Ok, I'm sorry this is country...but it is an excellent narrative.
The Introduction
Goodbye Earl is a song by the Dixie Chicks. This song tells the story of two young girls who have an up close and personal experience with domestic violence. In this post I will examine how “Goodbye Earl” generates questions about the way America handles and views domestic violence. In this blog I will discuss the artifact, the method of analysis, the analysis, the objective of the narrative, the features of the narrative, and the rhetorical point of the analysis.
The Artifact
I'm going to analyze the description of the abuse, the description of how Mary-Ann and Wanda handle it, and the reaction of the law. Goodbye Earl originally released January 1, 1999. (http://www.bestcountrysingers.com/dixie-chicks/song/prd-Goodbye%20Earl.html)“Nearly three out of four (74%) of Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence. 30% of Americans say they know a woman who has been physically abused by her husband or boyfriend in the past year. (Allstate Foundation National Poll on Domestic Violence, 2006. Lieberman Research Inc., Tracking Survey conducted for The Advertising Council and the Family Violence Prevention Fund, July – October 1996)” (http://www.dvrc-or.org/domestic/violence/resources/C61/) One in four women (25%) has experienced domestic violence in her lifetime. (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The National Institute of Justice, Extent, Nature, and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence, July 2000. The Commonwealth Fund, Health Concerns Across a Woman’s Lifespan: 1998 Survey of Women’s Health, 1999) (http://www.dvrc-or.org/domestic/violence/resources/C61/) According to these statistics this song was very needed at that time period and continues to be a problem which needs to be addressed.
The Method of Analysis
I will be analyzing “Goodbye Earl” through the lens of Narrative Criticism. Narrative criticism has been applied since Aristotle. (Foss, 2009, pg. 309) Sonja Foss states “Arthur Bochner and Carolyn Ellis have theorized that the use of narrative for studying interpersonal relationships, suggesting that to “have or be in a relationship is to have or be in a story.”” (2009, pg. 309) Narrative criticism is the study of how and why people tell stories. Storytelling has been part of human nature as far back as we can research and from the first time a story was told someone asked why they told it. This is narrative criticism in its most simplistic form. This method uses two steps in the analysis with a third step that is not always true. First, you identify the objective of the narrative. Second, identifying the features of the narrative to discover how they accomplish the objective. The third step that is not always used is Assessing or evaluating the narrative according to the particular objective. (Foss, 2009, pg. 309).
The Analysis
In narrative criticism there are at least two events happening. In this artifact these two are Mary-Ann and Wanda's friendship and Wanda's domestic abuse. A narrative is temporal. The story is about two young women who find self actualization. It is linear storyline. The narrative becomes very relational at the point when Mary Anne comes back to defend Wanda. Earl's abuse of Wanda and Wanda and Mary-Ann's decision that Earl has to die show contextual unity.
The Object of the Narrative
When I first heard this song I merely enjoyed the entertainment value of it. As I started analyzing the artifact it became obvious to me that there is a serious objective: to challenge the general perceptions of domestic abuse.
The Features of the Narrative
SETTING
This song is set in the south. It starts at the high school where Mary-Ann and Wanda went to school. Then it moves with them to the bus stop, Wanda's wedding, Earl's trailer, the hospital, back to the trailer, then to several sites of murder, ending at the roadside stand. The music adds a lot to the setting. It is an upbeat country sound. The upbeat sound gives an extremely comedic sense to the artifact.
CHARACTERS
Mary-Ann and Wanda went to school together. Then Mary-Ann went to Georgia, Wanda marries abusive Earl and gets put into the hospital, then Mary-Ann comes back when she hears about Wanda's condition. Mary-Ann and Wanda decided to kill Earl. The officers made a halfhearted effort to find Earl, but when he disappeared they didn't waste a lot of time looking for him.
NARRATOR
The story is mostly in third person narrated by the Dixie Chicks. It's very perky which, again, gives a very comedic feel to the artifact.
EVENTS
The major plot is Mary-Ann and Wanda's relationship. This story follows them in their experiences. From high school, Mary-Ann moving away, Wanda's marriage to her abusive husband, to their killing Earl.
TEMPORAL RELATIONS
These events take place over a long period of time. In just one verse the time goes from “Well the weeks went by and spring turned to summer And summer faded into fall”. It spanned at least a year and a half.
CAUSAL RELATIONSHIPS
There was a definite cause-effect between Earl's abuse of Wanda and Wanda and Mary Anne's decision to kill him. There was a cause-effect between Mary Anne leaving and Wanda's decision to marry Earl.
AUDIENCE
The audience is Dixie Chick fans and country fans. It's also aimed at the younger generation who have seen and been involved in abuse.
THEME
The theme of this narrative is the law can't always protect the innocent. This is shown in the line that says “But Earl walked right through that restraining order And put her in intensive care”. It is also shown by the fact that the cops didn't show up for Earl until after Wanda had been released from the hospital and had time to kill him.
