Music Poetry

The title of this particular piece of musical poetry is "Anthem Of The Angels", by Breaking Benjamin, from the album Dear Agony. The song's central theme is about a recent loss of someone close to the singer. The singer takes the place of someone who has recently experienced a loss, which helps connect to the listeners, and the singer addresses the person who is now dead. The song accurately portrays the magnitude of despair a person feels when they lose someone close to them, such as a friend or a family member.

The song immediately uses an implied metaphor of sorts to state the occasion for the song with the lines:

White walls surround us
No light will touch your face again
Rain taps the window
As we sleep among the dead

Out of context, the last line seems to imply that either both the speaker and the person serving as the audience are both alive and simply sleeping with dead bodies, but taking the second line with the last line suggests only the audience is dead - the speaker is addressing a dead body; both feel dead, but the audience is physically dead while the speaker feels like he or she is dead from the sheer weight of the loss of the audience. The next section of the song implies the speaker's grief is so intense that they have not been able to leave the dead one's side:

Days go on forever
But I have not left your side
We can chase the dark together
If you go, then so will I

These lines, especially the last two, imply that the speaker is contemplating the possibility of his own death to be with the audience, which shows the speaker is not in thinking straight due to grief over the loss and desperation for something to do to remedy the situation. The repeated chorus section illustrates the helplesssness of the speaker in this regard:

There is nothing left of you
I can see it in your eyes
Sing the anthem of the angels
And say your last goodbye
I keep holding on to you
But I can't bring you back to life
Sing the anthem of the angels
Then say the last goodbye

This section indicates the speaker's final understanding and reluctant acceptance of the reality of the situation; the speaker acknowledges that there is nothing he or she can do for the audience, and encourages the person who died to "say their last goodbye" and leave forever. The speaker never entirely accepts this reality, but understands there is nothing he or she can do, which applies to most people in the midst of grieving the loss of a friend or family member.

"Grief" Brings Poetry to an Often Empty Industry

As a 16 year old rapper, crafting an image as a horror-core musician is not really the best idea. Earl Sweatshirt fit this model as he emerged onto the music scene, stomping through topics like murder and abuse without ever missing a beat. 5 years later (2 of these years spent in a correctional facility in Samoa), Earl has pulled a full 180. His recent release, “I Don’t Like Sh!t, I Don’t Go Outside” served to cement his new image; an incredibly personal and dark work, Earl leaves the attention grabbers behind, choosing to address his own vices and life. “Grief,” the only single released before the album, encapsulates his new image or rather his lack of any constructed image.

“Grief” is a reflection on Earl’s internal state and how it became what it is. The song takes a no- holds- barred approach, dealing with drug habits in one line and passing relatives in the next. Addiction is addressed within the first verse; Earl delivers, “Step into the shadows we can talk addiction/ When it’s harmful where you going and the part of you that know it/ Don’t give a f***, pardon me for going into details.” This complex bar delivers more than self reflection. It addresses the way in which society dances around the problem of addiction, tossing it into the shadows and making Earl feel as though apology is needed after mentioning his experiences.

As with anyone famous, Earl has discovered that money and success bring along their share of phony friends. Using an extended metaphor, he finesses his wordplay as he raps, “Cut the grass off the surface/ Pray the lawnmower blade catch the back of a serpent.” While literally talking about trimming his grass and stumbling upon a snake, the message lies on a different spectrum. The grass is the facade that people put up to further their ends; people who build fake personas or are dishonest with their intentions are known as snakes, so Earl is really talking about tearing down the fake fronts people put up in order to disassociate himself with them.

Touching on an all too relevant topic, Earl uses his smooth wordplay and repetition to note the ever- present issue of racist police. “Mama taught me not to be like the bodies lying in them/ Pigs, riding in them/ I’m a target so it’s hard to even eye me in ‘em,” he utters. The bodies lying is a reference to violence that leaves people dead in the streets. He narrows down the topic with the next line, clearing up why the bodies are there: they have been victims of corrupt police, hence the label “pigs.” The final line quoted is perhaps the most poetic in delivery. With heavy assonance on the “e” sound, Earl delivers a tongue twister delving into the awful inferiority with which law officers address him.

Earl Sweatshirt is one of the best lyricists alive (fun fact, his father is a very famous African poet). While much of his prowess lies in wordplay and his ability to bend language to his needs, the messages of this new album are poetic in themselves, a cathartic relief for the growing young man. Sure, the album doesn't speak to politics as much as the new Kendrick does, but Earl crafted a relatable masterpiece, an album that holds its weight in the level of intimacy it conveys.

I have attached the music video to "Grief" for your enjoyment, While not related to the poetry element of the work, it is a fantastic visual.

Slim Shady's Poetry

While Eminem’s title as a poet has not always been widely accepted, his talents as a rapper has given him enormous fame in the world of music. However, using conventional definitions of poetry, it is hard to describe slim Shady’s rhymes as anything but poetic. His work both utilizes multidimensional diction as well as figurative language to express complex and often profound ideas.

Still I would argue that Slim Shady’s work is also an example of a different and possibly new type of poetry. His music is simply aesthetically pleasing. Not in the sense that his lyrics try to convey beauty but rather in the fact that they do the exact opposite, and that is what makes his genre of rap new. Slim Shady’s music attempts to express the other side of the aesthetic spectrum, ugliness. The intense vulgarity of Eminem’s music provides its listeners an expression of aesthetic enjoyment that differs from the traditional poetic goal of capturing beauty. The language Eminem uses in his poem’s embodies the dark side of aesthetical poetry by conveying abhorrent and evil images.

Eminem’s 1999 album The Slim Shady LP is where one can find the greatest supply of these vulgar and crude expressions. Specifically, the song Role Model exemplifies the type of poetry Slim strives to create. Some lyrics from this song that capture the explicit nature of Slim’s work are:


I strangled you to death then I choked you again

Then broke your f**king legs till you bones poked through your skin

Hillary Clinton tried to slap me and call me a pervert

I ripped her f**king tonsils out and fed her sherbert


The repugnant images Slim illustrates in his music should be recognized as poetic not only because of the lyrical brilliance needed to create it, but because of the aesthetic meaning it is convies.

AM // Radio

AM//Radio, a song by the rapper Earl Sweatshirt holds stories from many different perspectives.It Tell stories from the past and present from the perspective of Earl, and Wiki from RATKING.
It is off of the new project by Earl named I Don't like Shit I Dont Go Outside. This project is the second full album by Earl after his debut Album Doris, in 2013. The entire album is pure poetry but the song AM//Radio holds something more. It holds the stories and poetry of Wiki.

And Tell my Pops’ I gotta take advice
Keep my head screwed on tight, abuse these mic's

In this passage from Wikis life. Wiki tries to explains himself coming into adulthood and realizing his wrongs and trying to live right. The verse explains Wikis realization that he should listen to his elders and parents and put all of his energy and attention towards his music. He expresses his feeling towards how he has spent his life and how he wants to spend his life in this verse.
Earl comes in on the second verse of the song. His verse starts with.

