Serine Solheim

03.05.2011

Heldagsprve i engelsk litteratur for Serine Solheim

Oppgave 1.
The lyrics,Beeswing are written by Richard Thompson. The lyrics are about a man and a woman. The writer expresses his feelings for the woman with various kinds of figurative language. He uses the words Summer of Love in the beginning of the lyrics. Those words can give the reader an image about what the text is going to devolve into. It could be that the writer used this figurative language to affect the reader to think that the man in the lyrics was open to fall in love. He then compares the woman with a bees wing. A bees wing could be a comparison for something delicate, something perfectly made but fragile. This might be a way for the writer to express that he feels a kind of love or feeling for her, he wants to take care of her. Other figurative examples in the text that can indicate that are these: She was a lost child, is a metaphor and Like a fox caught in the headlights is a comparison. The writer might want to express that the woman he writes about needs help or protection. Near the end of the song the woman changes her words from: As long as theres no price on love, Ill stay. And you wouldnt want me any other way to Oh man, you foolish man, it surely sounds like hell. You might be lord of half the world, youll not own me as well. Some readers might think that she has changed, but others would maybe not be so surprised based on what she said before in the beginning of the text. What she said in the beginning of the song can either make the reader feel that she is confident in that she knows what the man wants or it can make the reader feel that she will be with him as long as it is fun and games, but she is not willing to pay anything for love. The change happens when the man wants to settle down with her. She replies with the Oh man, you foolish man sentence and it seems to surprise the man since he seems to feel more hesitant about her and near the end of the song writes And like a fool I let her run. When this is said, it does seem like the man once again changes his feelings or thoughts. It seems like the msn misses the woman and regret what has happened, an example from the end of the text is: If I could hold her in my arms today. Well I wouldnt want her any other way

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Oppgave 2.
The advertisement is a picture of a woman screaming, and there is a text in the bottom of the picture. The woman screaming can make people feel that something is not right. Her face expression can be interpreted in many ways, some people could think that it is anger, other people could think that it is pain. When you look closer on the photo you can notice that it is actually not only one photo, but two photos that are put together. The top half is a picture of a woman screaming, she seems well dressed and confident in her scream. The bottom half seems to be a woman, poorly dressed with her hands folded together in silence. The woman from the bottom half photo seems scared or hurt by the way she is sitting. By just looking at the photo, it could show the message of that people might not express their discomfort with screams or words but if you look closer they express it with their body language. On the other hand, the message of this advertisement is stated in the bottom of the photo Make some noise for those who cant be heard. Like this you can think that the woman in the bottom half of the photo is too afraid to speak or that she has no chance of getting heard. The top half of the photo can then symbolise a woman who has the power to speak and she use that power to help the other woman who can not speak. The top half of the photo is very light in colour and the background is white, this can symbolise freedom and positivity. The bottom half is dark coloured, that can symbolise negativity and captivity. In the end the message of this advertisement could be: You should also help people who can not be heard by using your own voice or power.

Oppgave 3. b) A short story of the song Beeswing

The sun shined brightly in the windows, the sunrays filled the whole room and made butterfly effects on the walls. I was getting dressed, exited for the day to come. After all, they called it the Summer of Love. A new town and a new day, it would be a perfect way to start a new life. When I walked on my way to work I passed a football stadium, there where cheerleaders dancing and boys competing over the ball. Everyone in this town seemed so liberated and confident, I asked myself: have I arrived in another planet? I continued walking and looking inside the shop windows hoping to find the right place. She looked intensely at me with a halfsurprised look, that girl from inside one of the shop windows. It was the laundry place, my work.

