What about the beautiful "Look To The Rainbow"? I always thought of it as inspirational; it brought a lump into my throat. But a lot of folks said it's a put-down of women. "Follow the fellow who follows a dream" supposedly encourages female dependency on men.
Any comments?
Keep On Truckin'
Sandman
Hi there,
"fellow" means person not necessarily "man"
It was probably most likely used as a literary technique where songwriting is concerned. Alliteration.
"follow the fellow"
sounds better than "follow the man....or woman"
Sorry I'm in danger of lapsing into quoting Monty Python's "Life of Brian" here :)
See ya later.
Love Kirsty
xxxx
No, love, it doesn't.
One cannot apply 21st century thinking or social contexts to the lyrics of a 1947 play.
In the 21st century, I suppose that "guy" can sometimes mean "person," but in the 1940s, "fellow" meant a man.
Love, Light, Laughter, and Hugs to you anyway, and Happy Yule, Happy Hanukka, and Merry Christmas.
Keep On Truckin'
Sandman
LOL
I think I like you :)
I also think you've got me beat when it comes to literary analysis, so that's ok, I know when to quit.
Of course I could also argue the point that when it comes to "follow the fellow"...it needn't only apply to women as being followers of men. Weren't men also inspired to greatness by other men throughout the ages?
Merry Whatsits to you too :)
Love Kirsty
xxxx
Hey, Kirsty.
You know what? I like you too.
As to literary analysis, well, I'm a retired English professor; I earned my living by doing literary analysis for 40 years.
You're dead right about men following an inspiring leader. The inspirer often depends upon the inspiree -- his followers inspire him to greatness, and he leads them to glory.
But Sharon (the girl in the play)was singing about following the man she loved. There's nothing the matter with that.
It is, after all, a romantic comedy.
I threw in all those "merries" because I'm a Pagan, an ex-Episcopalian, and was married to a Jewess for eight years. I'm trying to cover all the bases.
Want to exchange emails?
Love, Light, and Laughter,
Sandman
Hey Kirsty
Fancy meeting you here..... LOL. Look to the Rainbow.... or maybe I should be saying " look to that future of yours "..... LOL
Hello Sandman-68.....
Let me ask you something, Sandman, what does literary analysis involve ?
yasmin
Never Let Go
In memory of Charlie Rocket. http://www.myspace.com/132501307
Rediscovering a man called Charlie Claverie
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0734236/board/nest/106052400
Uh oh, look who followed me here ;)
Hello Yas.
Oh Sandman, by the way,
I'm something of a Pagan follower myself. I'd love to learn more though. I knew from your bio you were and ex English Prof. That's why I said I knew when I was beat ;)
I'll PM you later.
Thanks for getting in touch.
Love Kirsty
xxxx
Greetings, Yasmin.
What is meant by literary analysis is really up to the analyst. I could give you a complete college course in literary analysis (I used to teach a two-semester graduate-level class in literary criticism -- i.e., analysis). But I cannot do that here.
For me, in brief, it means close critical reading, explanation and explication; searching a work in depth; looking beneath the surface; applying one's knowledge and understanding of life and of other literary works, of history, art, music, and other disciplines to the work being studied; seeing the work from as many different perspectives as possible.
On the downside, it also means dissection of works that were meant to be felt, to be experienced rather than understood.
Enough?
Happy Yule
Merry Christmas
Keep On Truckin'
Sandman
For me, in brief, it means close critical reading, explanation and explication; searching a work in depth; looking beneath the surface; applying one's knowledge and understanding of life and of other literary works, of history, art, music, and other disciplines to the work being studied; seeing the work from as many different perspectives as possible.
Hey Sandman
merry xmas, happy holidays.
I think I get it. So if say for example someone had written an historical novel and they weren't sure if they'd got the "facts" of the history correct and their work ended up on your desk does it mean you would have to read their work / novel to check if their historical facts were correct even if the story and characters themselves were fiction, is that one aspect of what you mean ?
Or am I probably way off base here.......LOL
Please chk your pms, love.
yasmin
Never Let Go
In memory of Charlie Rocket. http://www.myspace.com/132501307
Rediscovering a man called Charlie Claverie
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0734236/board/nest/106052400
Yasmin,
Happy happy happy for the whole holiday season, up through Twelfth Night at least.
I don't think I got my point across. Historical novels are all well and good, but they are fiction, therefore not meant necessarily to be literally accurate.
What I wrote earlier applies to any work of fiction, prose or poetry, no matter when it was written.
Let me try a different tack.
Appreciation of any work of art, literary or otherwise, means that you bring to the story, play, poem, or whatever --- you bring everything that you have in your mind and heart as you read. And your understanding or response depends on HOW you read. Light entertainment is just that – light. If you read in depth, you will look for alternate meanings, possible metaphoric or symbolic meanings of the characters or situations that the author has written.
As an example, “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost is a short, simple poem. But literary analysis, or critical reading would lead you to see that the “woods” could represent Death, or the life of the soul in the Hereafter. The horse could be the driver’s pragmatic consciousness which is uncomfortable when contemplating death.
When Hamlet talks o the skull of Yorick, he is speaking of the Fate of Man, not merely of poor Yorick. When he leaps into the empty grave, Shakespeare is telling us – showing us -- that all of us are figuratively standing in our own grave at every moment of life.
Does that make better sense?
I warned you up front that understanding literary analysis requires a two-semester college course.
Just for fun, check out this page
http://mwsresearch.homestead.com/research.html
or this one
http://schoolfile.homestead.com/files/Sandbag.htm
Love, Light, and Laughter,
and
Keep On Truckin'
Sandman
OK, Sandman
You're right ---- it does require a college course, but I think I'm beginning to understand a little better. ( after reading it like 5 times ) Do I need to read more or what....... LOL
When Hamlet talks o the skull of Yorick, he is speaking of the Fate of Man, not merely of poor Yorick. When he leaps into the empty grave, Shakespeare is telling us – showing us -- that all of us are figuratively standing in our own grave at every moment of life.
