After a three-week series of lessons on the lyrics of Taylor Swift’s songs, these students had a “full” understanding of the broader meaning of what the pop singer represents.
Thompson Writing Program instructor Lisa Andres has been digging into Taylor Swift’s lyrical talents and rhythms as part of “What Now?” Ethics half-credit course.
Throughout the three-week miniseries, Andres led the class in exploring several albums, including “Midnights,” “Reputation,” and “Lover.”
Andres said in an email to the Chronicle that Swift’s autobiographical songwriting reflects her “changing notions of happiness in the wake of heartbreak, media scrutiny, and emotional growth” and the cultural response to these changes. I wrote that it was tracked.
While the series provides a way for Swift to discover new songs to add to their playlists, Andres said that by exploring the lyricism and cultural background of various stages of Swift’s life, students can explore their own We hope it will help us think about our own journeys and interactions with a changing world.
In one class, Andres projected the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s “I forgot you existed” and pressed play on his computer. After a few minutes of foot-tapping, lip-syncing, and head-shaking, Andres asked the class how they felt about Swift’s lyrics in the wake of the public bashing of Swift by male artists. .
Lisa Andres, instructor of the Thompson Writing Program, speaks to the class.
Mr. Andres delved into a discussion about apathy and moving on as a lesson for his students.
“Personally, I don’t think that when I listen to music, I don’t really think about the lyrics or the meaning behind it. I think it’s very important to analyze it because you can find out more about the artist. ” said first-year student Saanvi Cherkumari. .
Despite teaching about Swift’s musical works, Andres wants her students to go beyond Swift and learn more about what she represents.
“Things that belong to popular culture, like Disney, Harry Potter, and Taylor Swift, are often more powerful teachers because people don’t see them as intentionally educational,” Andres he wrote. “But they often reveal with surprising clarity the larger problems and struggles we are currently trying to solve.”
Andres showed a clip from the Taylor Swift documentary “Miss Americana.” This documentary captures moments from her childhood and her humble beginnings as a young country singer. Her first year student, Andrew Sample, said how the documentary juxtaposes Taylor’s huge success and that it weighs on her “more heavily than anything she’s ever experienced before.” .
Students in this course also analyzed “You’re On Your Own Kid,” a personal story from Swift’s recent album, Midnights.
“Even though we have completely different opinions about her and her music, to hear that message…’You have what it takes to take the next step.’ , there is something unifying,” Sample said.
Andres hopes that even if students aren’t fans of Taylor Swift, the class will at least give them a new perspective on approaching her and her music. She wants her students to ultimately reflect on their own growth throughout their lives and through their first year at Duke University.
“Do you think students specifically need to know about Taylor Swift? Not necessarily. But when we look at her catalog of music, the stories she tells, the growth she shows, and her cultural influence, I think we I think it will provide some interesting insight into how we are navigating this current situation,” Andres wrote.
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| Local and national news editor
Audrey Patterson is a sophomore at Trinity University and the local and national news editor for Issue 119 of The Chronicle.