Little Toy Guns Rhetorical Devices

Narrative Essay

‘Little Toy Guns’ is a song performed spectacularly by Carrie Underwood, and written by Carrie Underwood, Chris DeStefano, and Hillary Lindsey. This heart wrenching song describes a story about children who are dramatically affected by their parents fighting. The song is told from a little girl's point of view. She hides from her parents violent arguments to evade hearing them. Then she goes on to say she wishes their words weren't real, like they were toy guns that didn’t hurt you. Repeatedly she keeps saying, that she wished they were just playing a harmless game, and it doesn’t matter who wins.

The first time I heard this song was on November 12, 2014 on the radio. I’d only heard it’s catchy tune; I wasn’t actually listen to the words that Carrie was powerfully portraying. After hearing it played repeatedly, I finally listened to what she was saying and was

touched by the words. To me the song held a deeper meaning, almost like someone had taken my childhood story and created a song about it.

Before their divorce was finalized, my parents fought on a continual basis.

They always sent me to my room so I didn't see them arguing. Even though their words were, as Carrie puts it, “Cutting through the walls catastrophic”(Little Toy Guns). Screams and horrible harsh words were the only things that could be heard. Sometimes it was excruciating, and I would wish upon myself the disability of deafness. The song says “She put her hands over her ears”(Little Toy Guns). However, no matter how hard I tried to block out the yelling, the words cut through my hands and into my ears. Scream after torturous scream, I sat and listened to everything that was being said. I didn’t want to believe anything they were shouting at each other was true. There's one set of lyrics that really speak to what I’ve been trying to say, the song plays like “No sting, no hurt no one...Just a bang bang rollin off their tongues”(Little Toy Guns). I didn’t want either of them to get hurt, and I definitely didn’t want to see their beat red faces, tear stained cheeks, and then for them to pretend like it didn’t

happen.

This was a very difficult environment to grow up in. So, when I listen to this song it takes me to a darker time in my life. A time that I was scared, petrified, and ashamed of. Constantly, worrying about whose custody I’ll be placed in, or whose house I’d live in. Feeling sick to my stomach, always wondering it’ll be a day to tip-toe around my parents or lock myself in my room to escape more exhausting arguments.

Though I wholeheartedly hate going back to that dark place, I enjoy listening to the song. It makes me remember what I’ve gone through, and also what I’ve overcome. Listening to that song doesn’t make me feel like a lonely, scared, and insecure child anymore. Instead, this beautifully tragic song make me feel empowered; it reminds me of a horrible time, but it made me who I am today. I’m proud of who I’ve become, and I refuse to ever going back to the little girl I once was. I would just like to applaud Carrie, Chris, and Hillary for being able to write such a magnificent piece that has touched me personally and is a reminder of what I’ve been through.