Elastic Heart Love in Metaphors Elastic Heart: Love in Metaphors

Our Essential Question • How does conflict and adversity bring out our nobility and duality?

Annotation (15 minutes) • Discuss the song lyrics with your group. Annotate them, seeking literary devices and examining connotation of powerful words. • When your time is up, we will discuss our findings as a class. Elastic Heart by Sia Furler – 8th Period, 3/5/2015 And another one bites the dust Oh why can I not conquer love • “Elastic” means stretchy and durable, referring to the quality of her “heart” And I might have thought that we were one • “conquer” means to take over by force or violence, and is often used in the Wanted to fight this war without weapons context of war. This makes love sound like battle. • When a couple become “one” it is in marriage or sex. So she thought they And I wanted it, I wanted it bad were in a deep, lasting relationship. Past tense “thought” means she’s wrong. But there were so many red flags • “weapons” are for hurting or killing. She is trying to “fight this war” (work out Now another one bites the dust her relationship) without hurting anyone. Yeah let's be clear, I'll trust no one • “I wanted it bad” she wanted love; “red flags” is a cliché meaning warnings, red is also the color of blood and love. You did not break me • “another one bites the dust” is an idiom that means someone failed/died. It I'm still fighting for peace is repetition here to reinforce that it’s happening again (“another”) AND to highlight her feelings of vulnerability, distress, and loss. I've got thick skin and an elastic heart • “trust no one” because she’s been hurt over and over But your blade it might be too sharp • “fighting for peace” is an oxymoron. She’s struggling to find peace. I'm like a rubberband until you pull too hard • “thick skin” she’s tough, “elastic heart” (see top) I may snap and I move fast • “your blade it might be too sharp” = that person may be too much for her • But you won't see me fall apart “I’m like a rubberband…” is a simile that shows she’s flexible and durable, but not unbreakable. She can snap, like a rubberband under too much pressue 'Cos I've got an elastic heart • “won’t close my eyes” she won’t trust anyone because she’s been hurt • “I know that I can survive” she knows because she’s been in this position, And I will stay up through the night before. “walk through fire to save my life” she will endure pain to live Let's be clear, won't close my eyes • “I want my life so bad” she’s focused on life now, love is gone And I know that I can survive • “another one bites the dust” more repetition to highlight loss/pain I'll walk through fire to save my life • “chosen one” a person who is special, the right one • Extended metaphor: she creates a picture of her love life as a battle, filled And I want it, I want my life so bad with pain and trying to avoid being hurt by her partner I'm doing everything I can Then another one bites the dust It's hard to lose a chosen one Elastic Heart by Sia Furler – 4th Period, 3/5/2015 And another one bites the dust Oh why can I not conquer love • “Elastic” Is stretchy, flexible, durable. Her heart is supposed to be like this. And I might have thought that we were one • “bites the dust” is an idiom that means someone died, left, or lost. “Another” Wanted to fight this war without weapons shows us this isn’t the first time. It’s happened more than once. • “conquer” is typically used to describe nations overcoming one another with And I wanted it, I wanted it bad violence. It is a strange word to pair with “love,” showing love as painful. But there were so many red flags • “thought that we were one” shows she believed they were together for good, Now another one bites the dust but it turns out she was wrong. Yeah let's be clear, I'll trust no one • Calls her relationship a “war” and wants to “fight” it without “weapons.” Weapons are used to hurt/kill/destroy, and she didn’t want that for her love. You did not break me • “I wanted it bad” shows she wants a relationship or love. I'm still fighting for peace • “red flags” means warnings. Red is the color of blood, danger, love. • “bites the dust” is repetition to show this keeps happening and to reinforce I've got thick skin and an elastic heart her feelings of pain, depression, loss. But your blade it might be too sharp • “I’ll trust no one” She’s been hurt too much to trust. I'm like a rubberband until you pull too hard • “fighting for peace” is an oxymoron. You don’t want to fight to fix a problem, I may snap and I move fast especially if you want peace or love. • But you won't see me fall apart “thick skin” means you are tough. “elastic heart” (see top line) • “But your blade it might be too sharp” His actions may still be enough to hurt. 'Cos I've got an elastic heart • “I’m like a rubberband…I may snap” This simile shows that she breaks under pressure/going past her limits like a rubberband. And I will stay up through the night • “won’t close my eyes” she is watching and waiting and won’t trust Let's be clear, won't close my eyes • “I know that I can survive” she’s done it before (“another one bites…”) And I know that I can survive • “I want my life so bad” she has had to give up on love to keep living I'll walk through fire to save my life • “bites the dust” repetition to reinforce loss, pain • A “chosen one” is special, important And I want it, I want my life so bad • Throughout the song, she is drawing comparisons between love/relationships I'm doing everything I can and war/fighting/pain. Then another one bites the dust It's hard to lose a chosen one Elastic Heart by Sia Furler – 2nd Period, 3/5/2015 And another one bites the dust Oh why can I not conquer love • “Elastic” is stretchy and flexible, and the “heart” is love And I might have thought that we were one • “another one bites the dust” is an example of idiom, another person is gone Wanted to fight this war without weapons or has lost. “Another” means this isn’t the first time. • “conquer” is to take over or control, and is usually used in discussion of war. And I wanted it, I wanted it bad That is a strange choice to make in words about love. But there were so many red flags • “might have thought that we were one” means she thought they were in a Now another one bites the dust solid relationship, but it didn’t work out. Yeah let's be clear, I'll trust no one • “fight this war” refers back to “conquer” as she is still describing the relationship as warfare. “without weapons” shows she doesn’t want to hurt You did not break me anyone, as that is what weapons are for. I'm still fighting for peace • “I wanted it bad” is saying she wanted love or a relationship • “red flags” is a warning, red is the color of blood, danger, warning, and love I've got thick skin and an elastic heart • “bites the dust” repetition to reinforce her feelings of loss (it happens again But your blade it might be too sharp and again). “I’ll trust no one,” shows how she is in pain and can’t trust I'm like a rubberband until you pull too hard • “fighting for peace” is an oxymoron. You don’t fight looking for peace. I may snap and I move fast • “thick skin” means she is tough. “elastic heart” (see top) • But you won't see me fall apart “your blade might be too sharp” that one person may be too much • “like a rubberband” she’s flexible (simile), but like a rubber band, if pulled too 'Cos I've got an elastic heart hard she breaks. • “stay up through the night” can’t rest, “won’t close my eyes,” means she can’t And I will stay up through the night trust anyone because she can’t stop watching Let's be clear, won't close my eyes • “know…I can survive” shows she’s done this before, so she knows she can do And I know that I can survive it again, she can go through the pain just to keep alive I'll walk through fire to save my life • “I want my life so bad,” she’s given up on wanting love, now only wants her life. “chosen one” is someone destined, special, perfect for you. And I want it, I want my life so bad • Through the song, she links the ideas of war and love. Love hurts. I'm doing everything I can Then another one bites the dust It's hard to lose a chosen one Elastic Heart by Sia Furler – 3rd Period, 3/5/2015 And another one bites the dust Oh why can I not conquer love • “Elastic” = flexible, stretching before breaking, “heart” = emotions (weakest) And I might have thought that we were one • “bites the dust” = (literary device), shows that someone is gone or lost, while Wanted to fight this war without weapons “another” tells us this isn’t the first time • “conquer” is associated with power and war, to take control/possession. And I wanted it, I wanted it bad • “thought that we were one” she thought they had a deep relationship and But there were so many red flags she was wrong. She calls the relationship a “war,” and says she wants to Now another one bites the dust “fight” it without “weapons” (not hurting anyone). Yeah let's be clear, I'll trust no one • “I wanted it” she wanted love, but “red flags” are warnings. Red is the color of blood, warnings, and love. You did not break me • Repetition of “bites the dust” to emphasize loss I'm still fighting for peace • “I’ll trust no one” shows she’s been hurt so many times she can’t trust • “fighting for peace” is an oxymoron, “not break me” shows she is in pain, but I've got thick skin and an elastic heart is not destroyed But your blade it might be too sharp • “thick skin” means being tough, see top for “elastic heart” I'm like a rubberband until you pull too hard • “blade…too sharp” she can take a lot, but this may be too much to handle I may snap and I move fast • “like a rubberband until you pull too hard” she is flexible until too much stress But you won't see me fall apart or pressure is on her, then she breaks and can’t function (simile) • “snap” is breaking/arguing, and “move fast” isn’t just a rubber band speeding 'Cos I've got an elastic heart by, but her moving on as fast as she can • “won’t close my eyes” shows she can’t trust, she’s still troubled And I will stay up through the night • “walk through fire to save my life” she will endure the pain to live on Let's be clear, won't close my eyes • “I want my life so bad” she no longer wants love, she’s given up And I know that I can survive • “bites the dust” more repetition to emphasize loss I'll walk through fire to save my life • “chosen one” the only one who can do something. Someone special. • She consistently compares love/relationships to war and battle. We do not And I want it, I want my life so bad traditionally associate these things with each other. She used this extended I'm doing everything I can metaphor to show how painful her experiences are in love. Then another one bites the dust • She isn’t broken, but not okay. It's hard to lose a chosen one Elastic Heart by Sia Furler - 1st Period, 3/5/2015 And another one bites the dust Oh why can I not conquer love • “Elastic” stretches before breaking, and the heart is the seat of emotion And I might have thought that we were one • “bites the dust” = idiom (no one’s biting dust), but someone died or lost Wanted to fight this war without weapons • “Another” shows this is not the first time, either. • “conquer” means to defeat or control. It is usually associated with war or And I wanted it, I wanted it bad death, not love. But there were so many red flags • “thought that we were one” = she thought they were in love, was wrong (past Now another one bites the dust tense implies it is over) Yeah let's be clear, I'll trust no one • “fight this war” refers back to conquering, again tying the idea of love to a battle. “without weapons” = weapons are used to harm, she didn’t want that. You did not break me • “red flags” = warnings. Red is the color of warning, blood, and love. I'm still fighting for peace • Repeats “bites the dust” to reinforce the idea of loss. • “I’ll trust no one” shows that she is hurting and afraid of more loss I've got thick skin and an elastic heart • “did not break me” = hurt but not destroyed, and “I’m still fighting for peace” But your blade it might be too sharp is an oxymoron, tying war and love together again. I'm like a rubberband until you pull too hard • “thick skin” means being tough, but “your blade might be too sharp” shows I may snap and I move fast that the one she loves may still hurt her deeply. • But you won't see me fall apart “until you pull too hard” = rubber bands snap under too much pressure and stress, just like people. It happens quickly, just as she says. 'Cos I've got an elastic heart • “won’t close my eyes” shows that she is untrusting, can’t relax • “walk through fire to save my life” shows she is willing to endure pain to And I will stay up through the night move on with her life. Let's be clear, won't close my eyes • “I want my LIFE so bad” changes the object of her desire to life, because the And I know that I can survive love she wanted is killing her (literally or metaphorically) I'll walk through fire to save my life • Repeats “bites the dust” again to reinforce loss • “chosen one” implies being special, only one, can’t be replaced And I want it, I want my life so bad I'm doing everything I can Then another one bites the dust It's hard to lose a chosen one