Before I start, I want to give a disclaimer. The following is a political analysis of President Obama. Let it be known that I am not doing this because I hate him, think he is the anti-Christ, want him to be run out of the White House by an angry mob with torches and pitchforks, or that he is a bad person. I just thought this analysis was interesting. We now return to our regularly scheduled blog.
In this political commentary, Nolan Finley, describes how President Obama is disconnecting his words from actions. He argues that Obama has, for a year now, been campaigning for his policies but has not actually accomplished anything of note. The article speaks on the President’s actions, the State of the Union address and other comments Obama has made throughout the country.
I feel that Finley is analyzing these things because he feels it is important that the public see more than they are, or hear more than they are currently hearing. His analysis enables a reader to delve deeper into this topic than normally is shared.
The commentary added interesting insight for the State of the Union address and also President Obama’s proposed budget. Finley describes the dichotomy that occurs in the State of the Union. President Obama declared several times that he was seeking to bridge the gap between Democrats and Republicans, going so far as to say he was going to meet with the Congressional Republicans to heal relations and get work done. Finley points out that he contradicts that sentiment several times by blaming Republicans for slowing things down and blaming the previous administration for the problems our nation has. It was interesting to see how Finley turns the blame for a lot of the lack of progress on Obama for not providing leadership and not accepting responsibility. On the proposed budget, Finley describes how Obama has claimed, “We simply cannot continue to spend as if deficits don't have consequences.” This provides an interesting insight when you consider that the President’s budget has a deficit of $1.3 trillion dollars.
I feel that Finley accomplished his purpose of showing his audience the dichotomy that he feels President Obama has created.
Here is the article
Friday, February 5, 2010
Lindsey Vonn
The analysis I chose to look at was one scrutinising a magazine cover featuring woman skier Lindsey Vonn (http:// sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Let-the-Lindsey-hype-begin-Vonn-is-Sports-Illus?urn=oly,217525). The writer notes that the pose that Vonn is in may look objectifying to some viewers, leading to a general opinion that female athletes are not being taken seriously. However, in this case, the writer is attempting to defend Sport's Illustrated magazine's choice in the posing. The reader learns that the "suggestive" pose Vonn is taking is merely a exaggerated tuck stance, a common pose taken when skiers first push off from a hill. The writer also questions the public's tendency towards double standard, reminding the readers that male athletes are shown without shirts often with no one claiming that they too are being objectified.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Leap Year
The movie review I chose to talk about is a little bit unique in that it starts out with giving a simple plot outline and then provides paragraph-size selections of movie reviews from several different magazines, newspapers, and famous movie-reviewer-people (isn't there a simple name for them? movie reviewers?). I loved the way this movie review was set up because it supplied about ten opinions and analyses (analysis? analysis'?) to overview. The first part, the summary, was helpful to those who had never seen it before and just wanted to know what it was about. The second sections was to help the reader decide whether or not to watch it in theatres. Since I have already seen the movie, to me it seems like the reviews would be helpful in informing readers whether or not the movie is worth watching. I know, most profound words I've ever written. But what I mean is that it is geared to help people with all different kinds of motives. For example, if I was a critical movie watcher and I felt like going to the theatres to watch a clever movie with a unique plot, these reviews would tell me Leap Year is not the movie to watch. At least according to some reviews. But other reviews said it was a charming movie with well-developed characters and plenty of comic relief--a good chick flick. Which would be the case for me watching it. Also, the movie review was helpful in providing easy access to the most popular opinions on the matter. Overall, with so many different opinions the reviews were tailored to several types of movie-watchers. I find it helpful. To get to this movie review click here.
P.S. For what it counts, I thought Leap Year was adorable!! Ten times more hilarious than When in Rome, which I do not recommend. I hope to own Leap Year one day.
P.S. For what it counts, I thought Leap Year was adorable!! Ten times more hilarious than When in Rome, which I do not recommend. I hope to own Leap Year one day.
The Princess and the Frog
http://www.madaboutmovies.org/
The writer is analyzing Disney's newest animated film, The Princess and the Frog. He remarks that although it's style of hand-drawn cartoons may be ancient, it follows the patented method that always works. He analyzes it because he thinks it is a good movie for both the young and old. It follows Disney's first black princess and it encompasses a lot New Orleans and American culture. The writer is witty and charming in his style, something that makes him seem credible or knowledgeable about writing critics. This is his ethos. The language he uses may not invoke sadness or jerk on my emotions, but it makes me want to see the movie. So while it may not be a strong example of pathos, it still makes me excited enough to see it.
