Chorebanian 1

Tyler Chorebanian

Ms. Michko

E Block

1/16/24

“The Boss”: Can He Manage For The Veterans Too?

In the early 80s, Bruce Springsteen, also known as The Boss “was telling the raw story of

the real experience, not the one being sold by politicians” (Chow). Born in the U.S.A. is often

viewed as a patriotic symbol in the United States of America. It established itself as somewhat of

an anthem for many prominent American figures at the time of the song's release. Born in the

U.S.A. was President Ronald Reagan's campaign song for a period of time before The Boss asked

him to end the campaign, as he thought it created a false understanding of his song. Born in the

U.S.A. (1984) follows the perspective of a veteran trying to find his way in society, and

struggling. In the song, Bruce Springsteen asserts that proletariat veterans face hardships and

inequality upon returning from the Vietnam War, despite their efforts to protect their country.

Springsteen develops this assertion by generating a feeling of sympathy with the working class,

highlighting the societal hardships that proletariats face and underscoring the unjust lawful

treatment that veterans receive. Springsteen’s purpose is to describe the lives of working-class

individuals and veterans in order to raise awareness and support and point out the hardships and

struggles that they face. Springsteen establishes a somber tone with upper-class Americans who

neglected the working class to spark feelings of sympathy within them. Although he wanted to

achieve a somber tone, the song was very misjudged, and seen as a patriotic symbol by many

American citizens.
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Springsteen highlights the feelings and indifference that working-class veterans

experience in order to convince the audience that veteran lives are made more difficult by

society. The tone of the song was often misunderstood, and it was because of the most iconic part

of his work: “Born in the U.S.A. /I was born in the U.S.A. /I was born in the U.S.A. /I was born

in the U.S.A,” (Springsteen). Despite these lines often being referred to as symbols of patriotism,

there is a much deeper and more sorrowful meaning. These lines describe the exclamation of

suffering and pain of someone who fought for their country, lost relationships for their country,

and despite all this, was still neglected by the U.S. government. Springsteen’s goal was to

protract feelings of guilt with these lines; he tried to suggest that the U.S. does not appreciate its

veterans. However, Springsteen’s vague word choice takes away from his overall message;

consequently, Springsteen’s fans greatly misunderstand his message. Furthermore, Springsteen

achieved his goal to a certain extent because of the individuals who understood his song and had

newfound knowledge of the unfair treatment of veterans. Springsteen raises millions every year

and is still donating to support veterans (Times). In the last chorus of the song, Springsteen sings,

“I'm a long gone Daddy in the U.S.A. now”... “I'm a cool rocking Daddy in the U.S.A. now,”

(Springsteen). Springsteen juxtaposes two different father figures, comparing them as equal, but

also underscoring the differences, as fathers, between the two. He identifies himself as the “Cool

Rocking Daddy” and his protagonist (working-class veterans) as “the long-gone daddy”. He

closely compares himself to the protagonist, somewhat ironically, as he is a famous rockstar who

is singing about an unknown and forgotten individual. This leads certain American citizens to

feel as though they have acted condescendingly toward the “long gone Daddy” because they

have forgotten or not recognized veterans and their needs. This, once again, makes the audience

sympathize with veterans; ultimately feeding more popularity and support to the working class’s
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cause. All of this would move the middle and upper classes to support and sympathize with

proletariat veterans because Springsteen accentuates the struggle and indifference veterans face.

Into the bargain, Springsteen highlights the societal hardships that veterans face, the idea

of being trapped in the U.S.A., and establishes a sorrowful tone. At the song's start, Springsteen

says the protagonist was, “down in a dead man's town,” (Springsteen). Since Springsteen’s

description could mean that the protagonist was either born in a town with not much going on or

born into a town with lots of danger, it implies that the protagonist faced adversity from a young

age. Hardship and poor situations are what led veterans to have no option but to join the war; this

ultimately moves the audience to understand the full spectrum of how they have undermined the

working class. Additionally, Bruce Springsteen emphasizes that people are trapped in the United

States of America and its structural issues when he writes, “I'm ten years burning down the

road/Nowhere to run, ain't got nowhere to go,” (Springsteen). Springsteen develops a somber

image that the person he is speaking about cannot escape his future in which he feels nothing is

there for him, there is no home to return to, and jobs are not available. Springsteen appeals to

logic, as it is quite clear if these individuals have no homes or jobs, that their situation is

unfavorable. All of this would move privileged U.S. citizens to support proletariat veterans

because they now understand the challenges faced by the working class and feel like they owe

something to the veterans.