Bitch, I skated before I rapped, if you take me before your captain
Bet twenty hots on your Daddy

Earl is known not only for being a rapper but also for skating. In this verse he shines light on his old life and his struggles. He writes about how he Skated before anyone knew his talent, and how he has worked very hard to get to the place he is at now and the respect that he has acquired.

That someone gon' nola clap ‘em probably cold and passive
Cause' Pops' was the one that got to me

This verse by Earl is littered with deeper meanings. When he refers to Nola clap he is referring to the song Nolia Clap by UTP. Noila Clap reffered to the Magnolia housing projects. Noila Clap is the action in which somebody kills you in a cold profesional gangster way. When Earl uses the term Noila Clap he is using it to depict how he is going to fall in the rap game. He thinks that When he goes it will be cold and passive.

The song AM // Radio By Earl Sweatshirt is jam packed with poetic verses from both Earl Swaetshirt and Wiki. It is Full of Multy meaning words and Short narritives from both of their previouse lives. There is a deeper meaning behind each line preached by both of these

You don't need to be a "Hero" to be a Poet

A song in more modern culture that I believe is poetic is "Hero" by Family of the Year which is on their album Loma Vista. This was used for the Oscar nominated movie Boyhood, which if you have seen the movie, this song fits.

I have listen to this song many times, though I have debated the theme of the song,  Believe that the song is about a young man facing a very large struggle of growing up. Particularly, struggle with the idea of what it is to be a man. As well as dealing with the ideas society can bring to boys about what a man can be.  

 Though out the song there are many lead ins to the idea of growing up. One use of repetition that is a use of poetic imagery is, "Just wanna fight with everyone else." Without every saying that this song is about growing up, this imagery makes my head jump to teens ruff housing. Also, the line, "Let me go" displays this whole struggle with what growing up brings, even through it is very simplistic. 

With growing comes this idea of being a man and what it entails which is hard to express. Yet, He does a good job of expressing these ideas without saying them. In the chorus the lines, "I don't wanna be your hero/ I don't wanna be a big man." Displays a contemplation over being a man or a boy, also with what it comes with. This song shows that the idea of being a man is often shown as a Hero, which is impossible.

Also, when he says "Your masquerade. I don't wanna be apart of your parade." Can be looked at as the "masquerade" or lie of growing up, and not wanting to be the stereotypical male image. Going along with the debate of conforming the line, "Secrets from our American dreams" shows want for something taught to be attainable but really is not.

Another struggle of growing up is having to deal with responsibility. During the verse, He talks about the want providing for his girl, which is a stereotypical "hero" move, but also he talks about the fact that he is still a kid. Though not much time is spend on this the debate between hero or boy is made.

For these reasons I believe "Hero" is a poem, yet through this I realized that anyone can be poetic. That almost anyone who writes can be a poet. 

Fleet Foxes' Poetic Response To A Predisposed Postmodern Destiny

Fleet Foxes is an alternative indie folk band that hails from Seattle, Washington. Over the past ten years Fleet Foxes has revolutionized the sounds and vocals that a band can produce- much of their music is akin to the mystical sensation of wandering through the woods, discovering the beauty and majesty of the world. Not only is their music deeply spiritual, but the lyrics of the song are truly poetic. The title track for their second album, Helplessness Blues, is no exception. A brilliant analysis and portrayal of finding oneself in a situation where the future is predisposed and trying with the best effort to break from that predisposition.

The song begins by equating the artist to a snowflake:

              "I was raised up believing I was somehow unique/like a snowflake among snowflakes, unique in each way you can see."

The artist has already established himself to be a person who has always perceived himself to be different from every other person in the world, but also uses the snowflake as a representation of fragility. The artist sings "like a snowflake AMONG snowflakes" in which he can admit that he is one of many, many fragile, manipulatable, and unique people. He establishes, then, that we are all unique. What he says later brings the struggle between finding true self to light:

              "And now after some thinking, I'd say I'd rather be/ a functioning cog in some great machinery serving something beyond me."

It is assumed that the artist is growing up, because he was "raised" to believe he was unique. But the world of "some great machinery" seems to try to define him as "a functioning cog." Perhaps society, the "machinery", is influencing the uniqueness of the artist, pushing him to be a part, a "cog" in a great machine that does not serve or better himself, but better the community. There is indeed something to be notable about serving a community, but to sacrifice uniqueness and artistry at its price seems to defeat the goal of keeping identity.

The three metaphors work to establish the type of world that the artist lives in, but also the type of person that he establishes himself to be.

The song continues to expound upon becoming or taking agency for the future,

             "I'll get back to you someday soon you will see."

By interjecting a personal "I" into the situation, the artist refuses to be defined by the situation surrounding him.

The singer then looks for some type of backbone to support his artistic career, while attempting to find some sort of reconciliation, but in the end he decides to break away from people who will determine his fate for him:

           "What's my name, what's my station, oh, just tell me what I should do/ I don't need to be kind to the armies of night that will do such injustice to you/ or bow down and be grateful and say 'sure take all that you see'/ to the men who move in dimly-lit halls and determine my future for me."

The artist has a moment of lost identity, he cannot determine who he is, and must be told exactly what to do. "The armies of night" who "move in dimly-lit halls and determine [his] future for [him]" could be anyone from the government to the "some great machinery" produced of the many many human cogs. The artist looses hope, but then determines that he will not be defined by the "armies of night" that "injustice" the listener experiences. This is an interesting dynamic. The audience is the listener, or, at least, someone locked in the "machinery." The listener seems to be trapped in a world where people (specifically men, which is indicative of a male dominated society) are making the decisions about the listener's future.  The image of "darkness" and "dimly-lit halls" brings forth foreboding, villainy, and sly under the table deals that perpetuate the idea that the machinery that is called society is rigged. The image of the "armies of night" creates a mood of fighting for darkness and ambiguity, as if those unique snowflakes, distinct in every way, are becoming nothing but an ambiguous and same force to create a mechanized and artificial world.

The artist becomes amazed with the world he can see, which is something nobody else seems to realize:

           "If I know only one thing, it's that everything I see/ of the world outside is so inconceivable often I barely can speak...what good is it to sing helplessness blues, why should I wait for anyone else?"

The singer becomes infatuated with the world outside as he becomes less and less content in his mechanized world. But, by singing this song, in part, the singer hopes to enliven and bring people to see the wonderful world around them. He eventually gives up hope in humanity when he says "what good is it now...why should I wait for anyone else?" The singer decides to give up mechanized community for a life dedicated to following an individualistic and fulfilling dream. 

The last lyric that is particularly striking brings the point all the way home:

           "If I had an orchard, I'd work till I'm raw/If I had an orchard I'd work till I'm sore/And you'd wait the tables and soon run the store."

The singer envies those who can plow their own land and do work on their own field. The image of an orchard contradicts the great machinery of earlier. An orchard is fruitful, earthy, real, and dynamic. Machinery is artificial and standardized. The singer longs to be on an orchard, being one with the earth and himself, and would leave behind those who decide to become just a cog in our society.

Fleet Foxes completely rips the vail off of conformity, and anticipates the return to a time when each person can be their own unique and distinct snowflake. The band rejects community by equating standardization and machinery to the predisposition in our society. There is a circle that is often left unbroken, and Fleet Foxes aims to remind us of breaking from the cycle and returning to roots and values of individual passion and dreams.

