Blog 3

As I’ve studied and analyzed Bob Dylan’s song “Blowin’ in the Wind”, I have noticed the larger cultural influence the song has produced. The song and its lyrics have been a source of identification for many, with its themes of peace and social change resonating with different social movements.

It’s interesting to note that Dylan claims that he did not intend for the song to be a protest song. The assumptions about the songs meaning that its fans have subscribed to, however, make the song appear as a prime example of social commentary, ripe with ideas for social reform and protest of the establishment.

For my research paper, I have chosen to analyze “Blowin in the Wind” using the method of ideological criticism. This method requires coding the artifact for evidence of a particular ideology based on the imagery, terms, metaphors, etc., that are presented. In terms of the song “Blowin’ in the Wind”, I will include the numerous imagery, its use of metaphor, as well as its use of questions to the audience without providing an answer. It may also be necessary to provide context – specifically, the social climate of the time the song was released.

While I intend to form my final research question after more analysis, my working question is, “What ideology is portrayed in Bob Dylan’s ‘Blowin in the Wind’ and does it coincide with the popular ideology its fans have taken on?”

There are four steps in exploring the artifact using ideological criticism: 1) identifying the presented elements, 2) identifying the suggested elements linked to the present elements, 3) formulating an ideology, and 4) identifying the functions served by the ideology.

I have already identified the presented elements of the song I will analyze. The suggested elements of the artifact are what meaning is suggested by the presented elements. In researching, I have found that many of the presented elements found in the song suggest a sense of exasperation, of a cry for change and social reform. In the third step (formulating the ideology), I will organize these suggested elements and cluster them, answering the question of what terms and elements show up the most within the lyrics of the song. This will answer what the ideology of the artifact is. Finally, in the fourth and final step, I will be able to answer another part of my research question – does this ideology match the meaning many fans have attributed to the song?

If the method of ideological criticism does not help me to answer my research question, I may instead use fantasy-theme criticism. This method is closely related to ideological criticism in that it is meant to identify a collective group consciousness. With fantasy-theme, however, it may provide me with a better explanation of the audience Dylan intended and subscribes to. How does “Blowin in the Wind” suggest a rhetorical vision and reflect a rhetorical community? What is the setting, the characters, and the action that is presented in the song? Do the metaphors in the lyrics act as characters and do they present a rhetorical vision?