The Awakening

Description

A man raises his hand to take an oath while light radiates behind him. Around that ceremony, a woman holds a folded flag, men study a map, soldiers gather near tents, and a crowd assembles before a columned building. The oath gives the page its still point, but the surrounding scenes keep the beginning from belonging to one person. Planning, service, grief, debate, and public participation all sit close to the promise being spoken. The montage honors the seriousness of a national beginning without pretending that ceremony completes the work. What follows depends on the people beyond the raised hand-and on whether the promise can survive the choices made after the crowd goes home.