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George Andrew S. Inglis
LA 101H, Section 004
Ben Henderson
March 4, 2011
Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Graffiti is a form of art that has no restrictions or boundaries since, in essence, it
is just images or text imposed on any surface imaginable. These surfaces (to name a few)
can be buildings, statues, and even other works of art. Although it typically is a
negatively connoted with vandalism, graffiti can also have a more constructive purpose
and deeper meaning. Rather than just being a public defacement, graffiti can convey a
message, as is the case with the works of the solitary British street artist, Banksy. His
works often tackle societal issues or dilemmas in countries all over the world, including
Palestine. On a building in the West Bank, he created an altered image of a commonplace
for peace, a dove. It still bears an olive branch, but is different in many ways from the
conventional depiction. Banksy uses this dove to draw attention to the instability of peace
and the need for a definite resolution to conflict in Palestine by placing it in a meaningful
location, contrasting elements of modern war with the image’s traditional symbolism, and
drawing the bird in a very gritty style.
Banksy did not just choose to draw this image in the West Bank, much less the
particular wall it was painted on, on a whim. In fact, if the image were painted in any
other location, it would have little meaning to passers-by. This particular area is vital to
the image’s rhetoric, since the wall is the site where 40 Palestinians were shot to death
during the First Initfada (“The Armored Dove”). The Initfadas were a series of rebellions
of Palestinians against the Israelis occupiers, the first of which took place between 1987
and 1993. This uprising resulted in the deaths of nearly 2000 Palestinians, including those
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who were rounded up and shot along this wall in the West Bank (“The First Initfada”).
Palestinians in the West Bank have not forgotten the atrocity that occurred along that
wall, and so this particular site evokes many somber memories. The painting is a
response to the exigence of the unrest in Palestine and a reminder for the need of actual
peace in the area. After all, the Third Initfada is currently going on, more than twenty
years after the start of the First Initfada. In this context, the choice of location serves to
establish pathos, and is extremely kairotic as violence is still going on between Israel and
Palestine. If definite peace cannot be attained or an absolute agreement reached between
the two sides, then these killings may occur again. Another thing to note is that there are
holes in the wall around the dove. The dove is not painted over these holes, concealing
them, but is placed beneath them. These bullet holes need to be seen to further stress
Banksy’s message, because they are actually the results of wandering shots from Israeli
gunmen. These holes that riddle the wall are yet another permanent reminder of the
Initfada, and, in conjunction with Banksy’s dove, another prompt for actual peace.
These bullet holes also lead into another aspect of the painting, the dove itself.
Doves, especially those carrying olive branches in their beaks, have always been
associated with peace. Banksy’s dove does bear such a branch, but it also sports a Kevlar
vest, one that soldiers in belligerent territories would wear for defense against bullets.
Even more noticeable is the red scope view superimposed on the dove, much like the one
a person would see when aiming a rifle. The combination of these two elements of
modern warfare highlights the wariness, and even the ephemeral nature of the peace in
the West Bank. The sniper scope is targeting the center of the dove’s chest, as if it is
meant to help shoot and kill the bird. This small drawing represents how the peace in the
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West Bank (i.e. the dove) can easily be terminated by either party involved. For instance,
if one Palestinian were to shoot an Israeli, more extreme riots would start anew and the
entire situation would worsen. However, even though there is currently a semblance of a
truce, it is not built on strong foundations, as modeled by the dove’s bulletproof vest. The
fact that the dove is wearing a vest while offering the olive branch of peace means that it
does not trust the receiving party. The dove believes that it will be betrayed or get shot,
and thus wears the vest in order to live. This mirrors the situation between the Israelis and
Palestinians, as both desire a conclusion to the fighting but neither side has faith in the
other. This means that they will not compromise, and any peace that is established will
simply fall apart since neither side will be satisfied. Instead, grudges and discontent will
build up once again, ultimately erupting in more conflict. When individuals see this
graffiti, they are meant to realize the precariousness of the current situation and how
more efforts to create a permanent peace must be instigated. Again, this connects to the
work’s location, as lower-class people will see the dove and take a stand, pressuring the
government to compromise and create a more stable situation.
The overall elements of the graffiti (the dove, the vest, the scope, etc.) are
important in relation to its message, but the style in which they are drawn also contributes
to its meaning. Banksy typically uses stencils to draw figures or animals, leading to a
very gritty, realistic look in all of his works. If the dove were cartoony, then its message
would not be taken seriously, as it would seem more like a childish image or a display of
vandalism. However, because it looks like a real bird, its message is emphasized even
further. Since the dove looks real, people will more seriously consider ideas it puts forth.
This realism is derived from the fact that the dove’s defining lines are not formulaic or
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perfect, instead they vary in thickness. They incorporate mistakes and faults that make
the image almost look grainy. This artistic style represents how life, much less the peace
situation in the West Bank, is not perfect. In addition, the lines seem to drip or blot in
various parts of the bird, including its left wing. These clumps of lines make it seem as if
the dove’s wing is swelling, or even bleeding, in that particular area, with the black lines
serving as blood. It is as if the dove actually was shot by the unknown sniper and is
recovering from a wound, much like the Palestinians recuperating from the damages of
the First and Second Initfadas. In accordance with Banksy’s style, this dove is not
majestic, it is not something that would be considered on par in beauty with one of
Michaelangelo’s works. It is not an idyllic portrayal of the bird, a choice that only
contributes to the image’s effect. This uncompromising representation of the dove serves
as a reminder to the harsh reality that is the Palestinian conflict. This dove needs to be
perfected or restored in order to be beautiful, just as true peace between Israel and
Palestine finally needs to be achieved.
Ultimately, Banksy utilizes his gritty approach to a well-known symbol in order
to sum up the situation in Palestine and press for an effort to attain peace. His attention to
the graffiti’s location, incorporation of objects used in modern warfare, and use of
intentional imperfections all work to portray just how precarious events are in the West
Bank. Graffiti, like all other art, can have a message, and as long as the violence in
Palestine is not resolved, the dove and its ideals will remain on the wall.
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Works Cited
"The Armored Dove." One World, Many Peaces. 10 Mar. 2010. Web. 01 Mar. 2011.
<http://www.oneworldmanypeaces.com/>.
"The First Intifada 1987-1993." Jerusalemites. 2011. Web. 01 Mar. 2011.
<http://www.jerusalemites.org/Intifada/first.htm>.