Analysis Of Forbidden Fruit

Moghees Hanif

17 January 2014

AP English Literature

Mr. Shaffner

Dear Professor Polonius (Just Kidding),

Your curriculum has been getting a little dry lately. With all these dead old white poets from the ancient ages there’s a disconnect in the classroom, the students aren’t able to relate as easily to poets millennia before them as opposed to poets of the modern day. Shakespeare, Cervantes, Sophocles and the like are all fantastic and “I don’t mean no disrespect, I praise the legends” (J. Cole) but new and modern poets must be taken into consideration and taught in the classroom too. This will provide a more full history of literature, broadening students’ horizons. It is for this reason I would urge you to teach the rap song called “Forbidden Fruit” by Jermaine Lamar Cole (stage name J. Cole). The song serves as a valuable teaching tool as it contains several technical elements, alliteration in the title we’re already off to a great start, however the technical aspect of the song also serves a deeper purpose as it helps illuminate the text as a whole. In his essay “The Poet” Ralph Waldo Emerson states, “For it is not metres, but a metre-making argument, that makes a poem…” J. Cole is able to put Emerson’s words into actions through his song “Forbidden Fruit” which contains several impressive elements including allusions, clever word play, and structure. Through all these technical elements he is able to make an argument in his song, a feat that is comparable to many well-established poets.

“Forbidden Fruit” contains many biblical allusions, starting from the most obvious which is the one to the story of Adam and Eve. Starting the story with the following hook:

Me and my bitch, took a little trip

Down to the garden, took a li...

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...ter days to come. The poem was written post Great Depression by an author who had seen the uphill turn of events, which is beautifully captured in the last sentence of the poem. Cole has joined the ranks of the greats in creating a successful open to interpretation ending which allows the listener to engage in a thought provoking analysis of both the poem and also it’s central themes.

Jermaine Lamar Cole is a true poet worth teaching in the classroom, not only for this generation, but also future generations. His skills are comparable to previous Kings of poetry. If their work has been able to transcend the sands of time, I have no doubt that Cole’s will too. Cole’s allusions, word play, and structure in his songs are beautiful and also thought provoking; “metre-making argument” (Emerson). That is why “Cole is the King, most definite… [And] Cole [is] here forever.”