The writer is analyzing Disney's newest animated film, The Princess and the Frog. He remarks that although it's style of hand-drawn cartoons may be ancient, it follows the patented method that always works. He analyzes it because he thinks it is a good movie for both the young and old. It follows Disney's first black princess and it encompasses a lot New Orleans and American culture. The writer is witty and charming in his style, something that makes him seem credible or knowledgeable about writing critics. This is his ethos. The language he uses may not invoke sadness or jerk on my emotions, but it makes me want to see the movie. So while it may not be a strong example of pathos, it still makes me excited enough to see it.
Jenga book review
The book that is being analyzed is About Jenga: The Remarkable Business of Creating a Game that Became a Household Name by Leslie Scott. The book review by Eric Jones can be found at http://www.bookreview.com/$spindb.query.listreview2.booknew.18711. Scott’s book was analyzed as part of a monthly book analysis conducted by bookreview.com, a site that reviews and rates new books. This review gives insights into the creation of the game Jenga. The author of this book is also the creator of the game, and as such is able to give considerable background on the game and how it became such a popular family game. The review gives the reader insight into the book; the book is not only about the business aspect behind the game, but also why the game was created. From this review I was able to learn about the deeper meaning behind Jenga, how by building upwards we sometimes lose track of our foundation. Jones sums up the philosophical message behind Jenga by saying, “Jenga is life. Choose wisely,” meaning we make important decisions on a daily basis that impact our future. Although this review is not very detailed, it gives the reader just enough information about the book to make us want to read more.
The Jungle
The review that I chose to analyze was one on Upton Sinclair's novel "The Jungle". The review can be seen at http://www.curledup.com/thjungle.htm. I believe that it is being reviewed to try and advertise it and also to inform people. Another thing that the author seems to be doing is trying to gain more respect for the book. The review does offer some good insight, yet one thing that I did not like right from the start was that it was confusing and not strutured well in some regards. For example punctuation and sentence fluidity.
It gives some background which is good for those who have never read it. Also it is nice to have if you have not read it , bot not for awhile. There is one part where the author of the review refers to a tradgedy in the book, yet does not give much information. I thought this was well done because it hooks the readers and make them want to find out what happens. Well of course reading the book may come from this curiosity. At the same time though I almost think that the author gives too much information so that the book just seems depressing-who wants to read such a book? Then again the book is not a happy one so it is a good representation and will warn readers of what they are getting into with this book.
The author both praises and points out flaws with the book which is good to see he is not teribly biased. Yet I think there is still a sense of the author's overall feeling of the book. This review does give a good idea of what the book is about, yet I think it could be done better. Also it tries to connect it to the current times which may touch those debating whether to read it or not. I think this review gives a unique review of the book which would be helpful to those who have read or heard about it, but not thought of all it's depth.
It gives some background which is good for those who have never read it. Also it is nice to have if you have not read it , bot not for awhile. There is one part where the author of the review refers to a tradgedy in the book, yet does not give much information. I thought this was well done because it hooks the readers and make them want to find out what happens. Well of course reading the book may come from this curiosity. At the same time though I almost think that the author gives too much information so that the book just seems depressing-who wants to read such a book? Then again the book is not a happy one so it is a good representation and will warn readers of what they are getting into with this book.
The author both praises and points out flaws with the book which is good to see he is not teribly biased. Yet I think there is still a sense of the author's overall feeling of the book. This review does give a good idea of what the book is about, yet I think it could be done better. Also it tries to connect it to the current times which may touch those debating whether to read it or not. I think this review gives a unique review of the book which would be helpful to those who have read or heard about it, but not thought of all it's depth.
Anna Karenina
I decided to find book reviews on one of my favorite literary works, "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy. In this case, Tolstoy's work is merely being discussed on a thread that members of the Shelfari community can post. The people commenting on this discussion thread are commenting in the hope that, somehow, their opinions or views on the book may help other people decide whether they should read the book.
In my opinion the analyses given by the general public help the audience (the readers of the thread to understand some of the plot, the characters, and the inter-book relationships better than the book summary alone. These people who decided to comment on the thread seem to not only desire others to read the book that they read, but they want others to understand more than they initially did about the book.
