Makenzie Meacham
Miss Rutkowski
English 102
Spring 2016
Hopelessly Hopeful
Loss is an inevitable experience we all encounter. For some, loss will define who we are forever after. For most of us, at least, it allows us insight to our own mentality. Diving deep into our emotions is an essential part of human life, however, the solitude in our dark minds leaves us feeling alone. In this situation, some of us turn to friends or family, while a musician might turn to his music. “Transatlanticism” by Death Cab for Cutie is a song written to give breath to emotion; an account of loss, and the sensations that come with it, described in such a way that it is effortlessly relatable to our own experiences. Shockingly similar to my own feelings, and likely …show more content…
Although songs about bereavement are not uncommon, “Transatlanticism” stands out in the way that it provides a highly descriptive scenic parallel to loss, and conveys an array of emotion in the melancholy crooning of only six words. While the song is undeniably effective in relaying the singer’s anguish, it does not end there. “Transatlanticism” does not fail to bring to light, in the last minute of the eight minute long song, a sense of hope. “Hope is the thing with feathers” by Emily Dickinson, is comparable to “Transatlanticism” in that it, too, portrays relentless faith as something good, something we need. Dickinson’s poem picks up where “Transatlanticism” leaves off, to describe the next process in grieving; useless and overrated hope. Perhaps, at the end of a relationship, hope has its place, but it does no good in the loss of a best friend. I have learned that hope is something …show more content…
In fact, the depth of meaning and complexity of the three words pale in comparison to the singer’s accounts of his acrimony and despair. Despite this, the impact they make is incomparable, “So come on, come on” (26-29). Such simple words are not hard to decipher. The singer is speaking to his loved one, prodding them to do what he can only hope for. Here is the critical word, hope. We do not know the exact situation the singer is in, but it is clear that the circumstances are so dire that nothing more can be done to mend the broken relationship, besides, he believes, to have faith. Hope is what keeps us from giving up, from discarding the future; but what good does hope do us when the future we want is not possible? We are told that in order to stay strong we must have faith and stay hopeful. Emily Dickinson’s “Hope is the thing with feathers” presents this way of thinking in a lovely, short poem, undoubtedly uplifting to many, “That perches in the soul/ And sings the tune without the words/ And never stops at all” (2-4). Here she is talking about hope being like a bird, one that is ever present in our hearts. It is portrayed as something good, desirable even; but I disagree. It might take strength, yes, to stay hopeful in order to keep your dreams alive; but I believe that it takes the most strength to let the dreams that need to,
Miss Rutkowski
English 102
Spring 2016
Hopelessly Hopeful
Loss is an inevitable experience we all encounter. For some, loss will define who we are forever after. For most of us, at least, it allows us insight to our own mentality. Diving deep into our emotions is an essential part of human life, however, the solitude in our dark minds leaves us feeling alone. In this situation, some of us turn to friends or family, while a musician might turn to his music. “Transatlanticism” by Death Cab for Cutie is a song written to give breath to emotion; an account of loss, and the sensations that come with it, described in such a way that it is effortlessly relatable to our own experiences. Shockingly similar to my own feelings, and likely …show more content…
Although songs about bereavement are not uncommon, “Transatlanticism” stands out in the way that it provides a highly descriptive scenic parallel to loss, and conveys an array of emotion in the melancholy crooning of only six words. While the song is undeniably effective in relaying the singer’s anguish, it does not end there. “Transatlanticism” does not fail to bring to light, in the last minute of the eight minute long song, a sense of hope. “Hope is the thing with feathers” by Emily Dickinson, is comparable to “Transatlanticism” in that it, too, portrays relentless faith as something good, something we need. Dickinson’s poem picks up where “Transatlanticism” leaves off, to describe the next process in grieving; useless and overrated hope. Perhaps, at the end of a relationship, hope has its place, but it does no good in the loss of a best friend. I have learned that hope is something …show more content…
In fact, the depth of meaning and complexity of the three words pale in comparison to the singer’s accounts of his acrimony and despair. Despite this, the impact they make is incomparable, “So come on, come on” (26-29). Such simple words are not hard to decipher. The singer is speaking to his loved one, prodding them to do what he can only hope for. Here is the critical word, hope. We do not know the exact situation the singer is in, but it is clear that the circumstances are so dire that nothing more can be done to mend the broken relationship, besides, he believes, to have faith. Hope is what keeps us from giving up, from discarding the future; but what good does hope do us when the future we want is not possible? We are told that in order to stay strong we must have faith and stay hopeful. Emily Dickinson’s “Hope is the thing with feathers” presents this way of thinking in a lovely, short poem, undoubtedly uplifting to many, “That perches in the soul/ And sings the tune without the words/ And never stops at all” (2-4). Here she is talking about hope being like a bird, one that is ever present in our hearts. It is portrayed as something good, desirable even; but I disagree. It might take strength, yes, to stay hopeful in order to keep your dreams alive; but I believe that it takes the most strength to let the dreams that need to,