Gasoline Halssey Poetic Devices Essay

The author, Halsey, uses poetic devices such as metaphors and repetition to reveal that the true meaning of “Gasoline” is that people with mental illnesses go through a lot and it is usually damaging but they can come out stronger because of it. The first poetic device that Halsey uses is repetition. She wrote, “You can't wake up, this is not a dream,”(11). This line is used in every refrain and continues to add meaning each time. The supposed dream Halsey is referring to is life and how she envisions it every day having a mental illness. She is hoping that all bad effects of her illness are all but a dream and wake up from the hell she lives every day. When she repeats this line she is telling herself over and over again that she can’t wake up and that she needs to deal with it. …show more content…
She uses them for a stronger comparison to make it easier to understand her struggles. She sings, “You're part of a machine, you are not a human being” (12). Here she is comparing herself to a machine or a robot, therefore dehumanizing herself. This mental disorder can take away from her human-like qualities and saying she is a machine can make it easier to rationalize her decisions. Society is also in an age where they fear Artificial Intelligence, and some of society fears the mentally ill because they can be “destructive.” Halsey saying she is a robot contributes to the negative outlook “normal” people have on the mentally ill. The next metaphor Halsey uses is “Well my heart is gold...” (30). She uses this at the end of the refrain and is the very last line of the song. When saying this, she is saying she is stronger than any disorder and she can rise above it. Saying her heart is gold makes a more compelling argument that she is strong. Obviously, gold is a very strong metal, and can endure a lot, although can endure a few dents. In the end, metaphors were a very convincing way to portray the ups and downs of having a