Rock And Roll Personification

Enhancement of the message of “Rock and Roll” by Sibyl James is reached through the continuous personification of the music style throughout the entire poem. To really explain the rebellious, sexual, and reckless sense of Rock and Roll, James transforms the music into a guy of this nature. This male figure used to represent the music is not only acting recklessly, but is also coexisting with other signature American things, to show that Rock and Roll was an original concept conceived in America.

It begins with him “tap dancin’ all over the red velvet seats, shakin’ his tight lil’ punk ass out the window, and curdlin’ the Dairy Queens.” This personification used in the first stanza is used to not only show that Rock and Roll was a part of American culture, much like …show more content…
Also in this stanza is the “bendin’ of [Rock and Roll’s] G-string, keepin’ his back beat”. This has a double meaning, including the meaning of a G-string being the guitar, which was essential to Rock and Roll, and the meaning of a G-string being of sexual nature, which was also essential to this music. The next stanza of this poem is focused on the ruining of innocence that Rock and Roll caused. To begin with, this male figure of Rock and Roll “was the boogie man in the closet, shakin’ in there with your mittens and your girl scout badge and your rubber boots”. This particular part of the extended personification of the poem is meant to show how Rock and Roll caused a change in the innocence of America, which is represented through typical childhood items, such as girl scout badges and rubber boots. Since he was “shakin’ in there” it is really meant to say he’s dancing all over the childhood innocence, destroying it along the way. This continues when he “[stitches] up the hem on your communion dress with