Seinfeld's Gender Bender

Seinfeld is the hallmark American sitcom. With its diverse group of needy characters, coincidence-based comedy, and pervasive sexuality, the show is swarming with themes regarding gender norms. While gender norms are addressed by the show's plot, most of the characters do not care to fight norms. The characters, being primarily selfish and excessively opportunistic, prefer to take advantage of their own inherent gender traits in their busy and chaotic world.

In one classic episode titled "The Caddy" one of the several intertwining plots revolves around one of Elaine's old friends, Sue Allen Mishkie. When Elaine randomly encounters Sue Allen in the street, she is forced into conversation with her. Sue Allen invites Elaine to her birthday party, but Elaine, wishing not to go, says she will be too busy. To this, Sue Allen tells Elaine that she would still like a gift. Somewhat bewildered by this, Elaine finally concludes her conversation with Sue Allen.

Later on, Elaine meets with George and Jerry at Jerry's apartment. She explains that her grudge against Sue Allan is due to Sue Allan's refusal to ever wear a bra. "This woman has never, not once, as long as I have ever known her, worn a bra." George and Jerry love this, and are enticed by the story of the braless wonder. Elaine then tells the story of Sue Allen stealing her boyfriend from her at a party. This reveals that Elaine's grudge is rooted in jealousy. Jerry remarks that Sue Allen is Elaine's "Lex Luther". Elaine then unveils her gift for Sue Allen: a high quality, highly supportive bra.

A couple scenes later, Elaine receives a call in her office. Sue Allen has come to see her. There is no "gaze" camera technique required for Sue Allen's flamboyant entry into the office. Sue Allen is wearing the bra as a top, with only an open blazer on top of that. With Sue Allen's dazzling breasts more exposed than ever, Elaine is nearly speechless. Reading this, Sue Allen asks if everything is alright. Elaine then explains that the bra is not a top but a bra. To this, Sue Allen only says, "Oh, I know! Thanks again." and then departs from the office.

The plot intertwinement finally arrives when Kramer and Jerry are driving down the street and they notice Sue Allen rocking the brazier-blazer combo on the sidewalk. With Kramer behind the wheel, he becomes dangerously distracted by Sue Allen's captivating breasts. Naturally, he crashes into a light post.

Kramer, having been training for a golf tournament, is outraged. He is injured from the crash, and his swing is ruined. Elaine, Kramer, and his caddy agree that Sue Allen ought to be sued. Kramer's eccentric lawyer is more than happy to take up the case. As another plus, Sue Allen is the heir to the Oh Henry! candy bar fortune. Kramer's lawyer can hardly contain his excitement.

Jerry soon runs into Sue Allen as she is attempting to get into Kramer's apartment. Jerry then invites her into his apartment, only because of Sue Allen's incredible beauty and voluptuous breasts. This is an excellent example of objectification, as Sue Allen is annoying and arrogant, but Jerry still wants her. Jerry develops a fondness to Sue Allen, and he enters a battle with Kramer of sex versus money. On top of all this, Elaine's boss has also grown fond of Sue Allen's sexual swagger, and he now wants to market the bra as a top. This is an outstanding example of men taking advantage of female sexuality for the sake of profit.

When Kramer takes Sue Allen to court, Jerry is incredibly reluctant to admit that he saw Sue Allen in the bra on the street, revealing his attachment to her breasts. At the conclusion of the trial, with Kramer on the verge of winning the suit, the caddy suggests that Sue Allen try on the bra. When she agrees to this, the bra will not fit over her leotard, and Kramer loses the case.

This episode is heavily imbued with themes regarding sexism. Elaine is battling against a woman who, in her mind, is stepping too far outside of the feminine gender role. She is disgusted by Sue Allen's advantageous behavior which revolves only around her body. At the very same time, the male characters in the show do indeed become infatuated in Sue Allen, entirely because of her breasts. This can be seen in Kramer's distraction that leads to the car crash, Jerry's crush on the woman, and Elaine's boss trying to market her bra as a top. This episode presents modern sexism in a comedic, somewhat realistic way.

Poetic "Dreaming"

Smallpools is an American-based four-piece indie pop band. The band includes vocalist Sean Scanlon, guitarist Mike Kamerman, bassist Joseph Intile, and drummer Beau Kuther. Although Smallpools is not well-known, its debut single “Dreaming” charted at number one on The Hype Machine, a popular MP3 blog aggregator created by Anthony Volodkin. With “Dreaming’s” amalgamation of a catchy melody with elaborate literary devices, it is not surprising that this incredibly poetic song gained such esteemable recognition.

“Dreaming,” at a first glance, appears to be a song about war as it refers to “crossfire,” “surrender,” and “guns.” These instances, however, complete the intricate metaphor the song creates to show the progression of love. The multiple references to war metaphorically represent how love is similar to war with its inevitable “crossfire,” or conflict. The song is told from the assumed perspective of a man directed at the one he loves. The song initially begins with the lines:

     I see the place that we've been locked together, together

     Like we were something more
     And it felt like maybe we could last forever, forever

The “locked place” that is referred to in the lyrics can be metaphorically interpreted as the friendship that the speaker has with his friend. The use of “locked” shows that the friendship which they posses impedes the ability for them develop a deeper relationship. This can further be concluded by the speaker’s statement, “Like we were something more,” as it shows that the speaker and his friend retain a connection that is similar to a relationship deeper than friendship, but is only “like,” and not truly, this deeper relationship. The songs lyrics continue as:

     But you led 'em to our hideout
     Forced their way inside, now
     They want us to surrender, us to surrender

These lyrics now illustrate that there are others who are interrupting the relationship developed in the initial lines of the song. As the song progresses, the transition from friendship to love is clear. The following lyrics show that the initial relationship is no longer a friendship anymore:

     But I could go all night right here
     Between their crossfire
     We'll send them up a message
     I'll send the message
     We're saying "give it up, give it up"

The speaker shows he is willing to fight for his friend, proving his love for her. This fighting is visualized by the imagery of him standing “right here / between the crossfire.” These lines also posses auditory imagery that further supports the love he has for her. The auditory imagery is apparent when he says, "Give it up, give it up," proving that he loves her as he does not stand by while others express their feelings for her, he speaks out, preventing them from taking her. The song later provides even further visual imagery:

     We've got nowhere to run
     They've all got loaded guns
     Oh no, please God tell me we're dreaming

The imagery of the “loaded guns” is a metaphor for the conflict that the others created within the presented relationship. The “guns” additionally develop the war-like characterization that, as earlier stated, relates to the hardships of love. The previous provided lines have another instance of a metaphor. When the speaker states, “Please God tell me we’re dreaming,” he does not truly wish he is dreaming. The speaker uses dreaming as a metaphor to show how he wishes he could escape from the challenging reality present. The last set of new lines before repetition occurs is the following:

     Wait for the dust to settle down around us, around us
     And stick to what we know
     I think the air is finally safe to breathe again, to breathe again
     The world is in your palm now
     So take a breath and calm down
     Cause you have been selected, you've been selected

The visual imagery of “the dust” settling down around the speaker and his mate is a metaphor for the end of the battle; the conflict has ended and their love for one another persists. The statement that “the air is finally safe to breathe again” further symbolizes the end of the conflict. The speaker lastly shows his love when he states, “The world is in your palm now,” proving that she means the world to him. When the speaker says, “You have been selected,” he is referring to how he has selected her, the audience of the song, to be his partner in life. From the poetic language of the song, it can be concluded that persistence is the key to love; one must be enduring in relationships as all are forced to experience hardships. From the most previous analyzed line, it can be concluded that enduring the pain and “crossfire” that occurs in love is worth it, as the speaker expresses his trust for the one he loves, devoting his entire life and “world” to her. 

