Analysis Of The Poem ' Ragged Old Flag '

The poem “This Land is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie is originally a seven stanza poem that is often cut short in the recorded versions known to many. The poem’s main element is imagery of America’s landmarks to exorcise an emotion out of the reader. The first four stanzas have a much more celebratory tone compared to the final three. The last three stanzas are cut out, so as to not dampen the joyful tone of the song. The tone of the work takes a more serious tone in the last three stanzas, which are often edited out from recorded versions.

In contrasting or comparing literary works it is crucial that the reader analyze the author's voice to gain a better understanding of the theme they are implying. In the contrast between the poems “I, too, sing America” by Langston Hughes, and “I hear America singing” by Walt Whitman it is clear that the two poets have very different point of views regarding American patriotism. Walt Whitman’s views on America’s joy and peace in his poems are very straightforward, while Langston Hughes poem--a response to Whitman’s--wants the reader to acknowledge what America should be like for everyone, including people of color such as himself. The authors of these poems prove to have conflicting judgements on matters in America including a theme of

American Pie” is an impressionistic ballad by Don Mclean which features unique and intriguing lyrics. It has imaginative changes in tempo, vocal delivery and instrumentation, and imparts a wide range of emotions ranging from pure joy, to melancholy and despair. The song takes the listener on an autobiographical journey through the turbulent 1960’s with references to the events that shaped the era. Don Mclean was enshrined in the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 2004 for his work on “American Pie” (Don McLean: Songwriters Hall of Fame Inauguration). With its use of formal structure, allusions, and figurative language, the song, “American Pie”, has many poetic qualities.

I think about my dad, my uncles, my cousins, both grandfathers who fought in the Vietnam war. I think about how my grandfather paw paw Tim would ask me to sing this song for him every time I saw him and how he would make me turn the other way to sing it so he could just weep and cry as hard as he wanted because it meant so much to him. I think about all of our troops I got to visit with and spend time with in the Middle East when I went over seas to sing for them. I think about all of the men crying because they missed their wives so much, or the man telling me he hadn't seen his baby girl yet since she was born. When I sing this song I think about them. This song is about them. It's not about me. That's what I think about every time I sing it. I love our country so much. And we should all love and respect each other because this is the greatest country in the world. I see the love. I see the unity in all walks of life on a daily basis and It makes me so proud to be an American..... so In the words of Forrest Gump. That's all I have to say about

In today’s day and age when people think of country music they imagine the classics, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, George Strait and many more. When people think of a redneck, they imagine a diehard country boy, who loves his country with a confederate flag in one hand and a beer in the other. But that is our generations take on these two words. The real question here is what did those two words mean to the people who came up with them and defined them. It couldn’t have been easy. It was no surprise that people were still recovering from the Great Depression and the more recent recession. Families were left destitute, men were working factory jobs for less than minimum wage, if that, and people had just about given up hope. In the time of turmoil and pain, these people of the 1970’s found a way to give themselves something to believe in. The songs that the artists wrote, sang and performed gave these individuals something to believe in and something to look forward to. One day they knew they could have that dream. Sure, not all of the country music at the time was upbeat and about the future. It dwelled on the past like the Great Depression and when Americans lost everything, but it made the people of the 1970’s want to work that much harder to make something of themselves. People were determined to take a stand and make a change. The development of “redneck” and “country” culture came from the idea of a better life for the people of America in the 1970’s. This occurred with

The Star-Spangled Banner has been sung exquisitely by various celebrities before many sporting events. Who doesn’t remember or know about Super Bowl XXV in 1991 when Whitney Houston serenaded America with her powerhouse voice? However, the meaning of America’s national anthem is more than just the change of pitches, octaves, and notes that are sung before a football game. As an American, our national anthem symbolizes the strength and resilience of America. For me, the words written by Francis Scott Key represents the importance of being a military child. Because of the selfless service of my father and countless others being enlisted in the United States Military, and their continuous courage to fight for America, we can state that we

