Words, placed in the correct sequence, can have a powerful impact. The headline of any news story, or other piece of literature, must grasp its reader from the onset. During a recent visit to the Newseum in Washington, DC, I ventured across The San Francisco Examiner's bold headline on the wall "Chronicling an Attack on America." This gallery is meant to walk its viewer through a sequence of horrendously life-altering events, as seen through the eyes of a journalist.
With one word, The Examiner was able to tap into the raw emotions of the American public and elicit feelings of anger and disgust from the fiery flames surrounding the type. During times of struggle or times of sorrow, people, generally, want to feel as if they aren't in it alone. In writing this headline, The Examiner was able to create a sense of community in a time where our country was being rocked to its core. By reflecting what its readers were really feeling, instead of masking emotions, they created one of the single-most enduring images in history.
