Text Analysis: Bohemian Rhapsody

Conform. Do not deviate. The only joy that one may experience is the happiness one shares with one's brothers. These phrases illustrate the world of Anthem, in which a young man struggles to find his place in a world of collectivism. Ayn Rand's dystopian novella Anthem employs effective metaphors and well-placed diction in order to ardently claim that individuality holds the key to separating those who justifiably earn the joys of life from those who demonstrate unworthiness.

In 1971, Marvin Gaye, a renowned Motown artist, published a concept album that would become a huge hit for both critics and casual listeners throughout the US. Written towards the end of the Vietnam War, What’s Going On would touch on subjects including war protests, unification of the American people, and the poor treatment of veterans. Gaye’s brother served in Vietnam, and much of this album shows the brother’s thoughts and feelings when he returns. Throughout his album, Marvin Gaye uses his own experiences to give us a look at why he and many others had a dissatisfaction with society and the government during the Vietnam War era in the United States.

The song of songs it is a well-known but not so well understood book of the Bible, it’s 8 chapters of love poetry and while there are an introduction and a conclusion, the book doesn’t have any kind of rigid literary design and that’s because it is a collection of poems. They are not meant to be dissected or taken apart. They are meant to be read as a flowing whole and simply enjoyed. The first line of the book tells us that it is “the song of songs” which is a Hebrew idiom like, “the holy of holies” or “the king of kings” it is a Hebrew way of saying, “the greatest thing,” this is the greatest song of all songs. We are told in the first line that this “song of songs” is of Solomon, which could mean that he is the author, his name does begin the book after all. But as I read the poems, I discover that the main voice of a woman, called “the beloved.” And while there is also a male voice, it does not seem to be Solomon. Solomon is mentioned a couple times in the poem, but he’s never a speaker, and you do have to admit Solomon is a very strange candidate as the author of this book, given the facts that he seven hundred wines. The “of Solomon” likely means “in the wisdom tradition of Solomon,” he was known for his wisdom, his poetry, his love of learning about every part of life. Also, Solomon became the father of wisdom literature in Israel, his legacy is here carried on, through a collection of love poems that explore the human experience of love and sexual desire. The opening

The story of Anthem takes place in dystopian future in which freedom and human rights have been obliterated. Equality 7-2521, the protagonist, is a street sweeper who finds a tunnel where he conducts his science experiments which are considered a sin. Throughout the book we see him change and discover how capable he is through a multitude of literary devices. In the novella , Anthem, Ayn Rand utilizes vivid imagery and a profusion of diction to frenetically emphasize the idea of love.

The poem “The White Porch” by Cathy Song is an illustration of maturity and coming of age. There is an innocent tone to the beginning of the poem with sensual undertones as the writing progress’s. In the poem, a woman is reminiscing about her young womanhood as she sits on her porch awaiting her presumed lover. Song creates the character of the woman to be of a homemaker, describing her duties taking care of laundry, having a cake in the oven and snapping beans in her lap. Through the visualization that Song creates it is assumed that the woman is pregnant, and as she is waiting for her husband she thinks back to the things she herself used to do when she was younger with her own mother. She is reflecting on the way her mother raised her thinking about how she wants to raise her own child. The speaker admits to sneaking in her lover late at night behind her mother’s back, but does not seem to feel remorseful because all her decisions led to where she is in her life now. Cathy Songs poem “The White Porch” portrays the transition of a girl into a woman using symbolism, imagery and simile.

Whiskey Lullaby is a song sung by Brad Paisley (ft. Alison Krauss) which narrates the story of a soldier coming back from war to find his wife in bed with another man. After this, the man drinks away his life trying to escape the pain until he commits suicide. Then the song continues to talk about how the woman follows down the same path after hearing about his death. In the end of the song they both get buried next to each other which symbolizes how they are finally together. The audience for this country song is those who have served or who have had family members serve. The unexpectedness of how life will figure itself out when the soldiers return. Also, how hard it is for families when their loved ones are out fighting, and they are

Your first thought is the love between the couple is toxic and lethal yet, he cannot resist his partner. But, really it is a reference to Cocaine. Cocaine is given a female voice. He uses personification by bringing the drug to life, where it can communicate with him and become part of his life. He knows that this “girl” meaning, Cocaine is going to be the death of him. While in use of Cocaine he gets numb. “But at least we’ll both be beautiful and stay forever young/ This I know, (yeah) this I know” (3-4). You say again, that he is singing about how the love is so very satisfying. But he is actually meaning that his desire for this young and beautiful woman makes him feel good. He feels as if he is invincible when he has her. Even though he seems to be aware of the consequences that come with feeling young and beautiful; with the use of Cocaine. “She told me, ‘Don’t worry about it.’/ She told me, ‘Don’t worry no more.’/ We both knew we can’t go without it/ She told me you’ll

