ABSTRACT
September 11. The simple naming of this date in those places which can be regarded as the modern ‘West’ now signifies a particular year (2001) and a particular event-the destruction of the twin towers of the World Trade Center by the deliberate collision of fully laden passenger jets commandeered by terrorist suicide bombers. So compelling is the image that two other associated crashes-one into the Pentagon, and one into a field in Pennsylvania (which was believed to be headed for the White House)—are often occluded in the memory and its representation.
