Song Analysis Essay
Your task is to relate a song of your choosing to a theme or character in Catcher in the Rye.
You will do this by analyzing the lyrics of that song and telling the reader how each line or
group of lines represents the book and what literary devices are used by the artist that
conveys this meaning.
First Paragraph
A brief introduction telling about the song including the name, genre, and artist’s name.
Include an engaging hook, title of our text, the theme or character you relate the lyrics with
and thesis statement.
Body Paragraphs
The body of the paper includes specific lyric lines and specific quotes from the book that
supports how the lyrics relate to the theme or character you chose. Tell us what literary
devices the artists uses and what meaning they convey. This means you are NOT writing a
summary of the song. Instead your are writing specifically about the lyrics and how those
lyrics support the song’s message and how that message relates to the theme or character
in our book, The Catcher in the Rye.
Last Paragraph
Your last paragraph is your conclusion where you restated thesis and include a summary of
main points found in your analysis.
Requirements:
● Heading with name, hr, and date
● Title
● Typed, 1.5­ or double­spaced, in a legible, 10­ or 12­ point font.
● 1”­1.5” margins all around
● Minimum of 3 pages
● Introduction, transitions, body paragraphs, conclusion
● Evidence in the form of lyric lines and quotes from the book
● Proper parenthetical citations
Literary Techniques to look for within lyrics and should be discussed in
paper (Not all will apply to your song) :
Personification (What is being personified or what non­human things are given
human characteristics?)
● ex: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Gzk­8J­Y4
Alliteration (What is the repeated sound? What is its effect?)
Metaphor/Simile (What is being compared? What does the comparison mean?)
● ex: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQL­wEe03hc
Imagery (To which of the 5 senses does the imagery appeal?)
● ex: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJHb9EUXjpo
Tone (What is it? Underline the lines that best convey tone.)
● ex: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T5_0AGdFic
Characterization (What does this reveal about the character’s personality? Not
nec. the same as author’s)
Allusion (What is the reference?)
Hyperbole (What is being exaggerated?)
● ex: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUzScx6_lWg
Need help with interpreting your song? Go to:
http://www.lyricinterpretations.com/
Analyzing the Lyrics
★ What is the main idea or message of the song? Identify its major themes.
★ What emotions are expressed?
★ What literary/poetic devices are used by the songwriter?
★ Are there any literary/historical/cultural allusions in the song?
★ How do these references contribute to the song’s meaning?
★ Does the song address any issues that are relevant to contemporary society.
How to Cite Song Lyrics
● When quoting song lyrics: Place the entirety of the lyrics inside of double quotation
marks. Do not use punctuation: "Here are the lyrics I am quoting".
○ Include the last name of the lyricist ­­ the individual who wrote the lyrics ­­ in
parentheses, if not stated in the sentence. Place a period after the closed
parentheses: "Here are the lyrics I am quoting" (Lyricist last name).
○ If you state the author’s name in the sentence then put the lines of the text in (
)
■ Example: In the last line of the song, King reveals to us, “Now my
tapestry is unraveling” (line 20)
○ If you quote two lines of the song in your text, separate the lines with a slash
mark (/) and enclose them with quotation marks.
■ Example: "Here are the lyrics I am quoting/ This is the next line of
lyrics" (Lyricist last name).
○ If you quote three or more lines of the song, begin the quoted material after a
colon, and separate the quoted material from your text by skipping a line,
indenting, and writing the material in the same form as the song in poetic
form. Start a new line rather than using a slash mark to separate lines. Line
numbers should be given to identify the quotation.
■ Example:
In the first stanza, Carole King tells of the richness of her life by
comparing it to a tapestry of many colors. She tells that her life is an
ongoing process of change, impossible of always staying the same:
My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue,
An everlasting vision of the everchanging view.
A wondrous woven magic in bits of blue and gold,
A tapestry to feel and see, impossible to hold. (lines 1­4)
Name___________________
Hr.________
Song Analysis Rubric
Beginning
1 pts
Introduction
Beginning
Introduction is missing
many of the following
requirements
-hook,
-name of songs,
-name of artist,
-a brief summary,
-thesis
(interpretation),
-key literary devices
used
Body Paragraph
Analysis of key elements
Conclusion
Developing
3 pts
Developing
Introduction contains
most of the
requirements:
-hook,
-name of songs,
-name of artists,
-a brief summary,
-thesis
(interpretation),
-key literary devices
used
Strong
6pts
Strong
Introduction contains
all requirements:
-an engaging hook,
-name of songs,
-name of artists,
-name of our text,
-thesis
(interpretation),
-key literary devices
used
Beginning
Developing
Strong
The essay does not
explain the literary
devices that have
been used by the
artist, or what the
devices gave to the
songs clearly. It is not
clear that the student
understands the
definitions of the these
literary devices in the
lyrics and is not able
to apply their
knowledge of the
devices to analysis of
the lyrics and text.