Albert Camus was one of the most renowned authors during the early twentieth century. With writings such as The Stranger, and The Plague, Camus has struck the world of literature with amazing works that are analyzed to a great extent. This amazing success was not just handed to Camus on a silver platter however; Albert endured many hard times and was often encumbered with great illness in his short life. These hardships that Camus had to face, emphasized in his writings and literature. Camus’ work is very closely related to songs written and sung by a band named Queen. Queen’s song, “Bohemian Rhapsody”, is one of few songs, that correlate to Albert Camus views on the Absurd, which

“Too much self-centered attitude, you see, brings, you see, isolation. Result: loneliness, fear, anger. The extreme self-centered attitude is the source of suffering” (“Dalai Lama Quotes”). T.S Eliot lived during the times of World War 1, which inspired Eliot to relate his poems to the life of disappointed European citizens after the war. He included thoughts about the social and political views of Europeans during this big time in world history, which comes during the Victorian Era. The poems “Preludes” and “Rhapsody on a Windy Night” by T.S. Eliot uses figurative language, such as metaphor and imagery to convey how solitude affects human behavior.

This sound perfectly matches the character’s reaction to their judges, which anger and defiance. This can be seen from the lyrics “So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye, So you think you can love me and leave me to die, Oh baby, can’t do this to me baby, Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here”. However, this doesn’t last long, for after a short and powerful guitar riff, the song shifts to a down tempo ballad. This leads to the character feeling resignation and complacency with the lyrics “Nothing really matters, anyone can see, Nothing really matters...to me”. Then the song fades out with the character saying “Any way the wind blows”, as if they are accepting whatever challenge they had

“We are nothing. Mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers we are allowed our lives. We exist through, by and for our brothers who are the State. Amen” (Rand 21). This sentence is a good example of the themes and moods of most dystopian literature. Society and government has crumbled, and people are oppressed. There is usually one main character who wants to rebel, to stand against the oppression. Dystopian literature and film appeals to modern day teens. Dystopian literature shows teens possible scenarios of what life could be like if society and government fails. Usually the main character or ‘hero’ is a teen or a young adult; teens can relate. Teens are at crossroads; growing into an adult, making decisions

A society without free will is a society without identity. Take away identity and humans have been stripped of everything: interests, decisions, and what comes to mind when they think in terms of the word I. In Ayn Rand’s Anthem, nobody has a sense of individuality because the word I is forbidden. Prometheus, the protagonist, is an egoist, increasingly so when he finds a sense of singularity and starts to think in his own self-interest rather than for the betterment of his society. The protagonist who gives the speech “Soul of an Individualist” in another of Rand’s novels The Fountainhead describes how this is not necessarily a bad thing; although the word ego has come to insinuate negativity, Anthem exposes how the word can also reference individuality.

George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue is one of those timeless classics that is instantly recognizable to many people’s ears today, even ninety years after it was first introduced to the world. It is a piece that has found its way into contemporary movies and advertisements, making it likely as recognizable as Chopin’s Funeral March or Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. But unlike these two pieces of iconic classical music, Rhapsody in Blue “resists classification.”1 In it are elements of classical music, blues and jazz, making it at once “Gershwin’s most famous piece” but also “possibly his least understood composition.”2 Indeed, while Rhapsody became a popular hit in the

The song "The message" by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five depicts the struggle of young black adults growing up in society. The struggle to make it out of poverty can be compared to survival of the fittest in a jungle. Only the strong would survive and adapt to the changes to fit in. Trying their best to make a betterment with whatever little society offers. Being a young black African American in the early 1980's was not easy. It was easier to live the fast life and gain fast money by being part of the drug community. Drugs, guns, and money was glamorized and this is what the young adults looked at as a means of getting rich. In the songs, a young man talks about how he is trying hard to hold on to the little bit of sanity he has left in his soul. He talks about the struggle he endures while trying not to get pushed over the edge. He was born an innocent child who's blind to the ways of mind kind. Growing up he faced many challenges and had to fight

Ballad of Birmingham, written by the poet Dudley Randall relives a tragic moment in time in which four little girls died when a church was purposefully exploded. This poem is based on the incident that occurred in Birmingham, Alabama. This poem vividly shows the perspective of a mother losing her child. Most of the poem includes a mother daughter discussion regarding the participation of the freedom march. The mother explains to her daughter that it is far too dangerous for her to be participate, therefore she sends her daughter to church, where she believes that she would be safe. The mother later hears of the explosion and runs over to find out that her daughter had been killed by noticing her daughter’s shoe on the ground. In Ballad of Birmingham, Dudley Randall uses voice, imagery, and sound to show how the tragic event revolves around a theme of racism/mother’s love, which most readers can empathize to.