Bob Dylan Figurative Language

"Come gather 'round people/Wherever you roam/And admit that the waters/Around you have grown..." Bob Dylan starts (Dylan 1). Throughout this song, the same overall theme is confirmed time and again, and this theme is to either accept the new changes in society. In an analysis over Bob Dylan, Carl E. Scott concurs with many of the beliefs I have in his publication of "What Bob Dylan Means to Literature, and to Song.". In this song that is considered a poem, "The Times They Are A-Changin '", author Bob Dylan uses many different figurative language techniques to add layers to his reading; although, Bob Dylan states multiple times that his words have no meaning, while others argue the complete opposite. One technique that is repeated throughout

The first allusion to the Bible in this poem is when Dylan says, "And admit that the waters/Around you have grown..." (Dylan 1) This is an allusion to the biblical flood, but this is also a metaphor for the civil rights movement in the sixties, the time this poem was published. As Dylan talks about this, he has the hidden meaning of acceptance, the theme. By admitting that times and ways have changed, people must accept this change and try to fit. The second allusion to the Bible is when Dylan states, "And the first one now/Will later be last" (Dylan 5). After closer inspection this is a reference to Mark 10:31: "But many that are first shall be last, and the last first." (BibleGateway). This line in poem talks about people who change to fit the new development of society, in this case, will succeed those who cannot break their mindset of the now old times. In his publication of "What Bob Dylan Means to Literature, and to Song.", Carl Scott also picks up on this as he talks about all the biblical based references in his songs, "...with a strain of philosophy –like and often Bible-based reflection found in a number of the old-time songs." (Scott 79). In this poem of "The Times They Are A-Changin '", we can pick out the Bible-based references and exam them to show that his lyrics obviously have some underlining

This event is exactly what it 's called: standing in front of the schoolhouse doors, which is what Alabama governor did. George Wallace, Alabama 's governor at the time, stood at the door of Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama to attempt to block two black students from enrolling at the school. Bob Dylan references this even when he says, "Come senators, congressmen/Please heed the call/Don 't stand in the doorway/Don 't block up the hall..." (Dylan 3). The overall meaning of these lines that Dylan says is that men who are in politics should take notice of the problems, and try to fix them, instead of blocking the way for them to get fixed. The underline meaning is the men in politics should take notice of the problems still, but in reference to the "Stand in the Schoolhouse door" event, they literally should not block the doorway or the hall. To analyze a bit deeper, the governor of Alabama and people who shared his beliefs are the people who are stuck in the same mindset of the past and cannot change their mindsets to coincide with the development of society, or more specifically, the advancement of African Americans in this