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?