Bruce Springsteen exposes how individuals were being placed in the army for small

mistakes, and the upsurge in veteran prisoners in order to draw more attention to apparent issues.

Toward the start of the song, after the first chorus, Springsteen talks about the deployment of the

protagonist into the Vietnam War, “Got in a little hometown jam/So they put a rifle in my hand,”

(Springsteen). Due to what is described as a minor rule break, the protagonist's future would now
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be decided by a judge. Moreover, this is a representation of many U.S. citizens who were forced

to enlist in the army or they would get sent to jail, due to a “hometown jam”. Furthermore,

Springsteen placed this rather sad and impactful verse right after the upbeat and happy chorus to

create a major shift in tone. The sudden change to a sad tone makes the line stand out to the

audience; Springsteen does this because he wants the negatives to really sit with the audience.

Before the final chorus, Springsteen addresses veterans in jail, “Down in the shadow of the

penitentiary,” (Springsteen). Springsteen speaks on the influx of veterans in prison. When

addressing the issue, he is implying that most of the veterans who are in prison would not be

there had they not served in the war. Once again, the placement of these lines draws further

emphasis on the hardships veterans faced in having to go to jail. By putting this verse just before

the final chorus, it is recognized as one of Springsteen’s final thoughts, which increases the

likelihood that it resonates with the audience. All of this would move American citizens who

were neglectful toward veterans to understand the challenges faced by veterans. Springsteen

emphasizes the legal issues within prisons, and how they are unfair toward veterans; his goal in

doing so is to capture the attention of the government and underscore that what they are doing is

being recognized.

Since Bruce Springsteen released his song Born in the U.S.A. and worked to emphasize

the difficulties veterans faced and the impact it had on their lives, veterans have seen more and

more support. Although, they still face similar struggles today as those addressed in

Springsteen's work. Most veterans are very qualified for a job despite enlisting at the age of 18

and not having any work experience. However, it is likely that a veteran does not get a job

because “interviewers fail to see how the 4 to 20 years of military service may have given the

potential employee all of the relevant and valuable experience needed to fill that position,”
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(Veterans Affairs). Many veterans who fail to get jobs upon returning end up being homeless and

left with no means of income. Despite the increasing number of Americans who support

veterans, their struggles do not reach headlines or receive enough attention. At this point, there is

not enough money in the world to give veterans thanks for what they have done and to make up

for the hardship they have been through. It will take a lot more than just a song for the injustices

of working-class veterans to be solved.

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Chow, Andrew R. “Bruce Springsteen Wants You to Support U.S. Veterans.” Time, Time, 13

June 2019, time.com/5606245/bruce-springsteen-military-veterans/.

Inskeep, Steve, et al. “What Does ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ Really Mean?” NPR, NPR, 26 Mar. 2019,

www.npr.org/2019/03/26/706566556/bruce-springsteen-born-in-the-usa-american-anthem

Springsteen, Bruce. “Born In The U.S.A.” Born In The U.S.A., CBS and Sony, 1984. Spotify,

https://open.spotify.com/track/0dOg1ySSI7NkpAe89Zo0b9?si=adff06e053fa4bef.

Veterans Affairs, US Department of. “Why Can’t Some Veterans Get Jobs?” VA News, 14 Nov.

2013, news.va.gov/6603/why-can%E2%80%99t-veterans-get-jobs/.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Rubric

Skill Not Yet Foundational Proficient Advanced

Thesis Thesis is unclear Thesis responds to the
or summarizes prompt but may be vague
the text or broad in terms of the
rhetorical choices or the
analysis that the essay will
include.
Thesis is defensible and
includes the speaker’s
rhetorical choices and the
analysis that the essay will
include.
Thesis is clearly defensible
and analyzes the speaker’s
rhetorical choices, AND the
thesis embodies the
analysis of the work as a
whole and leads to clear,
sophisticated, and
compelling analysis of the
song.