Furthermore, The poem, Ragged Old Flag written by the author Johnny cash, views patriotism with pride and joy, in the Ragged Old Flag as he defines patriotism with a positive connotation and valuing patriotism in the poem, Cash feels proud of the flag by stating that “We don't let her touch the ground and we fold her up right on second thought, I do like to brag 'Cause I'm mighty proud of that ragged old flag.” This shows that Cash values patriotism with respect as he shows his pride of the flag and all the flag has been through. “But we're kinda proud of that ragged old flag You see, we got a little hole in that flag there when Washington took it across the Delaware. ”This quotation shows only a bit of what the flag has been through, consequently

The first stanza chunks all of the speaker’s many criticisms of obtuse patriotism together. The second stanza reveals that blind patriots essentially swallow down the words, just as the speaker “drank rapidly a glass of water” (14). With one line, this stanza provides a contrast that is powerful enough against the preceding thirteen lines to show that no matter how many lines it takes to show why this blind patriotism is irrational, what is said is easily ignored. The structure is important in conveying how easily the government and its propaganda can create blind patriots who fail to listen to harsh but true realities of

Dear Uncle Sam, written by Loretta Lynn is one of the various anti-war movement songs to come out during the Vietnam war. Music was a popular way to protest the war during this era. Through lyrics and sounds all the artist were able to express what one felt for this tragic event. Released in January 1966 Loretta Lynn speaks about a husband sent off to war, and the feelings of grief when the husband is killed. She was very indecisive of speaking on the topic, but influenced by her husband she was able to share this beautiful country song. Listening to the song various times I have been able to understand part of the grief that wife’s, mothers and family members felt when being told there love one had passed away.

Cummings is often noted for his use of the lowercase letter "i" in reference to himself, but in this poem he has a different purpose for the uppercase "I". At the beginning of the paper, Cummings says "i sing of Olaf glad and big". This is intentionally structured this way to show that Olaf is the central focus of this poem. By marking himself with a lowercase i, Cummings is making it clear that he is not the central figure in this story - he does not want to draw attention to himself. In contrast, the first time Olaf speaks he says "I will not kiss your fucking flag". Cummings writes Olaf as referring to himself with the capital “I” in order to draw emphasis to the words that he is saying. This would be normal in any other poem, but the juxtaposition

The tune was originally an old Methodist hymn that was transformed into a song titled “John Brown’s Body” after the abolitionist who lead a slave revolt to the succession of the Confederacy in 1859. Many have credited Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry, Virginia to be one of the final straws that broke the nation and lead to the Civil War. The lyrics were somber, and despite the song’s popularity, it would not reach the great, lasting heights that “Battle-Hymn of the Republic” would. What Howe’s lyrics did for the tune and the Union is insurmountable in its effect—even well over a century later, the American people hold the song dear to their hearts as a symbol of their history, taking pride in its

Over the course of American history, there has been several significant events that have impacted poetry, which serve to be the origins of many songs. This poetry origin has further developed diction and repetition within each song. “The Battle Cry of Freedom,” a historic piece, employs repetition and diction to emphasize its patriotic theme. However, as time continues, the merit of the piece, written by George Frederick Root in 1862, has been degraded and no longer holds the same significance in people's hearts. In order to better understand why, one must consider the meaning of the poem, the context of when it was written and the context of what it means today.

The Star-Spangled Banner fits well within my topic due to it describing patriotism at its finest. This poem gives its’ readers

The songs remind the soldiers of home, they serve to remind the audience that this movie is also historical fiction. The songs’ recognizability lends the film another layer of authenticity, particularly to those who lived through the Vietnam War and, like the characters, can instantly relate to the sounds that characterized this era of American cultural history.

The song from its release sparked great controversy over it’s meaning, with the up tempo beat and catchy chorus “I was Born in the U.S.A.” was often misinterpreted as a patriotic American song, during a time when U.S. morale was low and American’s had nostalgia for the 1950’s (Pompeian). President Ronald Reagan was the most notable for misinterpreting the lyrics behind “Born in The U.S.A.” as he used it for his 1984 campaign. Although “Born In The U.S.A” has a catchy chorus, which can easily be mistaken as a patriotic song, it is in the verses where Springsteen speaks of the troubles Vietnam War veterans had when readjusting to American society and the struggles Americans faced with deindustrialization and the economic troubles during the 1980’s.