TYPE OF NARRATIVE
Ironically enough this story is a Romance. Wanda and Mary-Ann complete a quest against domestic abuse and have emerged with greater confidence and a better life.
The Point...Rhetorically
Frequently people shy away from material about this subject because it makes people uncomfortable. The perky narration and upbeat music allows this narrative to be accepted and played in many more situations then it could be in a more serious vein. The application of this principle can be used to introduce other sensitive topics to people who would normally not listen to anything about the topic. This approach has allowed me to share this artifact with people who needed to understand the seriousness of domestic violence in a relaxed way that they would accept. If this approach was used with other topics it would bring a greater understanding of many other sensitive topics.
Lyrics of the artifact
Mary-Ann and Wanda were the best of friends
All through their high school days
Both members of the 4H Club
Both active in the FFA
After graduation Mary-Ann went out lookin' for a bright new world
Wanda looked all around this town and all she found was Earl
Well it wasn't two weeks after she got married
That Wanda started gettin' abused
She put on dark glasses and long sleeved blouses
And make-up to cover a bruise
Well she finally got the nerve to file for divorce
She let the law take it from there
But Earl walked right through that restraining order
And put her in intensive care
Right away Mary-Ann flew in from Atlanta
On a red eye midnight flight
She held Wanda's hand as they worked out a plan
And it didn't take 'em long to decide
That Earl had to die!
(nanana...)
Goodbye Earl
Those black-eyed peas (nanana...)
They tasted all right to me, Earl
You feelin' weak (nanana...)
Why don't you lay down and sleep, Earl
Ain't it dark (nanana...)
Wrapped up in that tarp, Earl?
The cops came by to bring Earl in
They searched the house high and low
Then they tipped their hats and said,
"Thank you ladies if you hear from him let us know"
Well the weeks went by and
spring turned to summer
And summer faded into fall
And it turns out he was a missing person who nobody missed at all
So the girls bought some land and a roadside stand
Out on Highway 109
They sell Tennessee ham and strawberry jam
And they don't lose any sleep at night
'Cause Earl had to die
(nanana...)
Goodbye Earl
We need a break...........
Let's go out to the lake, Earl
We'll pack a lunch (nanana...)
And stuff you in the trunk, Earl
Well is that all right? (nanana...)
Good!
Let's go for a ride, Earl
Hey! (nanana...)
Oh, hey hey hey! (nanana...)
Aww, hey hey hey! (nanana...)
Well,hey hey hey (nanana...)
The Introduction
Goodbye Earl is a song by the Dixie Chicks. This song tells the story of two young girls who have an up close and personal experience with domestic violence. In this post I will examine how “Goodbye Earl” generates questions about the way America handles and views domestic violence. In this blog I will discuss the artifact, the method of analysis, the analysis, the objective of the narrative, the features of the narrative, and the rhetorical point of the analysis.
The Artifact
I'm going to analyze the description of the abuse, the description of how Mary-Ann and Wanda handle it, and the reaction of the law. Goodbye Earl originally released January 1, 1999. (http://www.bestcountrysingers.com/dixie-chicks/song/prd-Goodbye%20Earl.html)“Nearly three out of four (74%) of Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence. 30% of Americans say they know a woman who has been physically abused by her husband or boyfriend in the past year. (Allstate Foundation National Poll on Domestic Violence, 2006. Lieberman Research Inc., Tracking Survey conducted for The Advertising Council and the Family Violence Prevention Fund, July – October 1996)” (http://www.dvrc-or.org/domestic/violence/resources/C61/) One in four women (25%) has experienced domestic violence in her lifetime. (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The National Institute of Justice, Extent, Nature, and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence, July 2000. The Commonwealth Fund, Health Concerns Across a Woman’s Lifespan: 1998 Survey of Women’s Health, 1999) (http://www.dvrc-or.org/domestic/violence/resources/C61/) According to these statistics this song was very needed at that time period and continues to be a problem which needs to be addressed.
The Method of Analysis
I will be analyzing “Goodbye Earl” through the lens of Narrative Criticism. Narrative criticism has been applied since Aristotle. (Foss, 2009, pg. 309) Sonja Foss states “Arthur Bochner and Carolyn Ellis have theorized that the use of narrative for studying interpersonal relationships, suggesting that to “have or be in a relationship is to have or be in a story.”” (2009, pg. 309) Narrative criticism is the study of how and why people tell stories. Storytelling has been part of human nature as far back as we can research and from the first time a story was told someone asked why they told it. This is narrative criticism in its most simplistic form. This method uses two steps in the analysis with a third step that is not always true. First, you identify the objective of the narrative. Second, identifying the features of the narrative to discover how they accomplish the objective. The third step that is not always used is Assessing or evaluating the narrative according to the particular objective. (Foss, 2009, pg. 309).
