Choose a song to analyze. Your song choice should have enough substance to write a 2-3 page essay.
Write a working thesis statement for this essay. Your working thesis is not set in stone. You may change it as
you begin to dig deeper into your writing. For now, your working thesis is a starting off point for this essay.
Complete an informal sentence outline of your essay.
Example:
This is an example of the assignment deliverable with an informal outline.
Topic: Pearl Jam's song "Just Breathe"
Thesis: "Just Breathe", by Pearl Jam, is a prayer at the time of death
Outline:
The speaker is Eddie Vedder, singing at the imagineed, last moments of his life.
The lyrics speak directly to a higher power.
The tone is thoughtful, possibly regretful.
The theme of life after death is expressed in the final stanza.
The rhyme scheme of the song mimics a weak heart beat.
The imagery in stanza 4 shows a person who lived a life but never achieved what they wanted.
Verse lengths are short, similar to the time left on earth.
The final stanza is somber as the speaker asks for comfort and expresses hope to "meet you on the other
side".
Sample Solution