239 INTERMEDIATE ESSAY, SECOND PLACE Damien MacLennan Symbols On Remembrance Day, we take a moment to remember all of the soldiers who sacri昀ced their lives during war to keep our country free. We are very privileged to live in a country such as Canada, and we must be thankful for the opportunity to feel safe. We should also re昀ect on war-torn countries and their suffering. On this day, we take a moment to re昀ect on the many sacri昀ces that were made in war. Powerful symbols can help us do this. A striking symbol that helps us re昀ect on Remembrance Day is the vivid red poppy we wear on our chest with pride. The poppies symbolize the blood of fallen soldiers who had to leave their home so that their country could be free. In Flanders Fields, many tombstones stand erect across the plains of Belgium, with poppies scattered amongst them, almost as if they were resting with the soldiers. They display a brilliant red mirage of unspeakable beauty, providing almost comfort among the dead. These poppies 昀ourished amongst the 昀elds that were trampled upon by Canadian soldiers, whose bravery will never be forgotten. This is why the poem “In Flanders Fields” is such a powerful example of this symbolism; it is from the perspective of the dead, who are hauntingly telling their experience of war using the poppies as symbols of remembrance. Wearing a poppy is not only a symbol of remembrance, but also a sign of war. Another important symbol of our soldiers' sacri昀ces is the emphatic trumpeting sound of “The Last Post,” followed by two minutes of juxtaposed silence at 11am, and the graceful laying of wreaths at memorial sites. When different families lay down wreaths, it acknowledges their ancestors who died 昀ghting in the war for a very long time. The two minutes of silence represent us re昀ecting on the many privileges we have, living in a free country, not a country at war. We should all re昀ect on this during this moment, as two minutes is not a lot of time compared to the many years that the soldiers were 昀ghting in the war. Lastly, the symbol of time should be re昀ected upon, as we remember how long these soldiers had to 昀ght for, and how strong they had to be to endure suffering for so long. War lasted for years; it must have been extremely dif昀cult for these soldiers physically, mentally, and emotionally, especially when they became extremely injured and lost comrades. Time must have felt like eternity to these soldiers, so by acknowledging this time, we pay tribute to their sacri昀ce. Human beings use symbols to help conceptualize dif昀cult events and remember them better. By wearing a poppy, honouring the two minutes of silence, laying wreaths, and re昀ecting upon the long duration of war, we allow ourselves to remember the soldiers and their sacri昀ces, while also humbling ourselves to all the privileges we have in Canada, particularly that of being free. What a gift it is to remember such bravery and sacri昀ce.
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