Does not relate song
lyrics to text as there
are no quotes from
the book.
The essay explains
with some
inconsistency, the
literary devices that
have been used by
the artist, or what the
devices gave to the
songs. It is fairly clear
that the student
understands the
definition of the
devices discussed and
is able to apply their
knowledge to the the
analysis of the lyrics
and the text. Makes
connections between
lyrics and text. Quotes
are used from the
book as evidence
The essay thoroughly
explains what the
elements or literary
devices of the song
are and how they
relate to a theme or
character in the text.
It is clear that the
student understands
the definition of the
literary elements
shown in the lyrics
and is able to apply
their knowledge in the
essay by making
connections between
lyrics and text. Quotes
are used from the
book as evidence
Beginning
Developing
Strong
Conclusion is missing
both of the
requirements:
-restated thesis
-summary of main
Conclusion contains
most of the required
elements:
-restated thesis
-summary of main
Conclusion contains all
required elements:
-Restated thesis
-summary of main
points
points
Style
points
Beginning
Shows basic
awareness of
audience, simplistic
word choice, some
variety of sentence
structure,
and limited use of
transitions
Conventions
Beginning
May have errors in
grammar, spelling,
mechanics, and other
conventions; these
errors may cause
some confusion
Citations
Beginning
Didn’t use proper
citations or may have
consistent errors in
citing lines incorrectly
by forgetting author,
line numbers, slashes,
and/or quotations
Developing
Shows awareness of
audience, control of
voice, some variety in
sentence structure
and word choice, and
some smooth
transitions
Developing
May have a few errors
in grammar, spelling,
mechanics, and other
conventions; these
errors do not cause
confusion
Developing
May have few errors
in citing lines
incorrectly by
forgetting author, line
numbers, slashes,
and/or quotations
Turning in with heading (name, hr, date) and title = 4 points
Total Points_____/40
Comments:
Strong
Shows strong
awareness of
audience,
control of voice,
variety in sentence
structure, precise
word choice, and
smooth transitions
Strong
Generally free from
errors in grammar,
spelling, mechanics,
and other conventions
of written English
Strong
Used proper citations
or has no errors in
citing lines correctly.
Included: author, line
numbers, slashes,
and/or quotations
I am a Rock By: Simon and Garfunkel
A winter's day
In a deep and dark December
I am alone
Gazing from my window
To the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow
I am a rock
I am an island
I've built walls
A fortress deep and mighty
That none may penetrate
I have no need for friendship
Friendship causes pain
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain.
I am a rock
I am an island
Don't talk of love
Well, I've heard the word before
It's sleeping in my memory
I won't disturb the slumber
Of feelings that have died
If I'd never loved,
I never would have cried
I am a rock
I am an island
I have my books
And my poetry to protect me
I am shielded in my armor
Hiding in my room
Safe within my womb
I touch no­one and no­one touches me
I am a rock
I am an island
And the rock feels no pain
And an island never cries
The Sound of Silence By: Simon and Garfunkel
Hello, darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision
That was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence
In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
Beneath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed
By the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share...
And no one dare
Disturb the sound of silence.
"Fools," said I, "you do not know
Silence like a cancer grows."
"Hear my words that I might teach you,
Take my arms that I might reach you."
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
And echoed in the wells of silence.
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made.
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming.
And the signs said: "The words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls,
And whisper'd in the sound of silence."
By: Simon and Garfunkel
Name
Hr
Date
Holden Caulfield: A Rock, an Island, or a Misinterpreted Boy?
Literature and music are very closely related. It is in songs that listeners hear beautiful
and poetic lyrics that relate and apply to their lives and the lives of others. “I am a Rock” is one
such song. The lyrics of the song “I am a Rock” by Paul Simon, in various ways apply to the
character Holden Caulfield in the novel The Catcher in the Rye.
