A GOOD SONG TO USE...
'Nobody's Home' by Avril Lavigne.
This song is more than just a pop song...and it's certainly no 'Sk8er Boi'
- The song tells the story of a girl who perhaps once belongs, but now doesn't (don't know where she belongs)
- Told from 3rd person perspective (I couldn't help her...I just watched her). Somebody DID know of her and her story, but they gave up on her; regretful tone. Sometimes it only take one person to help you or push you over the edge. Maybe if the narrator did help her...
- She didn't belong simply because she was 'different'; she wasn't bad, just different, and was consequently outcast (you've been rejected)
- BELONGING TO PLACE DOESN'T EXIST (she tried to go home but nobodys home -title-) She doesnt belong to a particular place in society. She's "broken inside" maybe a metaphor for a 'broken home'?
- CONSEQUENCES OF NOT BELONGING/REJECTION: Shes falling behind/losing her faith/all over the place/falling from grace - no sense of belong to place/people can have serious, negative impacts on individuals...
- Narrator asks girl to find the reasons why -- is there really a reason? should she really blame herself for not belonging? is society to blame; their expectations of what is 'normal'?
- She is an individual, with dreams and hopes, but because shes rejected, she cannot achieve those dreams -- doubts her self, ability, existence, self-worth
There's many more issues of belonging to be found here. Belonging is a personal thing -- we've all had times when we didn't belong for whatever reason; think of those experiences, use them. This is a very good song to use. It's modern, it's personal, and its not 'clear-cut'. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
Oh, and I almost forgot, whenever you use a song, you really should discuss the musical elements (what/how many instruments are played at one time? happy or sad melody? does the music correspond to particular lyrics to emphasise meaning? how does the music end -- happy or sad?)
