John Lennon's Primal Scream

One of the key strengths of Psychoanalysis is that it is still a largely influential factor in psychology and psychiatry (Hill, 2001). Furthermore, this psychodynamic theory bases its treatment of a person as a whole, and not the underlying problem (Brewer, 2001) - thus encouraging the client to solve their own problems. This eliminates any sense of therapist dependency (Brewer, 2001).

In Freudian therapy, or psychoanalysis, healing occurs when repressed thoughts and feelings are brought in to consciousness. This allows the patient to develop a stronger ego and resolve internal

Although examining art requires a huge knowledge, my intention in this essay is to analyze a piece of art, besides lyrics and the context, I’m going to examine it by following the steps presented by Alain de Botton.

John Lennon’s song “Imagine” was released in October 1971. Imagine was the most successful single that Lennon produced and is perhaps the best song in music history for its strong message. He wrote this song during the climax of the Vietnam War as an anti-war song. At this time in history peace movements were popular because of all the wars happening that involved the country and its people. His song is timeless as its message still applies today. It is true that everyone wants peace, but this picture Lennon illustrates is a fantasy. The song Imagine is a fantasy imagination of John Lennon that pushes the ideology of communism through its resemblance to an unrealistic society.

“Life experience is richer than discourse. Narrative structures organize and give meaning to experience, but there are always feelings and lived experience not fully encompassed by the dominant story” (White & Epston, 1990, p. 20). Effective therapy is seen as an enjoyable experience presenting options for dialogue, rather than monologues, about the problem.

Social criticism examines literature in the cultural, economic, and political context in which it is written or received. Keeping this definition in mind, it is necessary to understand the political, cultural and economic environment in which Lennon the above famous words.

When Lennon wrote “Imagine”, and penned the words, "You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one, I hope someday you'll

The Beatles essentially had a profound influence on America, the world’s leading force for the music industry. Because no other British music group had succeeded in America before, the Beatles were apprehensive, nevertheless gaining large renown and adulation from millions nation-wide. The Beatles also brought a new culture, a new view of music to America. They essentially took on the role of revolutionizing rock music through their original, creative compositions which spoke of love, peace, and freedom and defied the conformist society of the 1950s which restricted these controversial topics and opinions in the media. Their music captivated the world by instilling a regard for reconciliation in our hearts, and giving hope to those struggling from the pressures of Vietnam and the Cold War, racial discrimination, and depression. They left an unparalleled legacy of delightful music, influenced the sixties culture through their distinct qualities, and encouraged those to forsake violence and live in harmony with other human beings.

While John Lennon might not be known as the greatest singer or songwriter, he continues to be one of the most influential artists in and out of the music industry. His musicality is practically unmatched, he has influenced an entirely new generation of musicians, and he protested and fought for peace to be recognized in the world. His artistry, talent, and genuine positive outlook on life are what make him one of the most admired artists in music history.

John Lennon’s childhood was surrounded by nazi soldiers(Talevski, “The Beatles,”2015). He did not have a very stable home life. Then his parents got divorced and then he lived with his aunt and uncle (Talevski, “The Beatles,”2015). When John Lennon just started he was inspired by Elvis but, he began to attend the Liverpool art school but he but he was skeptical about his school so he turned to music and made a band with Paul Mccartney and called it the Quarrymen (Talevski, “The beatles,”2015). John Lennon was murdered by his apartment in New York so the band sang a song in his honor of his death (Talevski, “The Beatles,”

This radio show delves into the interworkings of trauma and how specifically we can treat them through natural processes that can help develop new and healthy topics or rewire the brain. One of my favorite points in the article is when Dr. Van Der Kolk clarifies “therapy as in people really getting to know themselves very well and examining themselves and being seen and being heard and being understood has always been around and I think it will always be around. And I don’t think we’ll ever talk about it as necessarily primitive, because the intimate interchange of people really talking about their deepest feelings and their deepest pain and having persons listen to it has always been, and I think it always will be, a very powerful human experience” (Tippett,

John Lennon and Paul McCartney, being outspoken anti-war advocates, greatly shaped American culture with their music during this time. With releases such as “Revolution” and “Imagine”, The Beatles expressed their distaste for war as well as their optimistic aspirations for the American people. “Revolution” and “Imagine” were released in 1968 and 1971, respectively, shortly after the turning point in American support of the war. The antiwar movement in 1965 sparked massive opposition to American involvement in Vietnam, and following this spark came musical singles such as

There have been many people, known as artists, who have tried to change the world through their art. “Art” can be paintings, music, dances, sculptures, literature, or photography. There are many ways to communicate and express ones feelings but The Beatles did it through their popular music. Although they didn’t focus on changing the world of politics or try to protest through their music they have songs that focus on those exact two things.

John Lennon, also the creator of the Beatles, was born in Liverpool, England in 1940. John was the type of kid that had a rebellious side after the passing of his uncle. For John, it wasn’t until he heard Elvis Presley’s music that gave him something to be interested in. During that moment of time was when John became interested in music and later started a band called the Quarry Men. It was then one of John’s friends that introduced him to Paul McCartney who John then soon invited into his band the Quarry Men. Paul was naturally intelligent just like John but unlike John, Paul enjoyed his success at school. Paul and John both shared a passion for guitars and rock and roll. Then it was in late 1957, Paul’s young friend, George Harrison started to hang around the Quarry Men. George’s mother had bought him a guitar, which then George proceeded to teach himself how to play by copying the chords

John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England (“John” 1). At the time, World War II was going on (Burlingame, John Lennon: Imagine 14). His parents, Alfred “Alf” Lennon and Julia Lennon divorced when he was a child (Burlingame, John Lennon: Imagine 21) and he had to move in with his aunt and uncle (Burlingame, John Lennon: Imagine 25). In elementary school, he played guitar and harmonica, always enjoying music (Burlingame, John Lennon: Imagine 32). The first song he ever learned was “That’ll be the Day” by Buddy Holly (Burlingame, John Lennon: Imagine 33). As music took over his life, John got distracted and his aunt told him that he could not make a living by playing guitar (Burlingame, John Lennon: Imagine 36). When John was teenager, he started writing and composing music (Canale 1) as well as drawing and writing books. He wrote two books, “In His Own Write” and “A Spaniard in the Works” (Watson 2). Similarly to Lennon, another musician got their inspiration at a young age. Kurt Donald Cobain was born on February 20, 1967 in Aberdeen, Washington to Wendy and Don Cobain (Burlingame, Kurt Cobain: Oh Well… 11). He came from a musical family and was introduced to music at an early age. When he was three years old, he wrote his first song, “Corn on the Cops.” When he started playing guitar, he held it backwards because he was left-handed, and played popular Beatles’ songs like “Hey Jude” (Burlingame, Kurt Cobain: Oh Well… 12). He was fourteen years old when he received his first electric guitar (Burlingame, Kurt Cobain: Oh Well… 18). Like John, Kurt was involved with the visual arts and enjoyed drawing, whittling, and painting (Burlingame, Kurt Cobain: Oh Well… 13). The two musicians’ background allowed them to prosper in the future.