In my opinion the analyses given by the general public help the audience (the readers of the thread to understand some of the plot, the characters, and the inter-book relationships better than the book summary alone. These people who decided to comment on the thread seem to not only desire others to read the book that they read, but they want others to understand more than they initially did about the book.
Obama as Prime Minister, or President?
http://fareedzakaria.com/articles/newsweek/012210.html
Attempting to explain the shift in public opinion that has lost the Democratic Party their super-majority in the Senate, Fareed Zakaria asserts that Barack Obama has overextended his agenda, and become too involved in the messy infighting of the legislature.
Having left his moorings as the above-the-fray, bipartisan idealist of the campaign trail, Zakaria claims that President Obama is acting more like a Prime Minister (an unabashedly partisan boss, intimately entangled with the particulars of parliamentary politics) when he should be acting like a President--aloof from the bickering and mudslinging of the legislature.
This essay was written in response to the loss of Ted Kennedy's seat in the Senate, but becomes a larger scrying of Obama's political fortunes in general; especially his falling poll numbers and the increasingly emboldened right-wing resistance to his agenda.
The essay adds value by applying Constitutional principles (and the intentions of the Founding Fathers) to the current political situation. Zakaria makes the argument that Obama would be more successful if he were to do his job as the Founding Fathers prescribed it--by shoring up the separation of executive and legislative powers, keeping himself clear of the "dirty politics" that characterize the legislative branch.
Attempting to explain the shift in public opinion that has lost the Democratic Party their super-majority in the Senate, Fareed Zakaria asserts that Barack Obama has overextended his agenda, and become too involved in the messy infighting of the legislature.
Having left his moorings as the above-the-fray, bipartisan idealist of the campaign trail, Zakaria claims that President Obama is acting more like a Prime Minister (an unabashedly partisan boss, intimately entangled with the particulars of parliamentary politics) when he should be acting like a President--aloof from the bickering and mudslinging of the legislature.
This essay was written in response to the loss of Ted Kennedy's seat in the Senate, but becomes a larger scrying of Obama's political fortunes in general; especially his falling poll numbers and the increasingly emboldened right-wing resistance to his agenda.
The essay adds value by applying Constitutional principles (and the intentions of the Founding Fathers) to the current political situation. Zakaria makes the argument that Obama would be more successful if he were to do his job as the Founding Fathers prescribed it--by shoring up the separation of executive and legislative powers, keeping himself clear of the "dirty politics" that characterize the legislative branch.
Two Little Girls in Blue
Every since I was little I have loved reading, especially mysteries: The Boxcar Chlidren, Nancy Drew, and more. My favorite mysteries come from the Queen of Suspense herself, Mary Higgens Clark. One of her most recent books is Two Little Girls in Blue.
http://www.amazon.com/Two-Little-Girls-Blue-Novel/dp/0743264908 (scroll down to the bottom to read the comments and critics)
These comments are written to inform people whether or not to read or buy the book. Some people loved and some hated it. I personally liked it and agree with one of the posts claiming it was different then MHC's normal damsel in distress novels yet still entertaining. Everyone has different opinions though and when t comes down to any analysis, it is better to experience it yourself rather than completely trust someone else's ideas and opinions.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Ball Turret Gunner
This is my favorite poem.
The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner
by Randall Jarrell
From my mother's sleep I fell into the State,
And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze.
Six miles from earth, loosed from the dream of life,
I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters.
When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.
I find poetry difficult to grasp sometimes. Reading an analysis really helps me appreciate the art more. I read a similar analysis to this one when I first read the poem. The poem speaks of the ill fate of a ball turret gunner on a WWII bomber. The men were stuffed into a plexiglass dome that was basically a big pimple-target on the belly of a huge plane. When I read this poem initially, I understood all the base-level imagery: frozen fur coats, waking up to a firefight, and a corpse so mutilated that the only thing that could be done was to spray it out. However, the analysis pointed out the birth related words: mother, belly, wet, dream of life. Randall Jarrell compares this horror of war to an abortion. Immediately after I realized that, the poem had so much more impact.
Get the train moving
The New York Times analyzed the state of the union address delivered by president Obama. The title displays the general message of the analysis “Obama to Party: Don’t run for the hills”. Obama was very critical of the republicans, who he claimed were merely trying to delay anything he put on the table. He also told the democrats to get behind him and get this bill passed.
