Summary Of Dave Matthews Use Of Imagery In Ants Marching

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Dave Matthews’ use of imagery throughout “Ants Marching” provides the reader with a sound understanding and interpretation of his overall message. To apply this rhetorical strategy, he incorporates several extended metaphors to life with which one can connect and acknowledge. The reader can identify an example of this tactic when Matthews opens with a quote stating, “He wakes up in the morning / Does his teeth, bite to eat, and he is rolling / Never changes a thing / The week ends, the week begins” (Matthews). On a surface level, this quote discusses a common occurrence for the protagonist of this song; however, on a more profound level, this text addresses Matthews’ leading intent: people need to take the chances they still have and escape …show more content…

The depictions Matthews incorporates into this first stanza allow him to portray a scene in which a person, similar to the reader, performs a morning routine. In addition to his use of ethos to establish credibility, this quote allows one to perceive how his or her life parallels Matthews’ scene. Furthermore, the reader can identify how Matthews builds upon this ideology as the piece progresses. One can find an example of this strategy in the sixth stanza when he states, “Driving along this highway / People in every direction / No words exchanged, no time to exchange” (Matthews). Building off of the ideas expressed in the first stanza, Matthews’ use of this extended metaphor allows him to depict a bleak and doleful society to the reader. By incorporating such pessimism and desperation into his tone, he can create for the reader a direct scene into how he perceives society. Using this portrayal, the reader can then acknowledge the message that Matthews attempts to convey and begin to understand his purpose for this piece and its moral. Matthew’s use of imagery enables him to build upon his ideas and to leave an indelible mark on the reader, but without this rhetorical strategy, one would become oblivious to the several connections he makes to his

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