Evidence Provides Provides some specific and Provides specific evidence Provides specific evidence
evidence that is relevant evidence, but to support all claims in a to support all claims in a
mostly general. rhetorical choices may be line of reasoning AND line of reasoning AND
broad or general. identifies clear rhetorical accurately identifies
Typical choices that lend rhetorical choices that lend
responses: Typical responses: themselves to analysis. themselves to a complex
● Tend to focus ● Consist of a mix of analysis AND are distinctly
on summary specific evidence and Typical responses: different/varied choices.
or broad generalities ● Uniformly offer
description evidence to support Typical responses:
of a passage claims. ● Uniformly offer
rather than ● Focus on the evidence to support

specific
details or
techniques.
Analysis/ Summarizes the Explains how some of the
Commentar evidence but evidence relates to the
y does not explain student’s argument, but no
how the evidence line of reasoning is
supports the established, or the line of
student’s reasoning is faulty.
argument.
Typical responses:
Typical ● May contain some
responses: simplistic, inaccurate,
● Mention or repetitive
rhetorical explanations that don’t
choices with strengthen the
little or no argument.
explanation. ● May make one point
well but either do not
make multiple
supporting claims or do
not adequately support
more than one claim.
● Do not explain the
connections or
progression between
the student’s claims, so
a line of reasoning is
not clearly established.
Rhetorical Little detail or Integrates general details or
Situation context is basic context into the
included in the analysis, or the rhetorical
essay. situation is unclear in the
body of the essay.
Organizatio Uses few Uses some transitions, but
n transitions; hard could be improved by
to see how ideas clearer connections
are connected. between ideas.
Brief introduction and
conclusion.
Conventions/M Pervasive errors More than 2 errors in
LA
in spelling, spelling, grammar, or MLA
grammar, or MLA
Chorebanian 7
importance of specific
words and details from
the sources to build an
argument.
Explains how evidence
supports a line of
reasoning, clarifying the
“how” and “why” of how
multiple rhetorical choices
contribute to the speaker’s
argument, purpose or
message.
Typical responses:
● Organize an argument
as a line of reasoning
composed of multiple
supporting claims.
● Commentary may fail to
integrate some
evidence or fail to
support a key claim.
Integrates some details
about speaker, audience,
context, or exigence into the
analysis.
Uses transitions between
ideas to show a logical flow
of argument.
Includes an introduction
and conclusion.
1-2 errors in spelling,
grammar, or MLA
Shows evidence of close
claims.
● Focus on the
importance of specific
words and details from
the passage to build an
argument.
Consistently explains how
evidence supports a
complex line of reasoning
(considering how multiple
choices build on one
another) AND how those
choices contribute to the
speaker’s argument,
purpose, and message.
Typical responses:
● Organize and support
an argument as a line of
reasoning composed of
multiple supporting
claims, each with
adequate evidence that
is clearly explained.
● Explain how the
writer’s use of
rhetorical choices
contributes to the
interpretation of the
passage.
Seamlessly integrates
significant details about the
speaker, audience, context,
or exigence into the
analysis.
Uses thoughtful and
meaningful transitions
between ideas.
Includes an engaging
introduction and a
thought-provoking
conclusion.
Spelling, grammar,
mechanics, and MLA are
flawless
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proofreading

Includes a separate Works

Cited page

Fluency/Sty Frequent eros in Diction/syntax could be Uses exact verbs and Uses highly accurate and
le diction/syntax; at improved (vague words, specific nouns vivid diction
time confusing or inaccurate descriptions, or
incoherent wordiness) Diction is of a collegiate Eliminates wordiness
level

Expectation Does not meet “proficient” Essay is handed in on time.

s standards.
Final product shows
considerable effort.

Class time is utilized to the

utmost!
Grade: B-