The article lets us look deeper into the speech. Obama is hitting a tipping point. His initial election steam is dissipating. He has to get some major legislation under his belt in order to maintain his momentum. That is why health care is so important for him; if he fails he will loose a lot of support and have very little inertia to get it again. Should he get it passed, and it works, he will have enough credibility to make other changes to the nation. His biggest problem with getting the bill passed is the falling support in the senate. Republicans have always stood in opposition, and many democrats have started to loose faith. This speech was an attempt to motivate both parties into action. Other wise he may be stuck on the rocks.
"When the Bough Breaks"
Good 'ole Deseret Books (it is online, crazy I know). Thank goodness they offer the service for people like me, who have no life, to write book reviews about books they have read (who would have thought! poeple writing book reviews for books they have read!) because otherwise I would have been at lost for finding some online analysis for something. I am horribly online-illiterate and have a horrible time finding anything half decent on the great World Wide Web.
But to the issue at hand. I decided to find a book review about one of my favorite LDS authors, Kay Lynn Mangum. After shifting through many reviews for three of her books, that are being sold via the great thing called the internet, I found an acceptable review on the "When the Bough Breaks" by Nani Lii.
Most of the readers' reviews were those that gloried in Mangum's amazing story telling abilities, and how realistic the book was, and how it changed their lives, and how it made them cry, and so on, and so on. I have read the book myself and found it to be an inspiring story, but hearing people ramble on and on about it irritates me to no end. It was a great refreshment when I saw Lii's review. For once someone had the guts to critize the book! It made me happy, to say the least.
I like reading a great book, but I also enjoy it when a person has the courage against all the praises to say that there is something wrong with it. When everyone is all in agreement about something it is often hard to see another point of view and this is what Lii was able to break that. She helped me to see a flaw in Mangum's story that I, myself, should have noticed. It was a bit of a blaring flaw that was just screaming to be noticed, and somehow in the middle of my little advanture in reading the book, I overlooked it.
Now on to the actual assignment:
1) What is being analyzed?
"When the Bough Breaks" by Kay Lynn Mangum. And Mangum's inability to realistically portray a woman exiting a severe case of depression.
2)Why is it being analyzed?
This reader felt that Mangum was being horribly unrealistic about how this widow was literally "pulled out of" depression by falling in love with her soon to be second husband. Lii, explained that people don't just magically come out of severe cases of depression in a short amount of time becuase they fell in love again. Lii, wanted other readers to be aware that this book is not as realistic as it may appear. It is more of a extreme case scenerio story.
3)What insights does the analysis offere beyond that of the original text?
It offers a point of view that many other reviewers have over looked. It goes beyond the praises that are sung about Mangum's book and points out the unrealistic side of the story. Getting out of depression as severe, as the one portrayed, that quickly is not realistic.
In my own life I know this to be a true statement. I have seen people lose a spouse and become horribly depressed. It took them a long time to overcome their loss, even with the help of the gosple. Overcoming depression, for whatever reason, is a hard thing to accomplish and it can sometimes take years before a person is fully well agian.
I am thankful that Nani Lii brought this issue to light. I still believe that the story that Kay Lynn Mangum wrote was inspiring on many levels (and I still thoroughly enjoy the book), but now I can understand that it isn't as realistic as I once believed it to be. In the middle of enjoying the book I overlooked that key flaw (a mistake, I think that many people make). Lii's review made me recognize my lack of critical reading (that was a nice little wake up call; I missed something that I should have recognized becuase of my experience with the subject) and now hopefully I won't make that same mistake again.
Link to Nani Lii's review:
http://deseretbook.com/item/4988539/When_the_Bough_Breaks
Note: it is one of the last reviews among all the others, and it is titled "A more realistic treatment of depression is needed"
But to the issue at hand. I decided to find a book review about one of my favorite LDS authors, Kay Lynn Mangum. After shifting through many reviews for three of her books, that are being sold via the great thing called the internet, I found an acceptable review on the "When the Bough Breaks" by Nani Lii.
Most of the readers' reviews were those that gloried in Mangum's amazing story telling abilities, and how realistic the book was, and how it changed their lives, and how it made them cry, and so on, and so on. I have read the book myself and found it to be an inspiring story, but hearing people ramble on and on about it irritates me to no end. It was a great refreshment when I saw Lii's review. For once someone had the guts to critize the book! It made me happy, to say the least.