The lyric, “If I never loved I never would have cried,” applies directly to Holden’s mental
breakdown. There are four times that Holden cries within the novel, the first time is with his
encounter with Maurice. The confrontation makes him “so damn mad and nervous,” that he
breaks down and cries (103). The second time is at the Wicker Bar after Carl Luce leaves and
after he calls Sally. These rejections make him “so damn depressed and lonesome,” and that
causes him to cry (153). The third time he cries is when he goes home to visit Phoebe. He starts
to cry and he claims that he “couldn’t help it” (179). The final time that he crisis when Phoebe is
on the carousel. This however is different; Holden cries because he feels” so damn happy”
(213). Every time that Holden cries represents a different stage of his mental breakdown, starting
with his anger and nervousness and ending with his happiness. The connection with the lyric
from the song is that Holden “never would have cried” or felt the way he did if he did not feel love.
Love for his brother Allie, for his sister Phoebe, and for his own life.
The lyric “Don’t talk of love/I’ve heard the word before/It’s sleeping in my memory,”
correlates with Holden’s inability to express himself and his emotions. This is apparent in the fact
that he passed all his English classes that had to do with writing or reading; things people can do
alone or in their mind. He flunked Oral Expression, where people have to convey and represent
their life and feelings out loud to others. Another way this concept is shown is when Holden is
talking to Mr. Antollini and begins to mention all the people that he hates. As he mentions these
people, for example Robert Ackley, or Stradlater, he states that he “sort of missed them” (187).
The final way Holden shows his incapacity of expressing feelings is the last lines of the novel,
“Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody” (214). Every one of
these references shows that Holden fears that if he expresses any on of this thoughts or
feelings, it will only bring him pain. Holden makes the conscious effort to bottle up his emotions
and that is one of the leading causes of his depression and breakdown.
The lyric “I am shielded in my armour,” relates directly to Holden’s red hunting hat. The
way in which Holden wears his hat is directly associated to the way he acts. When he wears his
hat with the peak to the front, he is his normal, nervous self, “I pulled the peak of my hunting hat
to the front all of a sudden for a change. I was getting sort of nervous all of a sudden. I’m quite a
nervous guy” (34). When Holden wear the peak of his hat in the back he becomes outspoken,
rebellious, and outgoing. This is the way he prefers to wear it, “I put it on, and turned the old peak
around to the back, the way I liked it” (45). The hat does more than deciding Holden’s personality;
it also shields him and gives him protection. The hat shields him from events he does not want
to endure, “I pulled the old peak of my hunting hat around to the front, then pulled it way down
over my eyes. That way I couldn’t see a goddam thing” (21). The hat gives him protection from
his life and the circumstances it creates, “My hunting hat really gave me quite a lot of protection”
(212­213). The hat directly relates to the lyric because it is Holden’s armour, giving him the
strength and refuge that he needs to survive.
The lyric “I have my books and my poetry to protect me,” identifies with Holden’s decoys
and possessions. Holden often uses decoys as a way to avoid and protect him. In one situation
Holden uses a book as a way not to talk to Ackley, “He kept standing there. What the hellya
reading?” “This sentence I’m reading is terrific” (21). Another example of Holden trying to make
excuses is at Mr. Antolini’s house. When Mr. Antolini tries talking to Holden about his problems,
Holden suddenly feels sick and tired. “I kept wishing though that he would continue the
conversation in the morning, instead of now,” I didn’t feel at all like discussing it…I still had this
awful headache,” these are examples of Holden’s tactic to avoid conversation (186­187).
Perhaps the most obvious way that Holden connects with this lyric is through the baseball mitt.
Allie’s baseball mitt with all the poems written on it is Holden’s prize possession, “The thing that
was very descriptive about it, though, was that he had poems written all over the fingers and the
pocket and everywhere” (38). He values this above all else in his life and only shows it to people
that he truly care about and feels accepted with, “She(Jane) was the only one outside my family
that I ever showed Allie’s baseball mitt to with all the poems written on it” (77). The baseball mitt
gives Holden protection by giving hope and letting him place his feelings of trust and acceptance
in an inanimate object.
The song “I am a Rock,” gives insight into the way Holden feels about himself. He views
himself as alone and beyond help. He sees himself as a rock with no emotions and an island
that cannot be reached by anyone. This song sheds an understanding light on Holden’s
self­perceptions and the way the reader interprets his thoughts and behaviors.