Ground Zero Response

In Ground Zero by Suzanne Berne, the unassuming descriptions of the World Trade Center memorial as viewed from face value underscores the mournful seriousness that the bleak scene represents to those who view it. When Berne first arrives at Ground Zero, she states that it appears like any other bustling New York construction site. The "pound of jackhammers" and the "steady beep-beep-beep of trucks backing up" suggest an ordinary scene with little importance other than a simple construction site. However, after recollecting the events from 9/11, Berne begins to see what she expected to from the beginning: sorrowful reminders of the tragic event  that occurred. Suddenly, "skyscrapers shrouded in black plastic" and "cracked masonry" become eerily visible. By juxtaposing the descriptions of a normal construction site with the uneasy signs of disaster, Berne paints a picture of two worlds: the present where ticket salesmen work in "cheerfully painted kiosks" and one of constant reminder of the past where firefighters preform an honor guard for someone's remains. All in all, these worlds coexist through the act of visiting the site which Berne states is "wide emptiness where so many were lost."