Poetic Devices In 'Everybody' By Bob Dylan

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Through the usage of poetic devices, the author, Bob Dylan is able to portray meaning of a past relationship. In this past relationship, Dylan’s partner pretends to be someone that she is not in order to climb the social ladder. Dylan effectively uses methods such as hyperbole, symbolism, and diction to give meaning to one of his most famous songs. In the first verse of this work, Dylan introduces contrast between how the outside world views the woman and how he views the woman. In line 3-6, “Everybody knows That Baby’s got new clothes But lately I see her ribbon and bows Have fallen from her curls”, Dylan separates himself from other people in regards to the woman he is speaking about through the use of diction. By referring to “Everybody” …show more content…
However, because Dylan and the woman were assumably close in relations, the speaker was able to get a closer look at the woman and who she really is. Another important use of diction in this verse, is in the chorus, lines 7-10, because the girl is both compared to a “woman” and a “little girl”. This usage of diction adds to the separation of what the speaker sees and what the outside world sees of the woman. In line 10, “But she breaks just like a little girl”, shows weakness and vulnerability of the woman, something that the outside world does not see of her because if someone “breaks”, they usually hide it in the comfort of their own home. This contrasts with the first line of the chorus where Dylan writes, “She takes just like a woman…”, because taking something can show strength in whoever is taking. This strength is shown in the outside world, thus creating more contrast between the breaking inside of her own home and the strength or power she shows to the outside world. Also in the chorus, is the usage of similes because he …show more content…
In lines 3 and 4, “Nobody has to guess That Baby can’t be blessed”, which differentiates with the viewpoint of the outside world in the first verse. This usage of diction is especially important because it paints a different picture of the woman that previously. In addition to this, line 6, “With her fog, her amphetamine and her pearls”, also supports that the woman is pretending to be someone that she isn’t. By stating, “With her fog..”, it implies that the woman is in a self-imposed fog and wants to continue acting as someone else because it is “her”fog and not “the fog”. “Her amphetamine and her pearls” supports that she is faking to climb the social ladder because amphetamine was a popular drug used at the time by popular celebrities to suppress appetite and make them seem thinner, whereas pearls are a symbol of high class and socialism throughout

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