Dominating Bull or Suffering Cow?

Signifier: Wall Street copper bull statue

I will view the statue in two contexts. First according to if the economy is booming and healthy, and second according to if the economy is severely suffering.

Healthy Economy:

In this situation the statue signifies the power and domination of the economy. All his hooves are firmly planted on the ground suggesting the strong framework that has lead to economic stability. His tail is swinging with his body showing action and the beneficial flow of the economy. The fact that it is a male may hint at the fact that today’s economic world is still predominantly run by men. Usually when an abstract concept or person is trying to be depicted it is done through the use of a female figure. (Ex. Lady Justice, Lady liberty, even our country is referred to as a “she”) Men are usually more unsympathetic and brutish than women and Western economy is solely based on unsympathetic even brutish competition.

Suffering Economy:

In this light the statue connotes defensiveness and displeasure. The leaning of the bull suggests it is being forcefully pushed by some unseen force. (The invisible hand of capitalism?) Not only is it leaning to the side, the bull is leaning back on its hooves indicating uncertainty. In addition, the horns are up in the air and the bull is looking around.  The bull looks angry which is the way most people react when the economy has taken a downturn.