so recently for my AP English class we were given a assignment where we had to do a Rhetorical analysis of a song. I chose Black Swan because I love that song so much. Once again, this is my review & I understand others may have their interpretations but this is mine. here are the answers to the questions I was given: my Rhetorical analysis for Black Swan
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Everything you know about the speaker & how you learned it:
I know that the speaker is having a moment/crisis in which the music/art they cherished can no longer move them- causing their "first death".
Everything you know about the artist & how you learned it:
I'm not sure but I assume the audience is others who are also at a loss for their passion and relate to the silent battle of trying to reignite it.
What's the speaker's message? Prove it with evidence:
The message is one of an artist going through their "first death" which they've "been always afraid of" & how they're trying to "cry out a silent cry" in a attempt to restore their passion & "in the deepest depths, I saw myself"- rediscovering themselves and trying to fight this death ("I shout out with ferocity").
What do you suppose the purpose of this song is?:
The purpose of this song is to convey the deep & sometimes heavy relationship an artist may have with their craft.
Is there another possible purpose that this song might serve?:
The song also serves the purpose of showing the feelings that can go through an artist when they loose their passion, that being the death they've "been always afraid of".
Is this song effective in achieving either purpose?:
This song is effective due to the instrumental not being full of sound but rather calm & leaving a sense of longing. the music video itself has refined visuals- the artists switching from Black suits to white suits & the choreography itself being a whole deal. The moves are powerful but they're executed with an elegant and flowing look to them. The filming location (Los Angeles Theater) itself also adds a grand sense to it but a feeling of loneliness and isolation follow. The lighting for this music video is dark & somber- often showing the artists enveloped in the darkness or a shadow looming over them- adding to the sense of this bigger feeling following them.
Is the speaker reliable?:
I do believe the speaker is reliable or in this case, one of the songwriters- RM- is reliable. He is a member of BTS (the artist) & at the time they were slowly loosing their passion due to the pandemic and the isolation that followed with it as well as the unprecedented rate they were growing (due to Dynamite) so they were slowly loosing themselves in the storm that it was so he put the feelings onto paper therefore I believe the speaker/artist to be reliable.
What emotions (pathos) does the speaker try to evoke? Explain. :
The emotions that are being evoked are some of silent despair & quiet acceptance at the 'death' ("If this can no longer resonate......Then like this may be how I die my first death") of their passion but also a small sense of trying to find themselves ("In the deepest depths I saw myself") to trying to fight the feeling & overcome it ("Nothing can devour me......I shout out with ferocity").
Do the ideas in the song follow a logical progress? Do the speaker's thoughts & actions make sense?:
I guess they do because during the beginning of the song, they're singing in a tone of silent despair & slow acceptance of their 'death' but near the end of the song, their tone & lyrics shift to one of fighting for their passion ("I'll never get dragged away again") & having "eyes wide open into my forest", meaning being aware of their darkness and being ready to face it to get their passion back.
Finally, consider the lyrics & video. Does the video represent the interpretation of the song that you initially had? Explain using detailed evidence. :
It represents it & more. At first, I thought it the artist (BTS) just sung of their "first death" they've dreaded and are in the midst of but as I continuously listened to the song & dived deep into the lyrics, I realized that this song is a journey. From the initial feeling & going through this "death" to processing it and going into the studio to realizing it & trying to fight it & revive their passion- now do I realize this song is a lyrical journey of grief to acceptance to processing to revival. It truly speaks to everyone who's ever experienced the feeling of falling out of love with their passion. It speaks to the Black Swan within us.
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so that is my analysis of Black Swan. I love this song (in case you couldn't tell lol) and everyone should listen to it. Thank you to BTS for releasing this masterpiece.
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sources:
https://genius.com/Genius-english-translations-bts-black-swan-english-translation-lyrics
