“Man in the Mirror” is a song made famous by singer Michael Jackson. It was co-written with Glenn Ballard and Siedah Garrett and produced by the Grammy award winner Quincy Jones. When “Man in the Mirror” debuted in 1988 it instantly shot to number one on the billboard charts. One of the primary reasons the song rose to number one on the charts was because of its lyrical content. In “Man in the Mirror,” Michael Jackson takes a moment to stop and reflect on the state of the world around him. Upon doing so, he realizes the lack of compassion and charity mankind has for one another. This shakes him to his core. Through the use of conflict, imagery and rhetorical questions, Michael Jackson uses “Man in the Mirror” as a battlecry for both himself and others to acknowledge and address some of the more unpleasant realities the poor and disadvantaged face in life.
Two conflicts are developed throughout the song. The first type
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He sings, “As I turn up the collar on my favorite winter coat, the wind is blowin my mind” (Ballard). Simultaneously, he sees “that there are some with no home” (Ballard). Jackson himself acknowledges that the cold wind is especially bitter, even with a winter coat. His recognition of the homeless in the street not only serves to further emphasize the harshness of the frigid wind, but also highlight the stark contrast between the life of relative luxury Jackson is leading while the most vulnerable around him don’t even have basic shelter. This forces the listener to pause and consider his own life and the conditions of the those around him. The two contrasting images provide the perfect medium through which both Jackson and the listener can consider their lives, the impact they have, and and how they can effect change for the betterment of