Song Analysis: Unpacking Meaning

Song Analysis: Unpacking Meaning

Read the instructions for each section carefully. You will be analyzing song lyrics for meaning, literary devices, and overall impact.

Read the following lyrics from 'The Sound of Silence' by Simon & Garfunkel:

Hello darkness, my old friend I've come to talk with you again Because a vision softly creeping Left its seeds while I was sleeping And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains Within the sound of silence.

1. What is the speaker's emotional state suggested by the opening lines, 'Hello darkness, my old friend / I've come to talk with you again'?

2. Identify one example of personification in the provided lyrics and explain its effect.

1. The phrase 'vision softly creeping' suggests a feeling of  .

2. The 'sound of silence' is an example of an  , a literary device that combines contradictory terms.

1. What is the primary literary device used in 'Hello darkness, my old friend'?

1. The 'vision' mentioned in the lyrics is clearly a positive and uplifting experience.

1. Based on the provided lyrics, what do you think is the central message or theme of 'The Sound of Silence'? Support your answer with evidence from the text.