"Dreaming," Smallpools

Poetry by Iron and Wine

Poetry is an arrangement of words that makes a person think about something in a new way, or uses figurative language to tell some sort of story. In my opinion, “Upward Over The Mountain” is an extremely poetic song by Iron and Wine, on their album “The Creek Drank the Cradle.” Iron and Wine is an American, folk singer song-writer who tends to tell a story through each of his songs.

I interpret the song “Upwards Over The Mountain” as a story in which the son is apologizing to his mother for all his wrongdoings and all she’s had to go through. The son is saying that he’s done with all of the bad things and there’s hope for his future, so his mother should no longer worry. Iron and Wine conveys this story in such a beautiful way, utilizing figurative language.

The main simile in the song is when he says:

                          So may the sunrise bring hope where it once was forgotten
                          Sons are like birds flying upwards over the mountain

The speaker is the son and he is apologizing to his mother. He makes a generalization that sons feel the need to take the most difficult path in life and face all the obstacles, and go “upwards over the mountain” instead of going an easier route.

Later on he says:

                          Mother I made it up from the bruise on the floor of this prison
                          Mother I lost all of the fear of the Lord I was given

Here, he most likely uses the metaphor of prison to encompass all of his big mistakes and sins. He says along his way he ignored the religion that she raised him with. These lines really describe the extent to which he went wrong and how he felt he betrayed his mother. He was at such a low point in life, but he has come to the point where he has matured and will improve himself, making it “over the mountain.”

At the end the son says:

                         Mother remember the night that the dog had her pups in the pantry
                         Blood on the floor and the fleas on their paws
                         And you cried 'til the morning

 These lyrics seem to make a connection, suggesting that the mother/son relationship as a necessary part of the cycle of life. The birth of the puppies is both beautiful and painful, just like the relationship between the mother and her son. The imagery really enhances the depth of the emotion in the story.

Iron and Wine is incredibly successful in his use of multi-dimensional language, which creates poetry in his songs.

What is Poetry If Not an Expression?

Poetry is made of many things--rhyme, rhythm, similes, allusions, plays on words. But what poetry is is entirely different. It can be the beauty of a lover forever preserved in the shadow box of a sonnet, a photo album of an unforgettable yet inimitable summer, or a simple love for the feeling of cold fingers against warm coffee mugs. Poetry is an expression of emotion, of memory, of a thought. To be able to express all these things, poetry must come in different forms. From haiku to epic, the length and style of poetry always differs. One form of poetry is songwriting.

Take the song "Northern Downpour" by Panic! at the Disco, for example. "Northern Downpour" was released on their whimsical 2008 album “Pretty. Odd.” along with its own music video. Among others, "Northern Downpour" is perhaps one of Panic’s most recognizable songs. It not only captured their exact style of the time and album, but resonated with audiences everywhere. And why is that? Because "Northern Downpour" expresses things we can all relate to: love, nostalgia… or maybe a love for nostalgia. "Northern Downpour" is a poem that sends you back to the memory of the songwriter Ryan Ross. It employs many different types of literary devices. The first used is the simile, which is used almost immediately in the first lyric, “If all our life is but a dream.” Ross quickly uses similes so he can begin telling a story. The poem is an ode to a memory or certain someone, yes, but Ross preserves his memory in the dream-like story. The importance of love and time well-spent continues in the simile, “For diamonds do appear to be / Just like broken glass to me.” In the particularly descriptive second verse, Ross describes the imagery through similes like “I know the world’s a broken bone” and “unraveled words like moths upon old scarves”. They add imagery and meaning to the song. In using similes, the poem assumes more of a story-telling role, but still retains that whimsical atmosphere by comparing seemingly disconnected things. One wouldn't immediately think that world is a broken bone, but when looking back on sweet, now unattainable memories, one understands just what Ross is trying to say. The verse is comforting, all while still being charming and descriptive.

Personification, however, is perhaps the most important device used throughout, describing the biggest theme of the song--the memory. In Ross’ memory, it’s almost as though it was the ambiance itself that made the times happy. There’s no “I love you” in the song, but there is “northern downpour sends its love”. Northern Downpour, besides being the title, could also perhaps be the setting where the events described in the song took place. It could also be the emotions felt, or could represent a person. It is also probable that the moon is representative of an emotion, as seen in the personification in the lyrics “Hey moon, please forget to fall down / Hey moon, don't you go down.” Not only is the literary device giving life to the moon, something very commonly referred to by poets, but it also adds to the nostalgic feeling of the song. It’s almost as though Ross were pleading, don’t go, I want this memory to last. It’s the “just a little bit longer” characteristic of love that is perfectly captured through poetry. Other literary devices, such as allusions and plays on words, add character and quirks to the song, just as small details would to a memory or story. The song alludes to The Wizard of Oz in the lyric “you clicked your heels and wished for me.” In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy clicks her heels and wishes to be back home. Ross is saying is that he was someone’s home once, and that the feeling was somewhat mutual as told in the preceding line, “I missed your skin when you were east.” Finally, Ross includes the play on words of “my one and lonely”, which is repeated many times throughout the end of the song. “My one and lonely”, short phrase that it is, could be a reference to a joke or recurring event of Ross’ memory, as one could infer from how often it is repeated. It also continues to describe the themes of love and bittersweet nostalgia. "Northern Downpour" is a fantastic poem, not only because of the importance and popularity of the song, but because of its shared characteristics and themes with many other poems. Literary devices such as similes, personification, allusions, et cetera are used to express emotions and thoughts, just like in other poetic forms. The theme of love and memory is expressed in a way very similar to the way other poems express it. From nostalgia to stories, from dreams to love, Northern Downpour has infinite layers of emotion, all concealed behind poetic tools. But as previously said, it’s not what makes up a poem, it’s what the poem’s about that makes it what it is--an expression.

Poetry In Music

The song I will be analyzing is You Are Your Mother's Child, by Connor Oberst, from the album Upside Down Mountain. This album, Oberst explained, is quite different than his other albums in the sense that it really focuses on language, and not the complexity of other aspects of music like the rhythm, he just wants to relate to his audience.

'I’m not the greatest guitar player or piano player—I’m not the greatest singer, either—but I feel if I can come up with melodies I like that are fused with poetry I’m proud of, then that’s what I bring to the table."

Lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/conoroberst/youareyourmotherschild.html

This song is about growing up and how everybody goes through life taking it for granted. I think the writer is really trying to connect to the listeners by narrating the progression of an average boy's life, from birth to marriage. His life is a very simple one; he goes trick-or-treating with his cousin and dresses up as an astronaut, plays baseball, graduates, marries and has a kid of his own. I think the writer chooses this typical cookie cutter life as a way of being able to relate to the majority of people who listen to this song.

Oberst's use of repetition throughout the song makes an impression on the listener. After every verse, the phrase- "You are your mother's child, And she'll keep you for a while, But someday you'll be grown and then you'll be on your own." But it changes slightly throughout the song. As it progresses, and more of the boy's life goes by, it changes to "She had you for a while," "Soon you'll be grown", and "Now that you're grown". I think this is showing how fast life can move sometimes, and you need to take time to appreciate it while you still have a chance.

Another language device Oberst uses is the use of present tense. The whole time during the story, he uses present tense to describe the boy's situation, making it feel like we are right there with him. It doesn't feel like a story that has already happened and that someone is just retelling to the listener. 

Hozier's Hymn of Blasphemy

The song "Take Me To Church," by Andrew Hozier-Byrne, anchors his eponymous album. Hozier is the Irish singer-songwriter's first studio album, which Island Records released in September of 2014. Since its release, "Take Me To Church" has achieved international acclaim and success. I argue that this song's multidimensional language and employment of figurative language renders it a refined piece of poetic writing.

Hozier sings the song from the perspective of a person whose lover, identified as a woman, has recently left or exited the speaker's life in some way. This information can be inferred from the lyric, "I should-'ve worshipped her sooner." Beyond establishing the identity of the speaker and the subject, this line also indicates that the speaker's exigence is regretful reminiscence. The speaker wishes that he or she had fully appreciated the subject before she left. The audience seems to be the members of society as a whole; the speaker implores self-proclaimed beacons of morality to "command" him "to be well." According to songfacts.com, that line references a 1554 poem by Greville: "created sick, commanded to be sound." The audience appears to shift at certain points when the speaker appeals to his or her goddess, or ex-lover. During these points in the song, the vocals crescendo and the accompaniment transitions from  a restful half-note/quarter note pattern to a more hectic eighth note pattern. The speaker, exigence, and audience combine to express a discontent with modern religion and systems of morality in general.

Hozier conveys his criticisms of modern morality through intricate and figurative language. The line,

She's the giggle at a funeral

For instance, operates as a metaphor; the vehicle, a giggle at a funeral, describes speaker's ex-lover as repugnant to modern custom. The word "giggle" connotes a lighthearted and humorous temperament, which is juxtaposed to the solemn atmosphere of a funeral. Hozier writes later on that,

Every Sunday's getting more bleak/A fresh poison each week.

This line equates Sunday to organized religion via metonymy. Hozier's diction of "poison"implies that religion kills the speaker, or that religion is insidious. In response to the dominate ideology of organized religion, the speaker argues,

My church offers no absolutes

This lyric implies that the speaker's lover constitutes a personal religion. Rather than dictate morality, the speaker's lover demands sacrifice and promises a concrete reward, or "heaven," in the form of her love.

This song operates on two levels: a critique of organized religion and a mourning of the speaker's relationship. "Take Me To Church" communicates these messages through eloquent prose that infuses pop radio stations with poeticism.

Kingsman: A Complicated Commentary on Gender

WARNING spoilers ahead

A developing trend recently is end of the world or utopian movies such as Insurgent and Hunger Games. The new movie Kingsman follows this trend as it is about a young man in a spy agency training program trying to save the world from destruction by an evil genius. The movie is clearly supposed to be a version of James Bond but whether it is more a spoof or a sequel is still up for debate. Like James Bond movies this film has no issue putting its female characters into gender roles and even sometimes the men, yet when looking more closely it a great example of some complex issues with gender such as the hero himself and his female best friend.


His Mother is one of the first females the viewer meets. Submissive and domestic, she is abused by her husband and is not able to protect herself or her children. This character is not particularly empowering as she must in the end be saved by her son, and rescued from the evil step father. While I know that domestic abuse is very complicated in real life, a fictional movie such as this has the opportunity to empower a character such a figure. The Seductress is seen here as the villains evil side kick, although she is incredibly intelligent and clearly beautiful and desirable she is a bad guy. It is possible to argue that she is incredibly loyal and perhaps was not aware that what she was doing was wrong, but through the male lens that we see this movie she is clearly a powerful force mentally and physically. One interesting thing about this character is her legs which are made out of shape knives which also get into people with disabilities in pop culture. In the end though she is strong, our hero is stronger and ultimately defeats her. Furthermore she is poisoned which turns her skin green, making her not as pretty which perhaps in this movie is supposed to be the ultimate defeat. The most obvious trope and definitely the most blatant is the sex object. She seen in the Swedish princess who serves no purpose other than a prize for the hero in the end. Locked in a dungeon cell, our hero takes a short break from fighting the bad guys to tell her that after he saves the world he will come back for her. This exchange is full of sexual innuendo and to sum it up if he lets her out she will have sex with him. The most disturbing part of this relationship is that the movie ends with an image of her back side. This character serves absolutely no purpose other than as a sexual prize of our hero. The Swedish princess actually is so ridiculous that is made me wonder if perhaps that was supposed to be mocking the James Bond franchise, which while possible is highly unlikely.


The movie has very few women that are introduced by name. In fact I believe there are only four, three of which are listed above. This means that there are lots of men characters in this movie some include his father figure and role model Harry Hart (Colin Firth), the man trying to end humanity Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), and of course the hero Eggsy (Taron Egerton). These are just a few of the named characters. I am going to focus of the main character for the purpose of this argument. Eggsy, the James Bond character, embodies so many tropes that it is hard to keep track of them all, and yet this makes him a more complicated character than most of the others. He is first presented as a “gangster” which is frequently seen in the movie as his step father and his friends are all “gangsters”. He is also a “tough guy” and athletic as you might imagine in order to actually fight the bad guys. He isn’t a “player” until the end of the movie when we see him interact with the Swedish princess. Part of the reason why his character is so complicated is because while he has parts of his character that personify a lot of these stereotypes he is also very sensitive. This can be seen when he chooses a pug as his side kick and is fiercely loyal and protective toward it. This can be seen in one of the moments where all the other trainees keep their dog companions in a cage at the end of the bed while Eggsy’s dog sleeps right beside him. Another somewhat confusing part of the movie is it’s patriarchal structures. The movie is primarily men and the whole premise is a spy school that leads into a secret society comprised of only men. in the end however the society is ultimately brought down and it seems to show the corruptibility of this particarcial system.


Something that I believe most people would have looked over in this movie, but that I found most interesting, was Roxy. Roxy (Sophia Cookson) is a young women who is also training to be in the secret spy society with Eggsy. It is clear that she is just as strong and intelligent as Eggsy if not more, in fact she is the one that made it into the society over Eggsy. But the really remarkable thing about her character is that besides one line we are never reminded about her gender. She looks no different than the men in the movie meaning that attention is not drawn to her physical attributes. Lastly, even though it is clear that she and Eggsy care about each other she is actually just his loyal friend. Roxy is a character that is very rarely portrayed an American media. Sadly had someone watching been too caught up in the storyline they may have missed her great character. I later realized that the writers could have replaced her with a man and the movie would have been the exact same, this seems to me the perfect test of no gender roles. I believe that this super cool character should get a spin off of her own.

