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Poem Analysis: I Am A Rock By Paul Simon

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The text "I am a Rock" by Paul Simon suggests that he is dealing with emotional pain and hurt from past experiences and that he has chosen to emotionally detach himself from others as a means of coping. he has built walls and a fortress around himself to protect him from the pain of friendship and love, and he expresses a lack of need for these things. he also uses his books and poetry as a form of protection and to shield himself from the world. The metaphor of being a rock and an island emphasizes his sense of emotional isolation and self sufficiency. The lyrics also suggest that he is trying to reconcile the uncertainties of his past with his present situation by distancing himself from others and avoiding the possibility of getting hurt again. When I read the text in the poem I think about a time when I had felt the same way, I had felt the need to close myself off from others because I was against the idea of getting disappointed or hurt again. In grade 9 when my girlfriend of 6 months cheated on me I closed myself off and stayed away from other relationships. …show more content…

I struggled to understand how someone I loved and trusted could hurt me in such a way. I felt like my trust and faith in others were shattered and it was hard for me to imagine opening up to someone again. I isolated myself and shut off my emotions to protect myself from being hurt again. I had a hard time trusting anyone, even my close friends and family. I was constantly looking for signs of betrayal and it affected my relationships and interactions with people. It was a very difficult and painful period in my

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