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Old July 10th, 2012 #14
Alex Linder
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Quote:
Originally Posted by keifer View Post
The six characters in this song, first person narrator and the person he killed, Mamma, Daddy, and jesus and lastly the listener. The listener being witness to the telling of the story, the listener being a latent jury. It could also be implied that since he is doing life in prison that the for the narrator to have an audience that being the listener, the receiver of his words, the listener by proximity is in fact incarcerated as well.

The underlying current to this story references what has been referred to as the most romantic piece of fiction ever written. The bible. This is the determinate that defines right or wrong in this narration. After all, his killing someone could just as well been considered heroic or justified under a different set of definitions. Christian law is the constant in this narration.

The characters are introduced, the problem is introduced, the characters are revealed by means for which they react and resolve the problem. The focal point character is the one who changes the most as a result of having resolved/reacted in relation to the problem.

So, who changed the most as a result of the narrator deviating x-ian law.
Um...this is bizarre and wrong.

There is nothing in this song that disputes conventional morality. The singer doesn't say he's in prison unjustly. He doesn't deny responsibility. He says his mother warned. This is all conventional stuff. The song is not about any of what you're talking about.

Two responses, and all I can do is shake my head.

You people are confusing the story in the song with the actual meaning of the song. The singer records the facts - he was a bad seed, apparently, and wound up in prison, but that's not the point of the song.