Gender in Avatar; The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender is unlike any show, animated or otherwise, to come before it, and it is one of the most feminist TV shows ever made. Avatar takes place in a fictional universe comprised of four nations: the Water Tribe (inspired by Inuit culture), the Earth Kingdom (inspired by both pre-Manchu and Qing Dynasty China), the Fire Nation (Japanese culture), and the Air Nomads (inspired by Tibetan monasteries and Sri Lankan Buddhism). Each nation centers around its one element, and certain people born into those cultures have the power to control their culture’s element. The Avatar, Aang, can control all four elements and must defeat the ruler of the Fire Nation, which has been at war with the remaining three nations for over a century. This hit show has hugely influenced an enormous viewership consisting of all genders, so it’s quite excellent that a show so beloved by young watchers has such feminist representation of women.

Although Avatar centers around a male hero (something the show’s creators remedied when they made a sequel series, The Legend of Korra, starring a female title character), the show blooms with amazing female representation. An overwhelming majority of both the heroes and villains are women, spanning an enormous range of character types. Avatar is highly feminist in its portrayal of women for three primary reasons: the diversity within the female cast, the complexity of the female characters, and the agency that these female characters have over their own lives.

When most TV shows feature lots of women, these women tend to look or act very similar to one another. They are usually all white, or at least act white; they are thin and conventually attractive; they dress similarly to each other; they all lead somewhat similar lives. The women of Avatar, however, could not be more different from each other. Some of the recurring characters include an inuit water-bending maternal character named Katara, a blind earth-bending 12 year old named Toph, a fire-bending villain called Azula who slowly descends into utter madness as she tries to usurp the throne, women who fight with metal fans called the Kioshi Warriors, a bubbly circus acrobat turned evil cohort named Ty Lee, and countless other equally diverse and colorful characters. The women in Avatar span numerous races, ages, areas of ability, experience, character, and values. Unlike many other television shows, even shows that feature just as many female characters, the girls in Avatar are not treated as a homogenous group, but as a highly distinct group of people who are only linked by gender and not confined to any type of female stereotype.

Besides just being realistic in diversity, the women of Avatar are also realistic in character. Each female character is just as complex and multi-faceted as the male characters. Katara, a powerful water-bender, fights blatant sexism in order to become a master bender and warrior while still maintaining her chosen maternal/caregiving role over her friends. Toph has the humor and immaturity of a 12 year old while also being mature enough to overcome her disability with her martial art, and is in fact such an incredible fighter that she invents an entirely new form of earth-bending. Many of the female characters, such as Mai and Ty Lee, undergo intense questionings of their own values, evaluating their relationships, loyalties, and allegiances before ultimately deciding which side to be on. Azula, who is arguably the most important villain of the series, is shown battling with her own lust for power and slowly slipping from sanity in a deeply disturbing and complicated character arc. Each female character the show features has realistic feelings, experiences, and complicated moral issues to face. Although some of them have elements of common female stereotypes (Katara as the maternal caregiver, Princess Yue as the virtuous virgin) even these women completely transcend the confines of that stereotype and feature many other complex character traits (as a sidenote, none of the characters in the show seem to fit the role of seductress or sex object).

Lastly, these female characters show an amount of agency arguably unprecedented in a kid’s TV show. Even though Aang is technically the hero, there is absolutely no way he could have saved the world without the brilliance and talent of Katara and Toph, who decide their own adventures, make their own decisions, and teach themselves to be masters at their craft to defeat their enemies. Azula, heir to the throne of the Fire Nation, eventually overtakes her father in villainy and spends the entire series scheming, fighting, and conquering anyone who stands in the way of her reign of terror. Yue gets to make the ultimate sacrifice at the end of her story arc: giving up her own life to transcend the mortal plane, becoming the spirit of the moon. While women in TV often have their lives taken from them or beg for a merciful death, a female character so rarely gets to decide for herself to die for what she believes in.

Avatar is an amazingly well written show, from the rich plotlines to the beautiful animation to the incredibly well developed martial arts, but its fantastic representation of women stand out above all else. In no other popular TV show can one find such a diverse cast of multi-faceted women, all with the agency and ability to decide their own lives. Avatar is an intensely feminist show that continues to teach its young viewers about the capability of women and how to treat them like real people instead of stereotypes.

A Thank You to Mrs. Kimberly Kardashian-West

The epitome of feminism? The notorious Kardashian family but of course. Quite frankly, this is what girls my age look up to while growing up. “Omg why can’t I be Kim?” or things like “Let me please be as skinny as Kendall Jenner”. One family thrown into a life of force ‘talent’ results in lines of clothing, hair products, beauty products, TV shows, and best of all virtual games. This week I paid close attention to a video game that was life changing for all of my friends. Many of who said I had to delete the game because it was consuming my life. When it was re introduced to me by a classmate, I decided it was a great idea to explore the make believe world of being Kim Kardashian’s E-list apprentice. The object of this game is to become the most popular person in Hollywood (obviously Kim trumps you always) by participating in photo shoots, having a boyfriend and dressing up nicely. In this game, the avatar you create is restricted to these things, what kind of job they have, the relationships with other characters, and the image that they have to uphold in the media.

In this addicting game, the things I had to watch out for to notice were the types of jobs I had to do, or the places I had to make appearances at. Of course, people will do anything to get famous; I now seem where Kim is coming from. The only jobs you can have in this game are limited to working in a boutique selling and folding clothes, photo shoots for magazine covers, commercials, and the occasional endorsing of a product at a nightclub. Maybe it’s just because I haven’t grown up and had a job for myself, but I’m pretty sure that there are other things to do in Hollywood. For instance, I am currently participating in a photo shoot fro ‘Metropolitan Magazine’ striking poses, fixing my make up and earning my vanity badge; There is no other way to get famous, I have to continue to wear my short dress and get over it.

Who you interact with in the game can play a pretty key role in the success of your status on the list. Right as you begin the game, you are forced to talk to some random guy with a crazy girlfriend who tried to sabotage your career. I needed to talk to my PR agent because it was getting too out of hand. This is one of those post modern situations where people think girls get into cat fights, it happens less than one may think. Just the other day as I forgot to check up on my own virtual boyfriend in the game he calls me up and says we should just be friends; I think I had been offline for 10 hours to sleep, and then BAM I’m single again. The worst part of this situation was that when he called to give the heart wrenching news, I had the option to ‘charm’ him into giving me another chance. This set me off, but of course women have that charm to get what ever it is they want or need.

Lastly is the image that you character is supposed to uphold in the game. Being a female in the game is quite interesting to say the least. You are told to go on dates, further your career with photo shoots and best of all is how you are asked to dress. Looking through the catalog of things to buy, there aren’t too many options that cover you up well enough. Also for footwear, you better expect to wear heels at all time because there are no other options for you!

