Song Analysis

Dear Old Nicki

Nicki Minaj’s song “Dear Old Nicki” is usually viewed as a very emotional song. In this song Nicki Minaj expresses her feelings on whom she has become. She reflects on her previous actions and actions to come through a conversation with herself. While Nicki Minaj is an excellent female rapper, she needed something unique. She needed to acquire a character and to stand out. In this particular song she sings about missing who she used to be before the fame. She reflects on how her life has changed and why she has changed. She doesn’t think she changed for the money, fame, and power and says if that is why she changed then she is ashamed. We can see this in the following lines, “Did I Chase The Glitz And Glamour
Money, Fame And Power
Cause If So That Will Forever Go Down My Lamest Hour” She does not necessarily regret her old self but she is hesitant to change in her new chapter of her life. Lastly, she justifies her evolving into a new person by saying “But You Was Underground, And I Was Mainstream
I Live The Life Now, That We Would Daydream
My Only Wish Is You Come Enjoy It With Me,” She made her dreams come true and wishes she could have done this without changing.  

            This song has a few literary terms throughout it. One that really sticks out is the repetition of the to words “Holding you.” This lets us know the old Nicki Minaj is still there and she is holding in to it. In many verses the last word of every line rhymes giving is a pleasing sound or in other words it contains euphony. There are not many other literary devices used in this song, as it is more of a dialogue between Nicki Minaj and herself.

            The story this song tells would not be as provoking if they were not sung in a song. This song has a “dear diary” feel to it and to get that feeling in a song is unique. The music she is singing to is also slow but catchy at the same time. Lastly, this song clearly displays her ability to rap, which is why she became who she is today.

            While this song may come off as depressing or sad I personally do not take it that way. I analyze this song as Nicki Minaj starting a new chapter in her life and with that chapter came changes. This song summarizes her desired changes she went through, especially when becoming part of Young Money, but also her hurt for the “loss” of her old self.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxtmTJJE5Ac 

Writing Wednesday Hero

Writing Wednesday 

     Heroes today are very similar to the heroes we see in many great tales from times long ago. Heroes both go on a journey, both can be normal humans, and they always have somebody or some people helping them.

    Modern heroes and historical heroes both go on a journey. They both have an end goal that they need to reach, and often times they do this through a journey. In modern stories, the hero has something he needs to accomplish. Readers find out what his mission is at the beginning of the story, and by the end, he has reached his goal. As Homer did, the heroes usually go by ship. They travelled the ocean to accomplish the mission. An example of this would be Odysseus in Homer's The Odyssey. Odysseus attempts to travel back to his hometown of Troy. He goes through a hardship on this journey however. He gets  caught in a storm and washed to shore. He encounters a challenge on his journey just as many heroes do. All though the specifics of the journey differ between the heroes of the two times they are similar in that they both go on a journey. 

     Modern heroes and historical heroes are also similar as they sometimes both take the form of a normal human being. This mostly pertains to historical heroes. Odysseus is also an example of how a hero can come in the form of a normal human being. He has super human characteristics but he is still a normal human being. Also from The Odyssey, Telemachus is an example of a normal human that is a hero. As for modern heroes, an example would be SpongeBob. He saves the day in numerous episodes. One episode Gary cannot fin his food. SpongeBob goes through the steps of the hero’s journey until he finds the food for his pet snail Gary. A modern hero, such as SpongeBob, are often times found in simpler situations rather than long drawn out journeys as readers see in The Odyssey.

     Lastly, both types of heroes have assistance. The providers of the help come in different forms however. With modern heroes we see the hero as someone in charge of the helper. This would be like Batman and Robin or Sherlock Holmes and Watson. Sherlock gives Watson tasks he must accommodate in order for Sherlock to solve the big picture. In stories containing historical heroes the hero looks to the helpers instead of the helpers looking to him or her. In the odyssey, Odysseus prays to the gods many times throughout the book. He openly asks for help and for guidance from Zeus. The gods whom he asks are more powerful and above Odysseus. The heroes both receive help but in different ways do they get it.  

Writing Wednesday Oct. 3 (My Birthday!)

Odysseus is a hero in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. His heroic characteristics are shown many times throughout the poem. He is a normal human being with super human characteristics, as many heroes are from this time period. He is very intelligent, a leader, and he is not afraid to ask for help. He also has flaws such as being too cocky at times.

            First of all Odysseus has three main characteristics that make him a hero. These are he’s intelligent, good at leading, and he often times asks for help. HE is intelligent many different times throughout the book but one that really stuck out to me was when Odysseus was in the cave. He and his men got trapped in the cave and he plotted a plan against Polyphemis. HE got him really drunk and when he asked Odysseus what his name was Odysseus replied with “Nobody.” When Polyphemis passed out Odysseus stabbed his eyes therefore blinding him. Polyphemis let out with a cry and said, “Nobody’s killing me!” No one came to his rescue since they didn’t think anyone was killing him. Secondly, Odysseus is good at leading his crew. When the lotus fruit mesmerized the crew, Odysseus was the one that forced them back into the ship. Lastly, Odysseus is good at admitting he needs help and is not afraid to ask for it. Many times throughout Odysseus prays for help from the gods. An example of when he receives help would be when he almost drowned due to Poseidon. Poseidon hates Odysseus with a passion and at one point in the book while Odysseus was sailing Poseidon stirred up a giant storm almost drowning Odysseus. He asked for help and received some from both Athena and Ino. These are only a few of the many characteristics of Odysseus that are heroic but in my opinion they are the most important.

            Along with his heroic characteristics he also obtains flaws. The main flaw that I see in what we have read of the poem so far is he can become very cocky at times. This mainly stuck out when Odysseus is departing from the island where the cave was. As he is departing he reveals who he truly is. Little did he know Poseidon is related to Polyphemis thus resulting in Poseidon hating Odysseus. 

Writing Wednesday

The Odyssey book I and II: 

From the point of vies of Zeus

I am Zeus and I am the all-powerful God! I am leader f all and am always watching. I sit up here in my sky and look down on all the people and their actions. One human that has been particularly interested in is Telemachus. Telemachus doesn’t have a father or at least he doesn’t think so. Little does he know his father just hasn’t returned….

            You see, it is about 10 years after the Trojan War and all soldiers have returned. All but one that is. Odysseus has yet to return. Odysseus is Telemachus’s father who many people figured just died. But me being who I am has to intervene and make thinks okay. SO here’s what I did… I told Athena to go and tell Telemachus to start looking for his father and to guide him in the right direction. Athena being the smart beautiful woman she is was sure to find a clever way to do so. She dressed up as Mentes (Odysseus’s friend) she goes and tells Telemachus to make a journey to Pylos and Sparta to start his search for his father because she feels as though he is still living and has yet to return to Ithica. After calling together all the silly suitors, who want to take over the kingdom by marrying Odysseus’s wife, and banishes them from his father’s estate. I wonder if he will take this advice. Meanwhile there is heart broken Penelope in the corner sobbing because her husband never returned. Doesn’t she know there were many men who didn’t return? Women… who understands them?

            The next day Telemachus follows through with his plans and holds the assembly. At the assembly Telemachus took charge kind of like I do with all the gods! He discussed the cities problems and before the day was over he was on his way. He did the smart thing by not letting his mother find out so she wouldn’t be more upset.

            Well its time for my to go to sleep. A powerful god like me needs his rest. I have a big day tomorrow containing a meeting with all the gods… sometimes they just don’t understand that I am in charge. I wonder if Telemachus will succeed in finding his father…. I guess I’ll see!