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Beyond Belief

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Beyond Belief How to start the analysis process…. Step One: Figure out the meaning of the song. Step Two: View the lyrics through the TEXTUAL LENS: LIDS(S), and pull out any literary devises you can find. Step Three: Look at those devises and come to a conclusion about what the author is saying. This is NOT a summary! Is there a theme? Is there a universal meaning? Draft a thesis. Step Four: Decide which other lens would be most helpful in understanding your song—Topical or Cultural? (Do not use Social Lens) Step Six: Find your evidence to support the other lens. Step Seven: Create your final thesis… Get started! (NOTE: For the presentation, you are expected to include commentary on the musical accompaniment and its purpose or connection to the lyrics.) STEP ONE: This song is about a guy who is unhappy with his life. He thought he would be happy when he had it “all,” but he feels empty. HELP for STEP TWO: Using the TEXTUAL Lens: We use the textual lens to focus on the author’s choices of words and structure to come to conclusions about the tone, mood, or theme the author is trying to convey. LIDS(S) is a way to break that lens down into smaller pieces. LIDS(S) Reminders: Language is an “umbrella”– given the literary elements used, is the piece formal, or informal? Does it use colloquial (regional) language, slang, jargon? And, do those choices create a specific force or quality of images and details? Imagery is pictures that are developed through descriptive language. It may include appeals to the five senses AND the use of metaphors and similes. (Imagery can also be created through allusions and alliteration and other literary devises) Using the TEXTUAL Lens LIDS(S) Continued Diction is word choice. What are the words the author chooses and how does that affect the tone (the author’s attitude), meaning, or impact of the piece? Syntax is sentence structure. Are there complete sentences? Are there short phrases? Are certain phrases or sentences set off by punctuation or rhyme? How does this impact the author’s message or tone? How does it impact the interpretation or the reader/listener? The other “S” is for Symbol. A symbol is an object that stand for a greater idea or meaning. Does the author use any object to stand for a theme he or she may be trying to convey? Does the author use an object to represent a feeling or experience the characters are going through? Overall, we use the textual lens to focus on the author’s choices of words and structure to come to conclusions about the tone, mood, or theme the author is trying to convey. LIDS(S) is a way to break that lens down into smaller pieces. STEP TWO: Textual Lens: LIDS(S) Imagery: History repeats the old conceits “Crocodile tears and pocket full The glib replies the same defeats Keep your finger on important issues of tissues” “nervous tick,” “gin With crocodile tears and a pocketful of tissues palace” “fashionable hovel” Im just the oily slick “bone orchard” “battle with the On the windup world of the nervous tick In a very fashionable hovel bottle” “oily slick” I hang around dying to be tortured “dog fight like rose and thistle” (a Youll never be alone in the bone orchard simile) This battle with the bottle is nothing so novel What picture do these build? So in this almost empty gin palace Through a two-way looking glass Allusions: california’s fault, You see your alice geneva’s vault, canals of mars , You know she has no sense great barrier reef, ” two way For all your jealousy In a sense she still smiles very sweetly looking glass, you see you alice” Charged with insults and flattery “hope in Hades” Her body moves with malice What purpose do theses have? Do you have to be so cruel to be callous Diction: And now you find you fit this identikit completely You say you have no secrets Alliteration: “wind up world” And then leave discreetly “moves with malice” “cruel to be I might make it californias fault callous” still smiles very sweetly” Be locked in genevas deepest vault Just like the canals of mars and the great barrier reef “clammy and cunning,”” suitably I come to you beyond belief stunning,” “hope in Hades” My hands were clammy and cunning How does alliteration affect lyric? Shes been suitably stunning But I know theres not a hope in hades Listener? All the laddies cat call and wolf whistle So-called gentlemen and ladies Dog fight like rose and thistle Ive got a feeling Im going to get a lot of grief STEP THREE: THESIS (the “assertion”) In the song “Beyond Belief,” Elvis Costello uses imagery and allusion to characterize the narrator as one who mistakenly thought he “had it all,” and as he comes to this realization, the listener senses his surprise, despair, and disgust with himself. Note: the thesis or assertion must be provable and supported by textual evidence. HELP for developing my thesis idea: Characterization is… How a character looks How a character feels/thinks How a character acts/speaks How other characters relate to that character And after considering that information… What does the author want us to conclude about that character? HELP cont.: I took the imagery and allusions in “Beyond Belief” and put them into categories of characterization…. How a character looks “oliy slick” How a character feels/thinks “the same defeats” “wind up world of the nervous tick” “never be alone in the bone orchard” “not a hope in Hades” “I might make it californias fault Be locked in genevas deepest vault Just like the canals of mars and the great barrier reef I come to you beyond belief” “I’ve got a feeling I’m going to get a lot of grief Once this seemed so appealing Now I am beyond belief” How a character acts/speaks “the old conceits” “finger on important issues “glib replies” “battle with the bottle” “gin palace” “Crocodile tears and pocket full of tissues” “fashionable hovel” “My hands were clammy and cunning” How other characters relate to that character “Charged with insults and flattery” “moves with malice” “cruel to be callous” “still smiles very sweetly” “clammy and cunning,” “suitably stunning,” “dog fight like rose and thistle” Note: With the alliteration, you could also refer to “Diction” STEP FOUR: Cultural Lens (References to race/gender/ethnicity/age/religion/power structure) In this song, the main character in his pursuit to “have it all” is entangle with someone who does not make him happy. He shows his sexism toward the female character in these lines. You know she has no sense For all your jealousy In a sense she still smiles very sweetly” “Charged with insults and flattery Her body moves with malice Do you have to be so cruel to be callous” “She’s been suitably stunning But I know there’s not a hope in Hades All the laddies cat call and wolf whistle So-called gentlemen and ladies Dog fight like rose and thistle” STEP FOUR: Topical Lens (Using outside knowledge or research to help in understanding the work) The allusions in the stanza, I might make it californias fault Be locked in genevas deepest vault Just like the canals of mars and the great barrier reef I come to you beyond belief are all researchable. How might they relate to his situation? Why were they included? How does it relate to the narrator’s character development? Also, the literary allusion to Alice in Wonderland is significant. Why is it used? How does it relate to the characterization of the narrator? FINALLY… After pulling all of these ideas out of my song, I would organize them into clear, succinct slides with appropriate images. I would close my presentation with a restatement of the thesis. Final Reminders: • Make sure to have a solid thesis and tie every idea back to it. • Make sure to identify correctly all literary devises and tie them to a purpose and meaning. • Make sure to not put too much on each slide. Break it up. • Make sure to spend time on your analysis– this is not just about making a visual aid to match the song! • Make sure to comment on the contribution the music makes. .
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