I like reading a great book, but I also enjoy it when a person has the courage against all the praises to say that there is something wrong with it. When everyone is all in agreement about something it is often hard to see another point of view and this is what Lii was able to break that. She helped me to see a flaw in Mangum's story that I, myself, should have noticed. It was a bit of a blaring flaw that was just screaming to be noticed, and somehow in the middle of my little advanture in reading the book, I overlooked it.
Now on to the actual assignment:
1) What is being analyzed?
"When the Bough Breaks" by Kay Lynn Mangum. And Mangum's inability to realistically portray a woman exiting a severe case of depression.
2)Why is it being analyzed?
This reader felt that Mangum was being horribly unrealistic about how this widow was literally "pulled out of" depression by falling in love with her soon to be second husband. Lii, explained that people don't just magically come out of severe cases of depression in a short amount of time becuase they fell in love again. Lii, wanted other readers to be aware that this book is not as realistic as it may appear. It is more of a extreme case scenerio story.
3)What insights does the analysis offere beyond that of the original text?
It offers a point of view that many other reviewers have over looked. It goes beyond the praises that are sung about Mangum's book and points out the unrealistic side of the story. Getting out of depression as severe, as the one portrayed, that quickly is not realistic.
In my own life I know this to be a true statement. I have seen people lose a spouse and become horribly depressed. It took them a long time to overcome their loss, even with the help of the gosple. Overcoming depression, for whatever reason, is a hard thing to accomplish and it can sometimes take years before a person is fully well agian.
I am thankful that Nani Lii brought this issue to light. I still believe that the story that Kay Lynn Mangum wrote was inspiring on many levels (and I still thoroughly enjoy the book), but now I can understand that it isn't as realistic as I once believed it to be. In the middle of enjoying the book I overlooked that key flaw (a mistake, I think that many people make). Lii's review made me recognize my lack of critical reading (that was a nice little wake up call; I missed something that I should have recognized becuase of my experience with the subject) and now hopefully I won't make that same mistake again.
Link to Nani Lii's review:
http://deseretbook.com/item/4988539/When_the_Bough_Breaks
Note: it is one of the last reviews among all the others, and it is titled "A more realistic treatment of depression is needed"
Monday, February 1, 2010
Born in the U.S.A.
During my junior year of high school, our AP English teacher had us read “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien. One day in class he played us a clip of just the audio from “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen and had us describe our feelings. We spoke about feeling patriotic and proud because of the powerful music that was reminiscent of other patriotic songs. He very rudely awoke us from this discussion by reading the lyrics. Quickly, we began to describe how the lyrics, to us, did not match the music. Springsteen actually describes very negative aspects of a Vietnam veteran’s (fictitious or not, we do not know) life, before and after the war.
Springsteen creates an emotional appeal to the listener just from the music itself, which is very powerful. But this is juxtaposed against the lyrics which paint a very different picture. This juxtaposition allows the listener to garner different meanings of the chorus, “Born in the U.S.A.” I feel that Springsteen is trying to demonstrate the irony behind the hero’s welcome given to veterans of other wars, but the hatred given to Vietnam veterans. The lyrics and music together create an interesting dichotomy between patriotism and the actual realities faced by those who fight those battles.
Springsteen creates an emotional appeal to the listener just from the music itself, which is very powerful. But this is juxtaposed against the lyrics which paint a very different picture. This juxtaposition allows the listener to garner different meanings of the chorus, “Born in the U.S.A.” I feel that Springsteen is trying to demonstrate the irony behind the hero’s welcome given to veterans of other wars, but the hatred given to Vietnam veterans. The lyrics and music together create an interesting dichotomy between patriotism and the actual realities faced by those who fight those battles.
The Dead Flag Blues
The car is on fire
and there's no driver at the wheel
and the sewers are all muddied
with a thousand lonely suicides
and a dark wind blows
The government is corrupt
and we're all on so many drugs
with the radio on and the curtains drawn
We're trapped in the belly of this horrible machine
and the machine is bleeding to death
The sun has fallen down
and the billboards are all leering
and the flags are all dead
at the top of their poles
It went like this:
the buildings toppled in on themselves
mothers clutching babies
picked through the rubble
and pulled out their hair
The skyline was beautiful on fire
all twisted metal stretching upwards
everything washed in a thin orange haze
I said, "Kiss me, you're beautiful, these are truly the last days"
You grabbed my hand, and we fell into it
like a daydream
or a fever.
