Rhetorical Ananlysis: Song

John Mayer - "No Such Thing"

"Welcome to the real world", she said to me / Condescendingly / Take a seat / Take your life / Plot it out in black and white / Well I never lived the dreams of the prom kings and the drama queens / I'd like to think the best of me is still hiding up my sleeve

So the good boys and girls take the so called right track / Faded white hats / Grabbing credits and making transfers / They read all the books but they can't find the answers / And all of our parents / They're getting older / I wonder if they've wished for anything better / While in their memories / Tiny tragedies

I am invincible / As long as I'm alive

They love to tell you "Stay inside the lines" / But something's better on the other side

I wanna run through the halls of my high school / I wanna scream at the top of my lungs / I just found out there's no such thing as the real world / Just a lie you've got to rise above

I just can't wait 'til my 10 year reunion / I'm gonna bust down the double doors / And when I stand on these tables before you / You will know what all this time was for

...

1. ARGUMENT/ENTHYMEME – Grades and popularity don't necessarily have an impact on your future because how well you do in school does not affect the passionate quest of living your dreams.

2. AUDIENCE - In this song, John is speaking to the world. More specifically, his parents and peers. After reading the lyrics, it is obvious that John didn't do the best in school, nor was he the most popular kid on school. Because of this, he is also speaking to those that can relate - those that aren't the most amazing scholars, but they won't let their grades determine their worth; They will make something of themselves. They just need the time and freedom to do it.

3.GOAL - John wants his audience to know that although he may not have been the best at school, there is still greatness inside of him; it is just hiding "up his sleeve." He also wants to tell his audience that although it won't be easy, he is "invincible as long as [he's] alive."

4. HOW THE ARGUMENT IS MADE - ethos, pathos, logos; sufficient, typical, accurate, relevant...

PATHOS - John uses mostly emotional appeal in this song. The entertainment industry has never been known to be stable, with trends coming and going so quickly. In this song, John expresses his frustrations with parents and his peers not seeing the talent that he knows he has. Johns dream is to write music and perform. He encourages his audience to look "outside the lines" of the typical lifestyle, something that will draw in the lost and curious audience.

RELEVANT - Everyone has a dream or passion that they wish they could pursue. John is living proof that if you have enough drive and passion, your goals and dreams are possible. Although he only uses himself as proof, he makes it very easy to relate to, because so few are stellar scholars and in the popular crowd in every school. Most everyone else can relate to John.

5. IS THE SONG EFFECTIVE - I feel that this song was very effective. It uses the emotional appeal of having a dream and living it, something that everyone wants. John gives his audience the faith, hope, and proof that they need to believe that they, too, can live their dreams.