full of people. The people are all near the same age, all older people. The people in the background are mainly men with hardly any emotions on their faces. Two of the men are directly looking up at the center man. The man in the center looks like a middle class man from a modest background. The setting appears to be some sort of meeting. To me, this painting would be more effective if they showed the man in more of a hostile environment. The background people should’ve been either yelling at him or jeering at the main man to show that he was speaking up in a situation that was against him. Freedom of Worship The concept of this painting is pretty obvious, by showing people with bowed heads and hands in a prayer position. There is a woman holding her rosary, while another man is holding a Bible. I was just disappointed in the lack of religious diversity in this painting. It mainly shows the people praying in a Christian manner. One of the main reasons for why people came to America was for freedom of religion and worship. I think if Rockwell depicted the other religions in America, then his statement would have been stronger. Freedom from Want This painting depicts an elderly couple serving a big turkey to a group of enthusiastic people. The elderly woman is wearing an apron, to indicate that she spent all day cooking in the kitchen. This painting is basically showing a typical American Thanksgiving, complete with family and food. It appears as though the elderly lady is serving the meal, almost like a servant, while everyone else is just waiting. I wish that the painting could have showed everybody helping out. Instead the people are busy smiling or talking with one another. Overall, I think this portrays the American dream of being able to feed one’s family without struggle and achieving a state of happiness. Freedom from Fear This painting shows a mother and father tucking in their two kids for the night. The father is holding a newspaper, probably with news about the war, while his kids are oblivious to what is going on. The family is white, of course, just like the other three Freedom paintings. The family looks well-to-do because the father is wearing a suit, and the room has toys scattered on the floor. Like in his other Freedom paintings, I am disappointed in the lack of diversity. It seems as though the only people that can achieve a certain type of freedom is white. I do think that the concept of this painting is depicted well, showing safety and security.
 * Zohra Sadat**

<span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse;">Hannah Lee <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse;">These Norman Rockwell paintings did represent the messages that were being delivered by President Roosevelt, at the time; however, the messages are presented in a very subtle manner in the paintings. I do believe that these are great representations of the time period of which they were painted, yet I do find that they would have to be updated in the manners listed below in order to continue to stay relevant with America's constantly changing population and landscape. <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse;">Freedom of Speech: This is, by far, one of my favorite paintings of Norman Rockwell, because of the stance that a single person can create on a community, or world is profoundly portrayed in this painting. I like the variety of the gentlemen's attire, sitting and watching the man making the stand. I think it's interesting that Rockwell made significant strides to show the differences in class, as well as how the attitudes that are portrayed can greatly effect the manner of which something can be approach. It does; however, only contain white men, so to create a more current painting women, children, and various races would have to be implemented. There is a good range of ages in this painting. The attire of the male characters is still relatable to today's differences in the working class and upper class. The setting seems to be a church; however, and to create a more relevant setting and connection, I think the setting would need to be changed as well. <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse;">Freedom of Worship : This painting shows the great diversity within American, but when taking a closer look one can see that not all religions, cultures, and ethinicities are presented in the piece. There would need to be additional cultures and religions added, such as Muslim, Hindu, etc. This is a very interesting piece, however, it seems to lack the context for the presentation -- where are all these people practicing their religious rituals in the same location? <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse;">Freedom from Want: This is a really interesting piece, and the details are what helps it remain a constant, relevant topic of discussion. It shows multiple generations at the dinner table, but there is a very unclear social class represented, due to the attire and only the faces of the individual people being visible. It is interesting to look at the objects on the table -- compared to a all-American Thanksgiving dinner with far too much food on the table, this table seems to possess just the bare essentials. I wonder how this can relay the SES class to the art critic, as well as the nuclear family that is represented. To create a more updated version of this piece, there would have to be an update of the family. This would be an essentially difficult tasks because there are so many varieties of family today -- multiracial families, non-nuclear families (same sex, biracial), etc. <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse;">Freedom from Fear: This caption/title of the poem can be a bit confusing, unless art critics look a bit closer into the painting, as well as explore the context of which it was written. I think it's really interesting that the gender roles play a role in this painting -- the mother nurturing her children, the father watching the mother's actions, the mother in a dress. If this were to be updated, the roles would have to be changed in a sense, perhaps showing more independent children, or even the father tucking children into bed, as a mother enters in the room in her business attire. The roles of gender have changed significantly. A TV would be seen in a current home as well, rather than relying on a newspaper for communication with the greater world. I also question Rockwell's intent of only placing young boys as children, yet having a baby doll in the boys' room. This painting does well to show the SES class, by the upstairs home, which would have been of the working to upper class.