My Shot Analysis

Intertextuality is the defining component that allows the musical to be a valid literate activity transcending into the lives of those who occupy marginalized communities within the United States. Analyzing hit songs within the play was essential to proving Hamilton as an integral piece of literature that's causing a social shift in society. One of the many hit songs presented within Hamilton is, “My Shot” which references Alexander Hamilton’s quick rise to American success and whether or not he will risk his prosperity due to a controversy with Aaron Burr at the the time. “My Shot” is a perfect example of intertextuality because of the various references to hip-hop culture in the nineties and references to American history. For example, a …show more content…
Miranda’s massive phenomenon about the “10-dollar founding father” has gained recognition for the socio-cultural awareness that he inspired within the United States on Broadway. Yet, there is much more to this classic than the occurrences on stage due to Miranda’s application of intertextuality within Hamilton. Hamilton is a prime example of intertextuality because of the conversation between text throughout the play that allow previously divided communities to connect by covering all spectrums of the audience. Furthermore, Miranda is embedding historical references throughout the text by utilizing hip-hop, a genre traditionally used by majority communities to express critical issues they face within modern American society. My personal research supports the claim that Hamilton is a vital intertextual literate activity that positively impacts the lives of members within marginalized communities. For example, within my preliminary research with first-year college students who occupy certain minority groups, I found that the overall consensus was that Hamilton provided community outreach because of intertextuality of the text. Collectively, my two interviewees stated that Hamilton’s lyrical components truly has positively influenced their lives because through the intertextual combination of white history and hip-hop that allows for a diverse representation that occurs on stage. How Miranda introduces intertextuality into rap, a musical genre that the majority of outcased communities rely on to express hardships they face, with white history connectes racial experiences across borders. Miranda has used hip-hop and popularized it on Broadway allowing minority communities to gain full public support on a massive stage. By doing so audience members must cross borders to truly see the connection between white