The music video for “Carry On” by Fun starts off
sullen and morose. Nate Ruess, the lead
singer of Fun, is contemplating suicide because he is depressed over the current
failures his band is facing. Ruess then remembers the previous success he and
his band have had in the past and he decides to persevere through his
depression and attempt to change his current path in life. As Ruess and his band members emerge out of
the darkened apartment into the bright city, they realize that life is full of
opportunities. “Carry On” sends a
message to the young adult community that may be struggling with depression or
to people who feel they are worthless. The video shows the emotionally damaged
people that there is more to live for and there is a place in this world for
everybody. Ruess and his band members address their listeners in a comforting
tone and provide a burst of inspiration to the individuals who may be
struggling in life.
The
chorus of “Carry On” is short but highly effective. In the brief chorus, Fun
uses a simile to compare people to sinking stones. The simile is “When you’re
lost and alone, or you’re sinking like a stone, Carry on, Carry on” (1:48). By
using this simile, Fun provides a visual for their message that people need to
move forward and leave behind their past. The simile helps Fun persuade their
listeners because a real example, like a sinking stone, eases the understanding
of the topic at hand and can provide a point of relation between the listener
and the song’s purpose. If a person actually feels like a sinking stone, then
he or she can find meaning in Fun’s message and truly believe in what Fun is
saying.
The way Fun organized
their music video allows emotionally damaged people to relate to Ruess in the
beginning. As the video progresses, the people struggling in life are shown
that there is opportunity to become successful by viewing the parallel
situation that Ruess perseveres through. Fun’s purpose is supported by the
organization of their music video. The
viewer can relate to Fun’s message easier if the situation he or she is facing
is presented in the early part of the video because the viewer can understand
the path that Ruess successfully pursued and potentially model their own based
upon Ruess’s.
Unlike the conventional
VMA music video, “Carry On” is not littered with advertisements. Fun puts out a
genuine message to the public that attempts to inspire emotionally damaged
individuals. Organization and literary tropes like similes are effective
methods that Fun uses to their advantage to persuade the audience that there is
hope and it just needs to be uncovered.
Works
Cited
Fun. Carry
On Rec. Jan. 2011. Jeff
Bhasker, 2012. MP3
Denis, first let me offer a personal response. While I liked Fun's first big hit two years ago, I have been less than enthusiastic about this particular song. However, now seeing the video for the first time, I like the song a bit more. I think I get it more.
ReplyDeleteYou make a couple mistakes in this post, but they will all serve as valuable learning points, but first I have a question about your overall analysis. You suggest that the video begins by featuring the musicians in a "darkened apartment." I thought this originally too, but I am rethinking that. Are they in an apartment or are they backstage after a show? This is an important distinction, because this would possibly change the impetus for the musicians' depression - or at least what you suggest is depression. Are they depressed or just tired? This is important, and could potentially really change the meaning of the song and your analysis.
Now, let's look at some technical and stylistic issues. First, be careful about your verb tenses. You write Fun "organized," but also that Fun "uses." Make sure you stick with the same tense throughout. Also, you, like many of your classmates, make the conspicuous mistake of assuming the audience's reaction. You write:
"allows emotionally damaged people to relate to Ruess in the beginning"
"The viewer can relate to Fun’s message easier"
"because the viewer can understand"
In each of these phrases, you assume something that you have no way of knowing. This is something to avoid. All you can do is infer the "speaker's" purpose based on textual evidence. Stick with what you know.