This game while it can be unbelievably entertaining deserves some thought from those that are playing it. Some of the perpetuating stereotypes are being engraved in your brain. If you don’t take a step back and see that they just aren’t correct it becomes habitual to see, in my case, this is how a woman is supposed to act, dress, and live her life. I could pick at a few more topics in this game but these three are important and deserve the attention. Make sure you realize what you’re doing. Take a step back and laugh at how silly some of these things really are.

A Feminist Critique on Grey’s Anatomy

The traditional portrayal of women in the media has been the subject of much study because of the repeated sexualization, subordination, and under representation of females in mass media. One of the most popular prime time medical dramas, Grey’s Anatomy, now in its ninth season, seems to surpass most of this wrath. Grey’s Anatomy features strong female characters with demanding individual and professional aspirations, which is a progressive portrayal of female characters. 

Shonda Rhimes is the creator and main writer, also known for the hit shows, Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder. Rhimes is known for breaking down norms and stereotypes in society and implementing an engaging and in depth story and plot w/out succumbing to our cultures ignorant ideologies. 

It's pretty clear that most of the central characters in Grey’s Anatomy are female. The question is whether or not these characters are representative of an attempt to honestly portray female characters outside of stereotypical roles. 

The characters who have children and would “normally” fall into the wife/mother category, are strong workers and the job of raising the kids are up to both the mom and the dad. The women in this show are so strong willed, they are leaving men left and right if they feel that they deserve better, no character is tied down to her husband as just the “wife”.

The men are shown just as often if not more than women as being the seductress. There is really no formula that makes it only one gender, only one race. This show makes it all sort of random and realistic.


It is rare for a huge drama program to cast more women than men, especially in a show featuring doctors (a career field still abundantly male). The greatest part is that the female’s in this show, are their as tools for medicine not just tools for men. “Grey’s Anatomy is a female-driven drama that allows its characters to make mistakes, attain success, be sexual, be emotional, and just generally be.” There are male characters, many in a leading position, but they are first introduced in relation to the female characters. This is somewhat different from the typical TV dynamic you see. Usually it is female characters that first are wives, mothers, and love interests before they are characters on their own. In Grey’s women dominate the screen with their successes and failures with the men just an accessory.






“It is okay to be a doctor. It is okay to be a mess. It is okay to be a doctor and a mess. It is okay to be a “basket case.” It is imperfect, it means that these characters have complexity, and it means that women are allowed to be whiny, spineless, and selfish. It means that isn’t all we have to be either. More than what media expects us to be, what the audience expects us to be, and what both are comfortable with women generally being. We are complex, human beings, and Grey’s Anatomy not only recognizes this, but shows us.

Common stereotypes for men are also being torn down in this t.v. drama. Each guy character has had their melt down with tears and their “punch a wall moment”, and the women are the same.

This work actually criticizes the patriarchal structure of society. There is only one character that I can think of that reflects it and that is Dr.Shepard, the main character’s wife. However, the wife sees this and is breaking free, possibly getting a divorce (we haven’t gotten there yet). And the husband doesn’t necessarily realize or see that he is in fact being patriarchal.




I would say that, Shonda Rhimes is one of the leaders of this “broader trend” of breaking down stereotypical gender norms and race norms frequently scene on T.V. Her in the particular show Grey’s Anatomy, tears down the stereotypical identities and ideologies in our society in such a way that as a viewer you escape the awfully judgemental and male dominated culture we live in, into a world where that doesn’t even cross your mind.




The "sensitive" side of men frequently portrayed in Grey's Anatomy

Feminist Critique

"Risky Business" is a movie that shows examples of not being feminist. Lana, the main women in this movie, is a prostitute and shows examples of being a seductress and a sex object. The stereotype she represent changes based on who she is with. While with Joel, Lana is a seductress, but while she is with Guido, her pimp, she is a sex object. Joel and Guido's characters are also examples on how this work is anti-feminist because they are both stereotypical men. The stereotype that they share the most is that men are entrepreneurs. Both of them look for quick ways to make a buck in the movie and use Lana to do it. "Risky Business" is a great example of a work being anti-feminist as it revolves around a women using her body for the pleasure of men.

The first time that Joel meets Lana she is shown as a seductress. She uses her abilities as a seductress to convince Joel she is harmless and could do no bad. When Joel wakes up Lana is gone and so is his mom valuable statue. Joel goes on a hunt to find Lana and when he does she once again seduces him to do her bidding. He ends up driving her away from her crazy pimp all at the hope that she would spend another night at his house. Lana is the perfect example of a seductress towards Joel because she uses her body to get Joel to trust her over and over again even after betraying the trust multiple times.

When Lana is with her pimp, Guido, she is no longer a seductress but a sex object. Her relationship with Guido is the complete opposite then her relationship with Joel. Guido has complete control over Lana and gives her instructions on everything she does. Even when she is with Joel, Guido is somehow in control of the situation. This is because Guido provides Lana with a place to live and money at the cost of her body. She goes out and get men to drool over her by being this beautiful women and then returns to Guido who will reward her by not beating her and giving her some of the money she just earned. Lana's relationship with Guido is just as good as an example of a women being a sex object as her relationship with Joel is one of her being a seductress.

One of the stereotypes of men that both Joel and Guido share are they are both entrepreneurs. When Joel wrecks his dads car he gets the idea of holding a giant prostitution open house for one night. He gets this idea from Lana who believes that it will make him more then enough money with all the horny teenage boys in the neighborhood. What Joel doesn't know is that this is really Guidos plan and he does not lend out his women unless he gets paid. Guidos newest entrepreneur opportunity is to get Joel to hold this open house, steal his belongings, then make him pay for the furniture with the money he had made the night before. The only difference in their plans is how the women are used. Joel uses the women as sex objects for his friends, while Guido uses the women as seductresses to trick Joel. The use of women in both their get rich quick schemes are great examples of how this work is anti-feminist.

Lana's work as a prostitute right away can get this movie placed in the category of being anti-feminist, but there is so much more to it. Such as how she uses her body for different men and how men see her in their eyes. "Risky Business" is a work of anti-feminism that follows all the stereotypes of the separate sphere ideology.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia is a comedy show on FX.  This show is very funny but also has the potential to offend many people in a lot of different ways.  It is about a group of people who  own a bar called Paddy's Pub.  They call themselves the gang and pretty much don't have any other friends except for themselves.  This is mainly because of the kinds of people that they are.  Each member of the gang shows varying degrees of narcissism, selfishness, laziness, lack of empathy towards others, dishonesty's, and greed.  This is probably why these people do not have any friends except for each other, because they are all equally evil.  All of them will easily dump any of the others for their own profit and personal gain.  In the episode "The D.E.N.N.I.S. System" one of the main characters, Dennis, shares with the others how he manages to sleep with so many  women.  He tells them that he does this by basically manipulating these women into thinking he is of value to them, sleeping with them, them never talking to them again.  This episode shines some light on to the anti-feminist nature of the show.

