10/30 CAI Lab - Thomas and 2Pac

1. What is the essential overall meaning of Dylan Thomas’ Poem?
Thomas' poem seems, to me, to be speaking overall of death and giving up. His message, though we know death to be unavoidable, is to never give up, and to fight until the end.

2. To illuminate the meaning, paraphrase what the line, “Do not go gentle in to that good night,” is really saying.
I believe "Do not go gentle in to that good night" could be rephrased as "Go down fighting."

3. To illuminate the meaning, paraphrase what the line, “Rage, rage, against the dying of the light” is really saying.
As darkness approches, fight it.

4. What are the unspoken beliefs about life that you think the poem’s speaker holds?
The poem's speaker seems to be of the opinions that life is worth fighting for, even at the end, despite the fact that death is unavoidable.

5. How does the tool of repetition emphasize meaning in Thomas’ poem? Because I believe Thomas's message to be one of fighting, the repetition to me seems almost like a battlecry.



1. What is the essential, overall meaning in Tupac’s lyrics?
In this song Tupac seems to be to stay grounded throughout life. He seems to perceive the world as a fairly agressive and combative place, and so focusing on things like education and being honest seem to be important in the message of this song.

2. Explain the forces that create a “Me against the world” situation in this poem?
Poverty and Wealth, The bravery to ask questions without fear of being perceived as ignorant or stupid, and the opression of the government versus individual rights.

3. How does Tupac suggest we overcome oppression?
Study, don't settle for less, ask questions, be grateful, keep your essence, do your best, don't panic under pressure.

4. If the poet’s circumstances are so dire and life has so much injustice, explain why the poet would tell the reader “Be grateful for your blessings” (8)?
If the poet's world, or the world in general, is so full of injustice, one has to be grateful for what one has in order to see the world as a decent place to exist.

5. Explain the meaning of why the poet insists the listener should not “ever change/keep your essence” (9).
He states to "be true" to who you are. I think that he is stating that as we grow, develop, and enter the world, one tends to lose sight of who they originally were, or what they originally wanted. Especially in a world potentially full of gangs and violence, one has a lot of high-pressure influences trying to mold you a certain way.



1. Print out the lyrics of a favorite song where you think the music is more important than the words. In a full paragraph, explain why you think the music is the focus.

I took my love, I took it down
Climbed a mountain and I turned around
I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
till the landslide brought me down

Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love
Can the child within my heart rise above
Can I sail thru the changing ocean tides
Can I handle the seasons of my life

Well, Ive been afraid of changing
cause Ive built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older
Im getting older too

Oh, take my love, take it down
Climb a mountain and turn around
If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well the landslide will bring it down

If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well maybe the landslide will bring it down

I believe that the music in Landslide, by Stevie Nicks, is actually more important than the lyrics. While the lyrics are very poetic, they are so vague in nature that it's almost impossible to determine of what she is speaking. Furthermore, this song has been covered by so many artists, and the style of music rarely varies, despite such a variety of artists as Smashing Pumpkins, Tori Amos, and the Dixie Chicks all covering it. I think that, because the music stays so static, it has more depth in the song than the lyrics.

2. Print out the lyrics (words) of a favorite song where you think the lyrics are more important than the music. In a full paragraph, explain why you think the lyrics are the focus.

One breath away from mother Oceanía
Your nimble feet make prints in my sands
You have done good for yourselves
Since you left my wet embrace
And crawled ashore
Every boy, is a snake is a lily
Every pearl is a lynx, is a girl
Sweet like harmony made into flesh
You dance by my side
Children sublime
You show me continents
I see the islands
You count the centuries
I blink my eyes
Hawks and sparrows race in my waters
Stingrays are floating
Across the sky
Little ones, my sons and my daughters
Your sweat is salty
I am why
I am why
I am why
Your sweat is salty
I am why
I am why
I am why

These are the lyrics from a song called Oceania by Bjork. I believe that in this song, the lyrics are the focus over the music because it is from her album Medulla. In that album, Bjork's use of music in her songs was amazingly sparse. There are long spaces where you hear nothing other than her speaking or singing the words, and there is actually no instrumentation in the album. All of the instruments are actually vocalizations which are meant to mimic drumbeats, string and wind instruments.