SOAPSTONE and Rhetoric and the Reader

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Rhetorical Analysis of Jack Johnsons Gone
Rebecca McKee Hernandez AP Language 06/27/11

• SOAPSTONE and Rhetoric and the Reader

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California ELA Content Standards

• Reading 2.5
• Extend ideas presented in primary or secondary
  sources through original analysis, evaluation,
  and elaboration
• Reading 2.8
• Evaluate the credibility of an authors argument
  or defense of a claim by critiquing the
  relationship between generalizations and
  evidence and the way in which the authors
  intent affects the structure and tone of a text
• Literary Response and Analysis 3.9
• Explain how voice, persona, and the choice of
  narrator affect characterization and the tone,
  plot, and credibility of a text
• Literary Response and Analysis 3.11
• Evaluate the aesthetic qualities of style,
  including the impact of diction and figurative
  language on tone, mood, and theme
• Literary Response and Analysis 3.12
• Analysis the way in which a work of literature is
  related to the themes and issues of its
  historical period

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Gone Jack Johnson

• Look at all those fancy clothes,But these could
  keep us warm just like those.And what about your
  soul? Is it cold?Is it straight from the mold,
  and ready to be sold?And cars and phones and
  diamond rings, Bling, bling, because those are
  only removable things.And what about your mind?
  Does it shine?Are there things that concern you,
  more than your time?Gone, going. Gone,
  everything. Gone, give a damn.Gone, be the
  birds, when they don't wanna sing.Gone, people,
  all awkward with their things,Gone.Look at you,
  out to make a deal.You try to be appealing, but
  you lose your appeal. And what about those shoes
  you're in today?They'll do no good, on the
  bridges you burnt along the way.And you're
  willing to sell, anything?Gone, with your head.
  Leave your footprints, And we'll shame them
  with our words.Gone, people, all careless and
  consumed, goneGone, going, Gone, everything.
  Gone, give a damn.Gone, be the birds, if they
  don't wanna sing.Gone, people, all awkward with
  their things, Gone.

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SUBJECT

• Gone, going. Gone, everything.
• People, all careless and consumed, gone

The subject of the song is the negative impact of
materialism and excess on todays society.
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OCCASION / CONTEXT
Look at all those fancy clothes,But these could
keep us warm just like those. / And what about
your soul? Is it cold? / Is it straight from the
mold, and ready to be sold?

• The context of the song is found in our societys
  need to focus on materialistic wants instead of
  our realistic needs. Many people try to fit the
  Hollywood culture instead of finding their true
  selves.
• Many people in todays society are egotistical,
  they focus only on themselves. Instead of
  focusing their efforts on something that is
  actually important, they spend too much time on
  themselves

• And what about your mind? Does it shine?Are
  there things that concern you, more than your
  time?

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AUDIENCE

• The primary audience are young adults. They are
  at the most impressionable age and often try hard
  to be accepted by society.

• Gone, people, all awkward with their things,
  Gone
• And what about those shoes you're in
  today?They'll do no good, on the bridges you
  burnt along the way

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PURPOSE

• The purpose of the song is to persuade teenagers
  and young to focus on the simple things in life
  and to think twice before indulging in
  materialistic vanities. Material objects will not
  last forward what is more important is what is
  found within people.

• And what about your soul? Is it cold?
• Gone, going, Gone, everything. Gone, give a
  damn. Gone, be the birds, if they don't wanna
  sing.Gone, people, all awkward with their
  things, Gone

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SPEARKER

• The speaker establishes his credibility by
  providing everyday examples when people give into
  their impulse to focus on materialism and vanity.
  He states that people lose themselves by focusing
  only on their outward appearances.

• Look at all those fancy clothes,But these could
  keep us warm just like those.
• Gone, going, Gone, everything. Gone, give a
  damn. Gone, be the birds, if they don't wanna
  sing. Gone, people, all awkward with their
  things, Gone.

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TONE

• And what about your soul? Is it cold?
• Look at you, out to make a deal.You try to be
  appealing, but you lose your appeal

• The tone of this song is objective, yet cold. The
  diction the speaker uses suggests a rather
  unapologetic attitude in order to prove that that
  people lose their true selves through their
  attempt to conform to societal norms.

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ORGANIZATION

• Rhythm Pattern ABAB
• Look at all those fancy clothes,But these could
  keep us warm just like those.And what about your
  soul? Is it cold?Is it straight from the mold,
  and ready to be sold?

Gone, going. Gone, everything. Gone, give a
damn.Gone, be the birds, when they don't wanna
sing.Gone, people, all awkward with their
things,Gone.

• The speaker utilizes an external rhyme pattern to
  draw the readers attention to his words and
  force them to resonate within the readers.
• The repetition of the word gone emphasis the
  emptiness that people who indulge in materialism
  and conform to societal norms will feel it helps
  to emphasize the purpose of the song.

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NARRATIVE STYLE

• Look at all those fancy clothes And what about
  your soul?
• Look at you, out to make a dealAnd what about
  those shoes you're in today?

• The writer speaks directly to his audience by
  utilizing the second person point-of view. He
  literally asks his audience to visualize and
  reflect upon some of the choices they have made
  and then he asks rhetorical questions for each
  reflection The rhetorical questions help to prove
  his point that materialism leaves people feeling
  empty inside.

And cars and phones and diamond rings And what
about your mind? Does it shine?
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EVIDENCE

• Look at all those fancy clothes,But these could
  keep us warm just like those.
• And what about those shoes you're in
  today?They'll do no good, on the bridges you
  burnt

• The speaker establishes both his ethos and logos
  by providing evidence from most peoples everyday
  experiences. Many people spend a lot of money on
  their appearance in order to feel accepted by our
  societys expectations. This makes his argument
  more believable and gives him more credibility
  for his argument

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Works Cited

• Gone Lyrics. Sing365. Web. 27 June 2011.
  http//www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/gone-lyrics
  -jack-johnson/696ad8c1c3beee6048256d1e000fb3d7.