We woke up one morning
and fell a little further down
For sure it's the valley of death
I open up my wallet
and it's full of blood
The Dead Flag Blues by Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a brooding, ambient, orchestral jeremiad set in the near future, after some tremendous, unspecified cataclysm. The monologue can be divided into two sections: first, a portrait of a diseased society, slouching painfully toward oblivion; and then the inevitable destruction and quietus that follow.
Part 1 is a harsh indictment of modernity, set to a constant, mechanical droning that augments the mind-numbing, suffocating quality of the narrative; and though he begins with histrionic, value-laden language ("muddied with a thousand lonely suicides"), the narrative ends in a simple, terse report; clearly, the narrator has been changed by what he has experienced. In the security of a mellow, suburban milieu, it is easy to wax eloquent about social ills; but the narrator appears to mature through his experience, and finds little to critique in what he sees when the story concludes.
In part 2, his lyrics are laconic and dispassionate, conveying the dreamlike state of shock that follows disaster. The narrator simply states what he observes, seemingly unable to process the emotional ramifications. He pauses to notice the morbid beauty of a burning city, and makes subtle comment on his circumstances ("these are truly the last days" -- "for sure it's the valley of death"); but there is no mourning, or even fear suggested. This makes the listener a participant in the story, as one is forced to infer or imagine the details.
The monologue ends three minutes into the track, and the listener is left to ponder the cryptic, half-told story through thirteen minutes of ambient, dirge-like violin and guitar. Interestingly, the song concludes with two minutes of incongruously cheerful xylophone and violin. This may simply be sarcastic or absurdist, or it may be a sincere expression of optimism.
Wake Me Up When September Ends
The song I chose to analyze is entitled "Wake Me Up When September Ends" by the band Green Day. Right from the beginning of this song the mood of it is one that seems somber. The words also are ones that instantly strike at the pathos. At first when I heard this song I thought tht it was referring to Spetmeber 11th and the war. Many people at first connected it with this event, but the band member Billie Joe Armstrong then explained that it was actually a memorial to his father who died in September when he was little. After knowing this the lyrics of the song do connect with sucha tradgedy, yet just because the song is specifially about Armstrong's father it is evident the song has influence and different meaning to others too.
I think that the emotion of this song and the lyrics it contains about pain and things ending are very strong and can make the audience instantly get something personal out of the song. In this way pathos is being used to touch the audience, whatever their goodbyes and hard times in life have been. Also the use of logos is shown by the lyrics because of their straight forward evidence of an event. Even though the song wasn't written about the war, it does apply well to those who have lost and sacrificed because of it and such an event touches the emotions of the readers. I think that even logos is used because when the audience knows the personal background that a member of the band has with the song it makes it more real and wothwhile to the audience.
I think that the emotion of this song and the lyrics it contains about pain and things ending are very strong and can make the audience instantly get something personal out of the song. In this way pathos is being used to touch the audience, whatever their goodbyes and hard times in life have been. Also the use of logos is shown by the lyrics because of their straight forward evidence of an event. Even though the song wasn't written about the war, it does apply well to those who have lost and sacrificed because of it and such an event touches the emotions of the readers. I think that even logos is used because when the audience knows the personal background that a member of the band has with the song it makes it more real and wothwhile to the audience.
Superman (it's not easy)
This song is called Superman (It's Not Easy) by Five for Fighting. It talks about what it would be like to be superman. People only see a superhero but don't see the man beneath. As it says "even hero's has the right to bleed." The song appeals to your emotions by showing the side of hero you normally wont see. It makes you feel for the man who has to put on a strong face but feels just as weak as everyone else. He wants to be seen as "more then bird, more then a plane, more then some silly face beside a train".
The artist asks you why doesn't this man deserve the same right to weakness that you have. The song makes you question the stereotypes that you expect to see in a "superman". He uses both pathos and logos to try and get his point across that from superman's perspective "it's not easy to be me".
Just Another Day In Paradise
A song that I have always enjoyed is "Just Another Day In Paradise" by Phil Vassar. I like this song because of the way it gives hope with its optimism of "looking at the glass half full". In Vassar's lyrics he reaches out perfectly to those that are married as his audience, seeing how its about being a father of a family. But also for me as a child and up till now in my life, he has been able to reach me because his way of using things that happen to every family which I could relate to, while at the same time not sounding like he is over exaggerating his life... its real sounding. This song defiantly implements pathos, as you can feel the emotion of love and pure joy this man really has for his family, despite all the possible worries and concerns of supporting a family he remains optimistic and happy. He Illustrates this contrast in our minds by stating all the things that "go wrong" and yet to him, he finds beauty in it all simply because of his family.
