Blowin' in the Wind

 

Summary and Appreciation of  Blowin' in the wind

How many roads must a man walk down

Before you call him a man?

One of the most famous quotes and mysterious lyrics of all time gives the start to this song. There have been many interpretations of this verse and there‘s no wrong one. The simplest interpretation would be that the artist is questioning about the life experiences of a person-how many of it does take for someone to be considered grown up. Other interpretations include references to civil right marches that were popular in the 60‘s. How many of these walks would it take to win what they naturally have a right to?

How many seas must a white dove sail

Before she sleeps in the sand?

A white dove is the universal symbol of peace, unity and harmony-or at least in the Earth. Bob Dylan asks how many of these white doves must sail before world peace is achieved? White doves are released in ceremonies commemorating peace, and the day that no white doves must fly is the day that everybody is in peace.

Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly

Before they’re forever banned?

A direct reference to war is seen here. Cannonballs were a popular, destructive tool of war during medieval wars. Why would they be banned? The day there is no use for a tool of war would be the day cannonballs would be banned. And in such a day, we can expect peace.

The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind

The answer is blowing in the wind

Is there no answer to world peace? Yes, there is. Where is it? They are blowing in the wind. The answers are out there for anyone who is willing to grab them. The real problem is that no one is willing or capable of grabbing those answers.

Verse 2

Yes, How many years can a mountain exist

Before it is washed to the sea?

        A mountain represents something solid and strong. This is a reference to life. How long can someone with pride and glory exist before it all fades away? There‘s nothing certain in this world and as great mountains someday wash down to the earth, people with greatness and hold it over them will crumble down as well.

Yes, and how many years can some people exist

Before they’re allowed to be free?

Bob Dylan captured the African American mistreatment in Blowin In The Wind with the above lines. He asks the question, when will these people be free? Exist‘ is a powerful word here. Dylan subtly says that these African Americans are so deprived of their rights that they merely exist not living.

Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head

And pretend that he just doesn’t see?

The greatest sin a person can do is seeing some wrong doing and turning his head the other way. How long can we go on without addressing these issues that are before our hands? How long can we turn a blind eye?

The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind

The answer is blowing in the wind

Again, all the answers are just out there, waiting for someone to grab them.

Third and last verse of “Blowin‟ In The Wind”

Yes, How many times must a man look up

Before he can see the sky?

Sky is freedom. The artist believed in freedom and equal opportunity for all. How long do people have to fight and bleed for this freedom? Why isn’t there a simple solution? Why can’t everyone be happy together?

Yes, and how many ears must one man have

Before he can hear people cry?

The cries of war and cries of freedom are left unheard, but for how long? Aren’t two ears enough to hear this pain? How can people turn a blind eye to all this outcries?

Yes, and how many deaths will it take till he knows

That too many people have died?

War is just futile-should there be one death or a thousand. There are countless wars where people were sent into slaughter in the name of Lords and Kings and Gods. But none of that have mattered to glorified generals. When would they realize that too many mothers, fathers, husbands and wives and children have died for no cause?

The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind

The answer is blowing in the wind

        And the answer to all these questions there are in the wind. They move, they change, but the answers are there. It‘s only a matter of trying to pick them up.

Blowin in the wind is Bob Dylan’s first single of his second studio album “TheFreeWheelin”. It was one of his earliest songs related to the American Civil Right Movement in 1960’s. And this song was released in 1963 and played in the movie ‘Forrest Gump’ by a character named Jenny. Dylan was more than just a singer or song writer he was a visionary and a humanitarian.

Central idea of the song:

There have been many interpretations of this verse. The theme of the song is world peace,freedom and war. Dylan was totally against the act of violence of the government. And this song exposes all types of injustices which go unnoticed just like the wind. The answers of those problems are in front of us. Many of these problems are unnecessary and do not benefit to mankind in any way. The song is both inspirational and optimistic with its messages of peace and freedom.

Structure of the song:

The song has lyrical quality. That expresses one’s feeling towards a certain subject. The rhythm of the song is just like the wind itself. To some, it can be very calm yet powerful. Every second line of the poem follows a rhyme pattern. ABCBDB is the rhyme scheme pattern used in this song. Each word has no more than 2 syllables. There is no specific meter.

Poetic Devices used in this song:

·         Rhetorical Questions - series of rhetorical questions are used throughout the song. (Question that you ask, without expecting an answer).

·         Alliterations– it refers to the repetition of an initial consonant sound, at least three times in a sentence.

·         Anaphora – it refers to a repetition of one particular word purposely, at the start of consecutive sentences or paragraphs. This is again in order to emphasize a point.

·         Metaphor– an implied comparison between two unlike things that actually havesomething important in common (as if two things were one.)

·         Refrain– same lines are repeated in the same song / poem.

·         Assonance– repetition of two different vowel sounds.

·         Visual imagery(to see) – how many ears must…

·         Auditory imagery(to hear) - before he can hear people cry?