The best way to aid in the understanding of how this show undermines women is to explain the D.E.N.N.I.S System.  First Dennis starts by Demonstrating value.  To do this he makes sure that the woman sees his as something that she needs or has something that she needs in order to develop a conversation with her.  Then he proceeds to Engage Physically.  This leads him to ask her on a date but doesn't  spend too much on her because he is such a cheap guy.  Next he Nurtures Dependence by calling as an angry neighbor and making her feel like she needs him.  Then he Neglects Emotionally by continuing to prank call her but is not responding when she calls.  Nearing the end of the system, he Inspires Hope by showing up by her window and sleeping with her and letting her know that he is still there for her.  Finally he Separates Entirely.  In this final stage he leaves her, won't answer her calls, and avoids her at any and all costs.

This shows how anti-feminist the show is portrayed.  In this episode all that he is doing is objectifying the women that he is manipulating.  Dennis has used this system many times during the show and it always seems to work.  The fact that the men in this show are actually getting away with something like this is just so crazy.  How did we even let them show something like this on TV?  One of the things that I noticed while I was watching this episode was that I actually found this pretty funny.  I guess I just didn't understand how anti-feminist this show really was until I looked at it with a new critical lens.

Lack of Progressivism in Sons of Anarchy

In the Show “Sons of Anarchy”, shown on FX, a motorcycle gang called the Sons of Anarchy (Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original) or SAMCRO, rule the streets of a fictional town called Charming, just outside of Oakland California. Like in most societies, there is a hierarchy of men in the club from President, Sgt. at Arms, which is the president's right hand man, and then the vice-president. The higher up in the structure you get the more power and respect people will show you. This is not however, exclusive to the men associated with the club. The women who are associated with the club have their own hierarchy ranging from the old lady (wife of a member), to the crow eater (club groupies). With each level, women are given more prominent responsibilities but one fact remains the same for all women that are part of the club. When you join the club, you are here to please the members and do anything to help or protect the club. In the club, patriarchal views of a male dominate biker gang that objectify women as sex objects and use them for the clubs enjoyment and dirty work represent a non-progressive attitude towards women.

When a member of the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club gets married, his wife, now old lady becomes not only a part of his family, but of the clubs family. Old ladies are expected to serve the clubs needs whether it comes to cooking, cleaning or other jobs. This plays right into the housewife stereotype because the old lady loses her sense of independence and freedom and now functions only as helper to the club, and as pleasure to her man. The life of an old lady is also a life that provides little fulfillment to her. Every man in the club is in danger at all times and the men sacrifice most of their family time to do various duties for the club. The men often cheat on their wives and abuse them but the old lady is supposed to put up with that try her best to make the man happy. This completely degrades the women in the show and proves that in a male dominated society, women still struggle to find a voice.

Although the life of an old lady is one of sacrifice and submissiveness, the life of a “mama” and a “crow eater” are ones of complete subjections. The roles of these two people are simple; provide the men with a good time by any means necessary. These women are around to simply be sex objects and their agency is completely taken away. In one occurrence, Jax, the main character of the show, needs two dead bodies from a morgue to stage a fake murder but the man who works there will only do it if he gets to sleep with one of the mamas of the club. Jax approaches the girl and doesn't ask her to do this act; he tells her she needs to. She does it only under the condition that she gets to have sex with Jax. The way the show, uses women as pawns in a grander scheme dictated by men, show the lack of a culture are equality that people have worked so hard to get.

In Sons Of Anarchy, not only are the women put into a box of typical stereotypes such as the housewife, sex object, and seductress, the men are also portrayed as pimps and thugs. Men and women are both shown in ways that display a male’s lens of the world that are outdated and make both genders look bad. the fact the this show is based on real life biker gangs in America show that for all the progress that has been made, certain parts of society still lag behind in a progressive movement that tries to break gender stereotypes. Sons of Anarchy is one of my favorite shows that I have ever watched, but the way men and women are portrayed in this show represent how far society still has to go to reach gender equality.

Sex, New York City, and Feminism

(Contains some spoilers)

Sex and the City takes place in 90s New York City, through the eyes of four best friends: Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha. Each woman starts out the show single and holding different values about relationships and sex. These differing opinions, though, are what make their friends group and the overall show so provocative and entertaining. Carrie, the main character, writes a column called ‘Sex and the City’ for the local paper and uses her friends and own experiences for research. The show is no stranger at challenging gender roles and stereotypes, considering that a lot of the show is the girls questioning what they can or can’t do or man problems. But just because the focus is a lot on men does not mean the show isn’t feminist- quite the contrary actually. This is due to how each of the four girls has such vastly different views and lifestyles, while all still being independent and leading successful lives with or without a man. Their differing outlooks in turn influence the choices they make throughout the show (sex, relationships, marriage, children, jobs).

One quote (said by Samantha to Carrie) from the pilot episode nicely sums up the reason I think this show contains feminist values: “Sweetheart, this is the first time in the history of Manhattan that women have had as much money and power as men plus the equal luxury of treating men like sex objects.” What she is saying, though crude, technically follows the definition of feminism, which is equal rights for both men and women. If men can get away with treating women like sex objects, what’s stopping women from safely being able to do the same?

This show does a great job at representing how “women over thirty” think, connecting it back to our overall society. The four friends are constantly questioning themselves and their relationships. For example, in the pilot episode, Samantha declares that she wants to start having sex like a man. Her bold statement causes Charlotte, the most innocent and classy one of the group, to be taken aback. Throughout the show you learn that Charlotte believes in a very traditional relationship, where the wife is domestic and the husband is the breadwinner. Samantha, instead, embraces her sexuality and fits into the seductress stereotype (and embraces it!). With her plan to have sex like a guy, she figures she will be able to be non-committal and just have fun. She does just that and exerts her female power throughout most of the show. “Samantha Jones was a NY inspiration. A PR Executive; she routinely slept with good looking guys in their twenties.” (A quote from the pilot.)

Later, Miranda becomes pregnant by a guy she’s very on-off about. She completely defies the stereotype that women cannot be both successful at work and mothers (especially while not married). While most of the time Miranda is preoccupied as a high power lawyer and taking care of her son Brady, there are times when she’s insecure about her singleness (especially compared to her friends). This is touching at the old maid stereotype, though she has a kid. Why is the idea that only when we’re married will we live a happy life forced into our heads? Can’t we be happy on our own?

Going back to Samantha’s sexual declaration, she got Carrie to try it out too. So, Carrie found one of her exes and simply had a non-committal fling. After it’s over, she starts for home and her voice-over says, “As I began to get dressed, I realized that I’d done it. I’d just had sex like a man. I left feeling powerful, potent and incredibly alive. I felt like I owned this city. Nothing and no-one could get in my way.” Later when Carrie runs into the man again, he turned out to be pleased by her wanting to only have sex and not worry about commitment. So Carrie feels conflicted, because even though the non-committal relationship was in fact her decision, she no longer felt in-control. Her scenario reinforces the player stereotype for a guy, because the scene is showing the double standard for men and women when it comes to sex.

Overall I consider Sex and The City to be a feminist piece of work. Throughout its six seasons and two follow-up movies, the show presents an abundance of scenarios and stories to work with in order to pick out stereotypes and gender roles that both women and men have to face. I also think that Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda all have a good amount of autonomy within their lives. I totally suggest watching the show to see for yourself!