I like how in the beginning of the song as he sings of the things that are going wrong, the music plays softer, almost giving a content and still peaceful feeling. Which almost might take you back at first because you listen thinking, "And your happy sounding why?" then as it comes to the chorus and he helps you understand that question you have as music crescendos's a little and you are able to feel more of the ethos in his lyrics. This song makes me smile.
Stand
The song I chose is Stand by Rascal Flatts. This song is about how we have trials, life is hard. But in the end we can and will make it, and each of these hardships make us who we are. The purpose of this song is to inspire people, to help people not give up but to keep going. They wrote this song for everyone, no one's life is perfect and so everyone can relate to it. They also appeal to Pathos. We all know what they are talking about because it is about our average life. Rascal Flatts also uses the word "you" throughout the whole thing. Its a song for and about us, its not about them but about "you." I like they way they use you because it makes me feel like it is closer to me and not so distant. By chosing that word it makes me think about the lyrics alot more and about how I need to keep going. That wouldn't have happened as much had they used "I" because then it would have been their story, their problem, not mine. They use a lot of similes which for me just has and makes more meaning to the song. For examle, they say "you feel like a candle in a hurricane." Instead of saying "life is rough," they use wording that makes the individual think more.
The song starts off pretty quite, when it is talking about how life is hard. But then it gets louder till the chorus making you feel like you will make it, its ok. Then the chorus goes back to the starting volume and again works up. Although its not like a complete contrast in the sound there is some. So there is meaning in that because its how you are feeling, down and quite then you get to the chorus when you feel good and like you can do it.
The song starts off pretty quite, when it is talking about how life is hard. But then it gets louder till the chorus making you feel like you will make it, its ok. Then the chorus goes back to the starting volume and again works up. Although its not like a complete contrast in the sound there is some. So there is meaning in that because its how you are feeling, down and quite then you get to the chorus when you feel good and like you can do it.
Diamond Dogs
“This ain’t Rock n’ Roll! This is genocide,” yells David Bowie in the beginning of his post-apocalyptic, glam-rock hit “Diamond Dogs.” This song marked the transition of a typical Bowie phase change, from glam-rock to punk, and features adequate voice distortion and some gritty guitar playing. The album was originally intended to be a Styx style, theatrical album, outlining moods portrayed in George Orwell’s "1984." However, the rights were denied, and after modification, the songs found them on the 1974 album, “Diamond Dogs.” The cover song is saturated with dystopian themes with Bowie’s first verse:
As they pulled you out of the oxygen tank
You asked for the latest party
With your silicone hump and your ten inch stump
Dressed like a priest you was
Tod brownings freak you was
The mood of the song is certainly achieved with other lyrics like, “Hunt you to the ground they will, mannequins with kill appeal,” and “Come out of the garden, baby, You’ll catch your death in the fog.” What is Bowie's intended reaction? The song certainly coincides with the political fervor of the day as hippies, yippies and other rebel rousers as they began to pour out of the pool of discontent. However, Bowie’s disturbing apocalyptic imagery in Diamond Dogs isn’t painted as negative, but takes a more positive approach like Bowie’s sister song on the same album “Rebel, Rebel:” A tribute to a hot tramp who’s mother can’t tell if she/he’s a boy or a girl. Instead there is an embracement of the oddity, the nasty and a sleazy attitude that says, “Abandon the creeping meatball. This world sucks: let’s have fun." Most likely the song was just a product of nonsense breaded in an acid trip, but who said rhetoric had to be intentional?
Dreaming With a Broken Heart
Lately one song has been stuck in my head and it's John Mayer's, Dreaming With a Broken Heart. Not only cause it's an amazing song, but also because I recently got out of a relationship where I ended it with a guy who liked me more than I liked him. He's fine now, but his friends let it slip that he hadn't slept well or at all, for about four nights. So I think of him when I hear this song. The imagery created by Mayer's lyrics portrays vivid pictures in my mind of a guy upset about his love leaving. He is crushed and it just repeats in his head that she's gone, gone gone. And then once you finally fall asleep, you wake up and everything is still the same as when you went to sleep. But you need to realize that it's time to give up, even if it's the right thing to do, it is still the hardest part. John Mayer sings this song with emotion and lyrics that create emotions in the audience and cause you to feel some of the sorrow this dreamer is feeling.
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