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My heart did beat like the sound of a galloping horse; I had never seen anything like her in all my 19 years. I thought to myself: she is a rare thing, fine like a bees wing.1 She had brown wavy hair that went down to her shoulders. Her body was perfectly shaped with petite curves, she was quite small and thin but it fitted her. Hi, what can I help you with? Asked the girl kindly and smiled. I felt a bit shy but I swallowed hard and replied: Im here to work, it is my first day. I scratched the back of my head and smiled eagerly. The girl looked at me with that half-surprised look again, like a fox caught in the headlights2. The rest of the day with her went as fast as the wind and before the day was over, I had fallen in love. Weeks came and weeks went, it was the Summer of Love indeed. The sun shined bright and the birds where singing in romantic tones. One day she told me: I really love you, you are my hero. Now take me out of here before I loose my mind, you know I am not the factory kind I looked at her for a while. She seemed so delicate, like a fragile flower. Surely I had to save her from a boring life; I felt that I had to protect her. I love you too my rose, lets leave this place and explore new things. A look of half-surprise came from her eyes and a little scream of joy came from her mouth. She embraced me with her arms and once again I thought for myself: She is a rare thing, fine as a bees wing.3 She was my beloved and I was hers, together we earned money by tinkering and playing music in the streets. From town to town I went with her by my side, at that time I would not want it any other way. Once again I woke up by the sunrays but this time they didnt come from the window. It was not the easiest way to live, without a house, without a routine. I missed the butterfly effects on my bedroom walls. Wake up my love I whispered while I tapped on her tiny waist. She was as beautiful and delicate as always, I thought she always would be. She looked at me with those half-surprised eyes and I slowly asked her: what would you think if we would buy a house? It could have a fireplace and a big garden. Like this we could settle down and have babies. Her eyes widened and she started to laugh. You are foolish, for me it sounds like hell. I will not settle down and I will not be owned as well. She told me in a harsh voice. I froze. Could this really be? What was it she felt about me? was some of the many thoughts that stormed
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Text from the song Beeswing Written by Richard Thompson Text from the song Beeswing Written by Richard Thompson 3 Text from the song Beeswing Written by Richard Thompson

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through my head in a rush. I chose to not ask her, I chose to not talk but the thoughts became a wound that would grow deeper and deeper. The seasons where changing again and we went to a place where the work was pretty good, the weather was relaxing and the income was stabile. I liked it here. I wanted to stay for a while but she thought we shouldnt wait for the frost; she wanted to keep moving like always. Her plan was to run away from problems and sorrow, mine was to drown them. It worked fine in the beginning; the alcohol was like a plaster on the wounds my thoughts had created. After a while she started to drink as well and that was when the problems started. I realised that she wasnt as fragile as she looked like; she was hard headed and stubborn like a mule. She was a mountain in the wind and didnt even need my protection. What am I good for? Do I have any purpose at all? I thought for myself. My mood was black and my will was tired, I didnt want this anymore. We are going to get a house, living like this is foolish. I do not want any objections; I have made up my mind. I told her in a strong voice; it was my last attempt to work this out. The next day there was no one for me to wake up, she was already awake and on her way out. Where are you going my love? I asked in shock. She lifted her bag and opened the door, the last thing she said before she did run away was: You do not own me! I did not know what to do, I did not stop her. Why did I not stop her? Why did I not run after her? I could not stop wondering about it. One question I have kept asking myself ever since was: What would have happened if I did stop her, if I did follow her? I would never know. My life had changed much and I could say I was happy; I had friends and a good job. I owned an antique store, filled with all sorts of interesting stuff. It was a bit dark and gloomy, but that was only a part of its inviting mystery. My house was not small; it was light and elegant with a touch of personality, but it was empty. The silence filled the rooms like a heavy fog, I could touch and feel the loneliness. I often thought about her: I wonder how she is, what she is doing. Is she still alive? I really miss her. The last I heard about her was that she did not do so well. She didnt have a permanent home, she slept with a bottle of whisky and as only companion she had a dog. She was married once but could not settle down, she really has not changed has she? I thought.

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They tell me that she is not pretty anymore, that the weather and the alcohol have beaten her down. I guess that is what happens when you refuse to settle down. I still miss her though. I thought again. She really was a rare thing, fine as a bees wing. And I miss her more than ever words could say. If I could just taste all of her wildness now. If I could hold her in my arms today. Well I wouldnt want her any other way.4

The genre: Short Story.

Rewriting the lyrics of the song beeswing into a short story would be appropriate because the lyrics can also be seen as a little story in itself. It has a beginning, a middle part and an end. The first thing I came to think of when I did read the lyrics was a story, it reminded me of a story and it made me feel inspired to write one. When I did read the lyrics I felt that the writer in the end expressed that he had learned something from his experience, this is a key ingredient to a short story and another thing that influenced me into rewriting it as that. One thing I felt was missing in the lyrics was descriptions of the environments; this made me focus on describing a bit in my short story. I also used some metaphors and comparisons, using figurative language gives the text a certain effect that is necessary to fully capture the readers fantasy. I also used bits of the lyrics in my short story as an effect. The texts from the lyrics that I used are marked with footnotes.

Sources: A Glossary of Literary Terms from the book Access to English Literature, Vg3. Cappelen Damm 2008. Vedlegg / task sheet. Picture from task 2 and the song Beeswing written by Richard Thompson

Text from the song Beeswing Written by Richard Thompson

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