folklore: The Rhetorical Analysis
Taylor Swift released an album in 2020 called folklore, which many people believe is her deepest album with the most meaningful and gut-wrenching songs. Throughout the album, Swift discusses very personal emotions such as suicidal thoughts, regretting her entrance to the music industry, living to please others, and highlights the different eras of her music career. Taylor Swifts album folklore creates the overall message that the music industry fosters an extremely toxic environment and exemplifies how it impacts artists mental health and well-being through metaphors, imagery, and repetition.
Before analyzing this album, it is important to know what a folklore is: mythical stories and tales passing down generations,
…show more content…
She feels like she needs to constantly perform and present a certain image to keep people interested, and this can be exhausting for her. The metaphor of the mirrorball, which reflects the desires and emotions of others, reinforces this idea. While it's true that the album "folklore" by Taylor Swift is an incredibly successful and critically acclaimed album, it sheds light on some of the toxic aspects of the music industry and how they can be detrimental to the mental health of artists. One of the main themes of the album is the pressure and scrutiny that comes with fame, and how it can take a toll on a person's mental health. It’s also very apparent in songs not analyzed, in the track "The Last Great American Dynasty," Swift sings about the previous owner of her Rhode Island mansion, Rebekah Harkness, who also faced public criticism and scrutiny for her lifestyle and behavior. "my tears ricochet," Swift touches on the topic of betrayal and how it can leave a lasting impact on a person's mental health. This is likely a reflection of her own experiences with betrayal in the music industry, including her highly publicized feud with Kanye West and the aftermath of her former label, Big Machine Records, selling her master recordings without her