English Assessment - Belonging (1 Viewer)

[Andy09]

I'm stuck on what to write for an English assessment. I need to discuss what features of belonging are presented in the song "Somewhere I Belong" by Linkin Park. Any help that can be offered would be much appreciated.

 

[bored of sc]

Have you got a copy of the lyrics?

Can you use the music video/film clip?

From lyrics007:

[Verse 1]
I had nothing to say
and i get lost in the nothingness inside of me
(i was confused)
and i live it all out to find, but im not the only person wit these things in mind
(inside of me)
but all that they can see the words revealed
is the only real thing that i got left to feel
(nothing to lose)
just stuck hollow and alone
and the fault is my own and the fault is my own

[Chorus]
i wanna heal i wanna feel what i thought was never real
i wanna let go of the pain ive felt so long.
erase all the pain til its gone
i wanna heal i wanna feel like im close to something real.
i wanna find something ive wanted all along
somewhere i belong

[verse 2]
and i got nothing to say. i cant believe i didnt fall right down on my face
(i was confused)
look at everywhere only to find.
it is not the way i had imagined it all in my mind.
(so what am i)
what do i have but negativity
cuz i cant trust no one by the way everyone is looking at me
(nothing to lose)
nothing to gain im hollow and alone
and the fault is my own
and the fault is my own

[repeat chorus]

[Verse 3] (Chester)
I will never know myself until i do this on my own
cuz i will never feel anything else until my wounds are healed
i will never be anything til i break away from me
i will break away. ill find myself today

[repeat chorus]

Language techniques include first person narration, repetition, colloquial language (e.g. wanna, cuz (as in be'cause')), rhetorical questions, rhyme etc.

The idea of personal detachment from oneself, others and the world is a central notion of belonging represented. The chorus reveals the composers desires. He wishes to establish an emotional connection with the world and in turn, progress socially (find his place/position in the world).

The phrase 'somewhere I belong' implies that while it may not be apparent, the composer does have a position in the world socially. It is a matter of finding this place through a journey to self-actualisation. The first person narration humanises the theme of personal detachment from others and heightens the responders sense of empathy for the composer's psychological state of pessimism and hopelessness.

Etc. Blah, blah, blah. Relate it to belonging more than I did above. Good luck.

 

[Andy09]

Thankyou so much this will be extremely useful. Also in response to the first thing you said, no I can't use the music video for it which kinda sucks and would have made things a lot easier.