My Sister's Shoes

 

MY SISTER‘S SHOES

 

1.    Review of the Film

‘Children of Heaven’ is a 1997 Iranian family drama film written and directed by Majid Majidi. “My Sister’s Shoes” is an extract from the screen play of the film. It narrates the story of Ali and his sister, Zahra who belong to a poverty-stricken family and their adventures over a lost pair of shoes. The film starts with Ali collecting his sister Zahra's pink shoes after a cobbler has repaired them. He keeps them outside a vegetable shop and goes inside to buy some potatoes. While he is in the shop, a junk collector picks up the shoes, thinking it as garbage and takes it away. Frantic to find them, the young boy upsets the vegetables boxes and is chased away by the shopkeeper. Ali's family suffers from severe financial crisis. So he fears to tell his parents about the incident. Ali's mother is ill and confined to bed. Ali tells Zahra about the shoes and begs her not to tell mother; she agrees. That night, Ali's father scolds him for not helping his ill mother. While doing their homework, the children pass notes to each other discussing what to do.

The film is so dramatic and tells a true story of a family. The scenes in the film depict the hardships, poverty and the innocence of the children. Even the shoes is a representative of the family‘s poor condition. In the film, life in Teheran is sketched beautifully. The family‘s carefully detailed poverty, which reflects the filmmaker‘s own childhood experience, adds colour to every event in the story

2.     Imagine that Ali happened to see the junk collector the next day. They had a conversation about the shoes. Prepare a likely one.

Ali: HI! Uncle

Junk collector: Hi! Ali.

Ali: Did you get a pair of shoes from Akbar Aqa's shop while picking up junks yesterday?

Junk collector: A pair of shoes?

Ali: Yes, I had kept a bag of shoes in the small gap between two boxes before I entered the shop.

Junk collector: Sorry Ali. I might have taken them for junk.

Ali: Ho! Uncle. Will you please help me to get them back?

Junk collector: Yes, I will try. What colour are they?

Ali: Pink.

Junk collector: I will search for them and return it, If I get.

Ali: Thank you, Uncle.

Junk collector: You are welcome.

3.     A man in the nearby shop informed Ali that the junk collector who is living in the nearby village has taken away his sister’s shoes. Ali decides to write a letter to the junk collector. What would he write? Prepare the likely letter.

 

Tehran

10/08/2002

Dear Uncle;

I am Ali. I write this letter to ask you whether you have got a pair of shoes from Akbar Aqa's shop. Yesterday, I had kept a bag of shoes in the small gap between two boxes before I entered the shop to buy potatoes. When I came out from the shop I realised that you had taken them away. A man in the nearby shop also told me that you had taken away my sister’s shoes. I think you took them for junk. As you know, I belong to a very poor family. My father won't be able to buy a new pair of shoes. If he comes to know that I have missed the shoes,he will beat me. I would be grateful,if you could return the shoes.

With love,

Ali

                                                                                                                                                S/d

 

4.     How will I go to school tomorrow without shoes?’ This was the thought that lingered in the mind of Zahra in the screenplay ‘My Sister’s Shoes’. What may be her diary entry of the day? Write it.

 

10. PM                                                                                                                                               20/08/2002

                                                                                                                                                             Monday                  

Today I am very sad. Ali has missed my shoes. Oh God, what shall I do? How will I go to school tomorrow without shoes? The teacher will punish me, if I don't wear shoes. If I tell to my father, he will beat Ali. Poor Ali! He is also very sad. He has missed the shoes accidentally. Ali has said that I can wear his sneakers. There is no other way I may have to wear them and go to school tomorrow.

 

5.    Imagine Ali narrates the whole incident to his friend. Prepare the narrative 

Yesterday I went to the cobbler to get my sister’s shoes repaired. It was so worn out that she could not wear it. The cobbler stitched it and put it in a black bag and gave it to me. While I returning to my home I entered to Akbar Aqa’s vegetable shop to buy some potatoes. When I was picking potatoes a junk collector came there and who collected all the junks scattered over the floor. I didn’t notice. When I came out I felt the shoes are missing. I was so worried. It was the only shoes she had. I felt afraid to tell my parents. When I reached home, my sister asked about the shoes. I told her that they were missing. She was so sad. While we were studying she wrote about it in her notebook and passed to me. We were afraid to discuss it loudly. So we exchanged our notebooks. I told her that I would give her my shoes. She agreed to wear it when I returned.

 

6.    Ali’s Diary

 

10. PM                                                                                                                                             25/08/2002

                                                                                                                                                            Monday

Today I am very sad. What should I do now? My sister's shoes are missing. I have been purchasing Potatoes from Akbar Aqa’s shop.  I had put it between two boxes in the vegetable shop. Who might have taken it? My sister will be so worried. Will father beat me? He has little money to buy new shoes for her. How can she go to school without shoes? Oh God. It is my entire mistake. I should have been more careful. Tomorrow I shall go to the shop once again and search. I decided to give my shoes to her. So she doesn’t miss her class on tomorrow.

7.    Conversation between Ali and Zahra

Zahra: Ali, have you returned? Why are you looking sad?

Ali:Sorry  Zahra.I lost your shoes.

Zahra: Lost it, but how?

Ali: I placed it between two boxes in the vegetable shop while I was picking potatoes.

Zahra:I can’t believe it. You might have forgotten it somewhere

Ali:Oh no Zahra. Believe me.

Zahra: How can I go to school without shoes? It is very cold outside

Ali: I am sorry. I searched it everywhere, but it is missing

Zahra: I shall tell to father about your carelessness.

Ali: Please don’t do it. He will beat me.

Zahra: Then tell me what to do?

Ali:I shall give my shoes to you

Zahra: ok I shall wear it when you come back from school.