Beyond Mimesis. War, History, and Memory in Eastwood’s Flags of our Fathers

Abstract

A recent series of publications concerning the interrelation between memory, media and history (Erll 2005, Erll/Nünning 2004&2008, Oesterle 2005) bear witness to a growing scholarly interest in issues of reconstructing, representing and conveying past events. Because of its wide reach, film plays a significant role as medium for such processes (Erll/Wodianka 2008, Erll/Rigney 2009). This study focuses on how Clint Eastwood’s movie about the battle on Iwo Jima during World War II - Flags of our Fathers - (USA 2006) – illustrates, comments upon, and questions collective processes of negotiating and renegotiating past events. Eastwood’s movie contrast the individual and communicative group memories of the soldiers involved in the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi in February 1944 with institutionalised and monumentalized cultural acts of memorising. This focus brings to the surface the moments of translation, negotiation, and ultimately mythification inherent in processes of reconstructing the past both collectively and individually.