Hotel California Poem Analysis

The song, Hotel California, written by Don Henley, illustrates the contrast between perceptions of California as a place of freedom and reality to show the pitfalls of living in Southern California during the 1970s.
Hotel California is written in the form of a short story as a warning against the dangers of being lured into the American dream. In the traveler’s stay at the hotel, he is pervaded by temptations of drugs, money, and women. However, he eventually becomes disillusioned to the pitfalls of California. The traveler is told, “You can check out any time you like but you can never leave” This lyric is implying a loss of innocence that can never be regained. Don Henley wrote this song as a cautionary tale against the lure of a life

in Southern California. Although the dream of a luxurious life is seemingly perfect, there is a darker layer underneath.
In the song, Don Henley uses contrasting imagery to show how different the dreams of California are to reality.The song starts off with the traveler’s drive through a dark desert that leads to a light that the man feels a draw towards. This light represents the attraction of living in Southern California. This contrast between light and dark imagery creates a distinction between the transformation from a more natural, serene setting to the Los Angeles culture. Furthermore, there is a shift in tone in the fifth stanza, where he comes to a realization that the American dream is just a mirage, and says, “They stab it with their steely knives but they just can’t kill the beast”. In this line, he is referencing his inability of stopping his addiction, showing the shift to a more somber, disillusioned view of the American dream.
Overall, through the use of a shift in tone and contrast in imagery, Henley shows the American dream is simply a myth.