The Reach

Hidden behind a world of words
Historically and humanitarianly cultures have forever evolved where the communication of feelings has been a continuum. As history unfolds, written communication hasbeen changing from literal means to transforming one’s intention through music by using the literary figure of the metaphor. In Dan Fogelberg’s song “The Reach,” the dilemma of communication asexpressed whether metaphorically or literally can confuse one’s emotions or thoughts when listening or interpreting the song. To be literal or to be metaphorical by hiding behind a brick layered wall ofwords denotes a complex idea to discuss, but it will help song listeners develop their own opinions and positions. Dan Fogelberg does express his ideas and feelings towards life through the metaphoriclanguage in his song “The Reach.”
It is true that to be metaphorical it is necessary to first write and read horizontally. One must read the words and understand their literal meaning in order to givea personal interpretation. “The words are uttered before evoking emotional metaphoric catharsis occurs,” (Bertrand Gay 1). Sometimes musical artists do not mean something to be metaphorical. Theyliterally want to say what they write in their songs and expect their listeners to equally understand the artist’s intention. “It is just that people like to complicate themselves and to make thingsbigger than how they are,” (Ruiz 2011). Constantly, music lovers search for a way to deepen several concepts of what the song writer is attempting to communicate, often challenging them to deduce asingle shallow evaluation. For example, Fogelberg sings, “The birches have just begun turning” (Fogelberg 1981). This may literary mean that birches started to change their leaves in autumn, plain andsimple, without any hidden metaphoric message. Words are needed to transmit feelings and thoughts, but that does not automatically mean that what Fogelberg transmits will be literal, and even less if...