Johanna's Song Analysis 2

“Wake up” by Rage Against the Machine

''' Why did I choose this song? '''

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 I choose this song because Rage against the machine has a lot of songs that represent a protest and this one was one of many that cached my attention because the song “Wake Up” is all based on protests about how everyone from Malcolm X to Martin Luther king Jr. was being silenced for speaking out against the government’s injustices. Basically the song is talking about the Black rights movement during the 60s and how the government as taking control or had plenty of things to do with the black rights movement. I also chose this song because the song quotes many sayings of many famous people in history. For example, he quotes “How long? Not long. ‘Cause what you reap is what you sow” by Martin Luther King Jr. The singer mentions plenty of quotes by many people especially famous ones who changed history.

''' SOAPstones and amendments addressed or violated? '''

        The speaker of the song was Zack De La Rocha a famous singer. The occasion was to go against the American government because the lyrics point out the fact that there was racism within the American government and how they were targeting African American figures. The audience was the whole world because many people from all over the world were involved in the black rights movement. The purpose of the song was to talk about the U.S. governments countering of the Black Nationalist movement and how the world should “wake up” from the schemes of the government. The subject of the song was the Black Nationalist movement. The tone of the song was strong, serious, and upsetting. The amendment that was violated was the 1st amendment because the songs background mentions how the government was silencing everyone who wanted to get their own rights or in other words freedom. The 1st amendment says that “Congress shall not make no respecting an establishment or religion, or prohibit the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for redress of grievances.”

 Literary analysis  


 * The types of appeals used were pathos because they (the band members and the lead singer Zack De La Rocha) put a lot of emotions to the song when they would perform it live in concerts. For, example Zack  De La Rocha would get really worked up on stage and he would get really emotional that he would start screaming the lyrics out with anger. Another literary term used was sound devices because he used an allusion. An allusion is a reference to a literary or historic person, place, or thing. In this song they use actual names of real historic people like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1T8xgHdMEM

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