A monument memorializes something or someone; it brings that thing or that person to our remembrance, honors them, and inspires us profoundly. A monument is not just a memory, however; it is an enduring memorial that stands throughout the ages to convey to us what the person or thing it honors stood for. In this sense, a monument can take many manifestations. It could be a poem, a song, a play, a photograph, or even a letter. Some of our finest books are memorials. A monument is never trivial, so monuments are imposing and unforgettable. They capture an event, the essence of a person, or a moment in time, and pay homage to it by revealing its worth. A monument that is not riveting and evocative is not doing its job and should be demoted to the designation of ômere statueö or ôsomebodyÆs reaction.ö
One of the most compelling monuments in America is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial designed by Maya Linn to commemorate the soldiers who died or were missing in the Vietnam War. The founders established four basic criteria for the monument that demonstrate an excellent grasp of what a monument must do and be:
that it be reflective and contemplative in character, (2) that it harmonize with its surroundings, especially the neighboring national memorials, (3) that it would contain the names of all who died or remain missing, and (4) that it make no political statement about the war. By separating the issue of those who served in Vietnam from that of U.S. policy in the war, the group hoped to begin a process of national reconciliation (1).
The founders here identify an essential element of a monument; it transcends the petty concerns of politics and opinion to focus on eternal truths, deep human motivations, or accomplishments that stand for all time. This monument also shares a characteristic that is evident at the Los Angeles National Cemetery; it attempts to list the names of all those who are buried there. This must be...