Was never that good at Shakespeare in class ..... only ever did the Merchant of Venice.
( I will chk out those websites later...)
Later, sweetheart.
yasmin
Never Let Go
In memory of Charlie Rocket. http://www.myspace.com/132501307
Rediscovering a man called Charlie Claverie
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0734236/board/nest/106052400
Well, honey,
Your question was a bit like asking an industrial architect to draw a rectangle.
Here's a quotation that may give you a better insight than all I have written so far
http://schoolfile.homestead.com/files/PrefaceNofN.htm
and an excerpt of (what is, to me) the most meaningful part of it:
The sincere endeavour to accomplish that creative task, to go as far on that road as his strength will carry him, to go undeterred by faltering, weariness or reproach, is the only valid justification for the worker in prose. And if his conscience is clear, his answer to those who, in the fullness of a wisdom which looks for immediate profit, demand specifically to be edified, consoled, amused; who demand to be promptly improved, or encouraged, or frightened, or shocked, or charmed, must run thus:
--My task which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel--it is, before all, to make you see. That--and no more, and it is everything. If I succeed, you shall find there according to your deserts: encouragement, consolation, fear, charm--all you demand; and, perhaps, also that glimpse of truth for which you have forgotten to ask.
Keep in touch
and
Keep On Truckin'
Sandman
--My task which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel--it is, before all, to make you see. That--and no more, and it is everything. If I succeed, you shall find there according to your deserts: encouragement, consolation, fear, charm--all you demand; and, perhaps, also that glimpse of truth for which you have forgotten to ask.
You know Sandman, that's the best paragragh I've come across in a long time. I'm no writer but I wrote a story maybe a year or so ago & I had to place myself completely in another man's shoes & feel what he might've felt in order to see something. Your para above kinda reminds me of that very strange feeling.
By the way are you OK, sweetheart ?
yasmin
Never Let Go
In memory of Charlie Rocket. http://www.myspace.com/132501307
Rediscovering a man called Charlie Claverie
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0734236/board/nest/106052400
"Your para above kinda reminds me of that very strange feeling."
It was written by Joseph Conrad, one of the greatest English writers of the 20th century. You should read some of his books and stories.
"By the way are you OK, sweetheart ?"
Yes, love, 2008 was a rotten year, but I'm fine as frog hair. Even though my daughter lost her job and has moved in to live with me, and I shall probably have to go back to work just to pay for the extra expenses.
Are you?
Say, just BTW, one of my very best and oldest friends lives in Birmingham. Small world.
Hugs & kisses.
Keep On Truckin'
Sandman
I have to agree with Yas on that earlier comment. That piece of writing by... Joseph Conrad, was it? sent shivers up my spine.
I'm sorry to hear you and your daughter are experiencing troubles Sandman. I'll keep you both in my thoughts.
Here's hoping you both have a happy and prosperous 2009!
Love Kirsty
xxxx
"I'll keep you both in my thoughts."
Thanks Kirsty. Good to hear from you again.
Yes, it was Conrad. It's an excerpt from his famous preface.
Go here:
http://schoolfile.homestead.com/conrad.html
to read the entire Preface. But remember that when he wrote that, "the N-word" was not an insult nor a racial slur.
Love, Light, and Laughter
and
Keep On Truckin'
Sandman
Sandman said:
Yes, love, 2008 was a rotten year, but I'm fine as frog hair. Even though my daughter lost her job and has moved in to live with me, and I shall probably have to go back to work just to pay for the extra expenses.
Sorry to hear that, love. It's happening in the UK a lot since last week. Not a good time for a lot of people who're losing their jobs. We've alot of businesses closing including Wedgewood, who have been around for like 250 yrs.
I'm lucky, Im OK with what i have.....
Say, just BTW, one of my very best and oldest friends lives in Birmingham. Small world.
Yep a small world, maybe getting smaller with this internet superhighway. Maybe people will start to connect to each other like they are meant to & help and support each other like they are supposed do.
Later sweetheart.
yasmin
Never Let Go
In memory of Charlie Rocket. http://www.myspace.com/132501307
Rediscovering a man called Charlie Claverie
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0734236/board/nest/106052400
Yasmin, Love, are you still out there?
It's been 4&1/2 years since your last post, but I still want to try to reach you.
I've never let go.
BTW, my mate in Birmingham is now on Facebook, so we keep in touch that way. Not only, but he came to Texas in 2011 for a visit. Now, how do you like them apples?
Talk to me, Love.
Keep On Truckin'
Sandman
Hm.. it looks that many people has a problem with this musical and dont understand the messages of this play/musical.
Remember... this musical was written in 1940, the Senator played by the great Keenan Wynn was based on a real life Senator in that time.
"Look, look to the Rainbow", "Follow the fellow who follows a dream"... and the whole play as clearly a message (for the good things).
"Look to the Rainbow..."... could be seen as... when you're in a bad mood or bad condition in your life (health or any other reason)... on the other side of the rainbow... there can be a better side again.
"Follow the fellow who follows a dream..." - its univeral in my mind... for a man/woman.
The Songs/Lyrics and melodies are wonderful written. There is nothing wrong. And on the Soundtrack CD there is one Song available which is not included in the movie... its wonderful too.
Petula Clark has a wonderful voice... and even watching Mr. Astaire is great.
Seriously, there is nothing wrong with that musical. Just some scenes are little bit cheapy filmed or just on that kind i don't like. But anyway... the musical/Movie is fantastic.
based on a real life Senator in that time.
Al Jarreau does a beautiful rendition---
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