Replica Of London Set On Fire For Anniversary

This September marked the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London. People came to watch a replica of 17th century skyline of  London get destroyed by fire. The sculpture, created by David Best, was 120 meters long. It was set on fire in the middle of the Thames river. It was a retelling of the 1666 disaster in which a fire started in a baker's shop and lasted for 4 days, destroying the majority of the timber built city. In hopes that it would provide employment, young volunteers helped in building the replica. The burning replica was part of a bigger festival called London's Burning. 

Opinion: I think it would have been cool to see the replica and the festival. I think it is cool that they built it to retell the story of the disaster but I also think that it is kind of pointless to build something that big to just burn it. I do not think that I could have helped build it knowing that it was going to be destroyed. 

Questions:

1. Why do you think they chose building a replica and burning it as the best way to retell the story of the disaster?

2. Would you spend so much time and effort to build something that big just to have it burned? Explain. 

Link- Replica Set on Fire

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Replies

  • Well done Aimie!

  • Some people like seeing a vision of a story so maybe that's what they were doing. I don't think I could be a part of that because when I make something and it takes forever to make I don't want to see it destroyed. It would of been pointless making it in the first place.

    • I can agree that some people could like seeing it as a vision of a story. I can understand why you wouldn't want to be a part of building something like the replica because it takes you a while to make something and you wouldn't want to see it destroyed. 

  • When something historical happens, many people build monuments, in this case a statue, and a festival. Many people wont forget it, so I feel that when people go to London this would be a great way of people to find out some history. I honestly feel that if thats how they wanted to celebrate it, like that, then let them. When you put so much time and effort into something some people just have certain ways of enjoying what they made. 

    • I agree that they made the replica has a way to show something historical that happened and that people will not forget what happened and that seeing the festival would be a great way for people to find out the history of London. It makes sense when you say that some people might enjoy what they made differently than others like destroying it after putting so much time and effort into it.

  • I think it is mainly because you don't want to set the actual city on fire. I would, its a form of expression to retell the story of the disaster. It's very historical.

  • well you don't want to set london on fire again. why not, it's fun to see stuff burn and to boot its also historical

  • Creating a replica and burning it to the ground is a really great way to demonstrate the devastation behind the event. It’s like a play; people will go and watch a live theater performance of Romeo and Juliet because it’s an entertaining, emotionally-alluring way to learn about the tragedy, quite like this replica of London.

    I would definitely want help build the old city of London. I really admire the symbolism behind it, and it’s something I’d love to be apart of.

    • I agree that creating the replica and burning it was a way to demonstrate the devastation of the event. I like how you talked about a play to describe why people would want to see the replica. I can understand why you would want to help build it because of the symbolism.

  • Its history that they need to remember like our civil war it is important history

    no i don't think it is worth the time and effort  

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