The Analysis
In narrative criticism there are at least two events happening. In this artifact these two are Mary-Ann and Wanda's friendship and Wanda's domestic abuse. A narrative is temporal. The story is about two young women who find self actualization. It is linear storyline. The narrative becomes very relational at the point when Mary Anne comes back to defend Wanda. Earl's abuse of Wanda and Wanda and Mary-Ann's decision that Earl has to die show contextual unity.
The Object of the Narrative
When I first heard this song I merely enjoyed the entertainment value of it. As I started analyzing the artifact it became obvious to me that there is a serious objective: to challenge the general perceptions of domestic abuse.
The Features of the Narrative
SETTING
This song is set in the south. It starts at the high school where Mary-Ann and Wanda went to school. Then it moves with them to the bus stop, Wanda's wedding, Earl's trailer, the hospital, back to the trailer, then to several sites of murder, ending at the roadside stand. The music adds a lot to the setting. It is an upbeat country sound. The upbeat sound gives an extremely comedic sense to the artifact.
CHARACTERS
Mary-Ann and Wanda went to school together. Then Mary-Ann went to Georgia, Wanda marries abusive Earl and gets put into the hospital, then Mary-Ann comes back when she hears about Wanda's condition. Mary-Ann and Wanda decided to kill Earl. The officers made a halfhearted effort to find Earl, but when he disappeared they didn't waste a lot of time looking for him.
NARRATOR
The story is mostly in third person narrated by the Dixie Chicks. It's very perky which, again, gives a very comedic feel to the artifact.
EVENTS
The major plot is Mary-Ann and Wanda's relationship. This story follows them in their experiences. From high school, Mary-Ann moving away, Wanda's marriage to her abusive husband, to their killing Earl.
TEMPORAL RELATIONS
These events take place over a long period of time. In just one verse the time goes from “Well the weeks went by and spring turned to summer And summer faded into fall”. It spanned at least a year and a half.
CAUSAL RELATIONSHIPS
There was a definite cause-effect between Earl's abuse of Wanda and Wanda and Mary Anne's decision to kill him. There was a cause-effect between Mary Anne leaving and Wanda's decision to marry Earl.
AUDIENCE
The audience is Dixie Chick fans and country fans. It's also aimed at the younger generation who have seen and been involved in abuse.
THEME
The theme of this narrative is the law can't always protect the innocent. This is shown in the line that says “But Earl walked right through that restraining order And put her in intensive care”. It is also shown by the fact that the cops didn't show up for Earl until after Wanda had been released from the hospital and had time to kill him.
TYPE OF NARRATIVE
Ironically enough this story is a Romance. Wanda and Mary-Ann complete a quest against domestic abuse and have emerged with greater confidence and a better life.
The Point...Rhetorically
Frequently people shy away from material about this subject because it makes people uncomfortable. The perky narration and upbeat music allows this narrative to be accepted and played in many more situations then it could be in a more serious vein. The application of this principle can be used to introduce other sensitive topics to people who would normally not listen to anything about the topic. This approach has allowed me to share this artifact with people who needed to understand the seriousness of domestic violence in a relaxed way that they would accept. If this approach was used with other topics it would bring a greater understanding of many other sensitive topics.
Lyrics of the artifact
Mary-Ann and Wanda were the best of friends
All through their high school days
Both members of the 4H Club
Both active in the FFA
After graduation Mary-Ann went out lookin' for a bright new world
Wanda looked all around this town and all she found was Earl
Well it wasn't two weeks after she got married
That Wanda started gettin' abused
She put on dark glasses and long sleeved blouses
And make-up to cover a bruise
Well she finally got the nerve to file for divorce
She let the law take it from there
But Earl walked right through that restraining order
And put her in intensive care
Right away Mary-Ann flew in from Atlanta
On a red eye midnight flight
She held Wanda's hand as they worked out a plan
And it didn't take 'em long to decide
That Earl had to die!
(nanana...)
Goodbye Earl
Those black-eyed peas (nanana...)
They tasted all right to me, Earl
You feelin' weak (nanana...)
Why don't you lay down and sleep, Earl
Ain't it dark (nanana...)
Wrapped up in that tarp, Earl?
The cops came by to bring Earl in
They searched the house high and low
Then they tipped their hats and said,
"Thank you ladies if you hear from him let us know"
Well the weeks went by and
spring turned to summer
And summer faded into fall
And it turns out he was a missing person who nobody missed at all
So the girls bought some land and a roadside stand
Out on Highway 109
They sell Tennessee ham and strawberry jam
And they don't lose any sleep at night
'Cause Earl had to die
(nanana...)
Goodbye Earl
We need a break...........
Let's go out to the lake, Earl
We'll pack a lunch (nanana...)
And stuff you in the trunk, Earl
Well is that all right? (nanana...)
Good!
Let's go for a ride, Earl
Hey! (nanana...)
Oh, hey hey hey! (nanana...)
Aww, hey hey hey! (nanana...)
Well,hey hey hey (nanana...)
