The Dark Side of Nursery Rhymes
"Rockabye Baby"
Rockabye baby,
On the tree top.
When the wind blows,
The cradle will rock.
When the bough breaks,
The cradle will fall.
And down will come baby,
Cradle and all.
This classic nursery rhyme has flowed through generations. From mothers and fathers, siblings and relatives, this lullaby has been sung to babies and young children all over the world. There are many different versions of this song, especially through the oral traditions of which they are passed down, but it can be recognized by almost anyone.
My mother and father used to sing this song to me as a baby along with many others. However, one thing that remains constant in these classic nursery rhymes as we grow older is the meaning behind them. Take "Ring around the Rosie" for instance. While it is a lullaby that I continue to sing with my niece as we play, the words of the song are quite disturbing. It has a catchy tune and is used in a fun child's game, but one translation of the lyrics relates to the Black Plague! Crazy!!
As children grow older we learn about the real world and how innocent we once were as young kids. Kids never second guess themselves or worry about their image before they leave the house. They just "are"; they live in the moment. Then one day we all grow up and realize that some of the best years of our lives truly were our childhood years.
But back to the nursery rhyme on topic!
Today in English class we discussed "Rockabye Baby" and its context. We discussed the differences between the words of the short song and the punctuation of each line. We then discussed the various translations of the song. Some of the interpretations included: a coming of age story, the security of our home, the fall of capitalism, and many more! Following this discussion it really made me think about the songs and poems that we sing to our loved ones as babies and the message that we are passing along to them. Of course at their age they cannot understand everything that today's society has to offer, but as I sit and think about it, is there a possibility that we recite these short stories and songs to our children as a warning for when they grow up? Are we constantly teaching our young ones about the hardship that life has to offer once they grow up? Or are we just naive to the words that we speak to them?
What do you think?
Rockabye baby,
On the tree top.
When the wind blows,
The cradle will rock.
When the bough breaks,
The cradle will fall.
And down will come baby,
Cradle and all.
This classic nursery rhyme has flowed through generations. From mothers and fathers, siblings and relatives, this lullaby has been sung to babies and young children all over the world. There are many different versions of this song, especially through the oral traditions of which they are passed down, but it can be recognized by almost anyone.
My mother and father used to sing this song to me as a baby along with many others. However, one thing that remains constant in these classic nursery rhymes as we grow older is the meaning behind them. Take "Ring around the Rosie" for instance. While it is a lullaby that I continue to sing with my niece as we play, the words of the song are quite disturbing. It has a catchy tune and is used in a fun child's game, but one translation of the lyrics relates to the Black Plague! Crazy!!
As children grow older we learn about the real world and how innocent we once were as young kids. Kids never second guess themselves or worry about their image before they leave the house. They just "are"; they live in the moment. Then one day we all grow up and realize that some of the best years of our lives truly were our childhood years.
But back to the nursery rhyme on topic!
Today in English class we discussed "Rockabye Baby" and its context. We discussed the differences between the words of the short song and the punctuation of each line. We then discussed the various translations of the song. Some of the interpretations included: a coming of age story, the security of our home, the fall of capitalism, and many more! Following this discussion it really made me think about the songs and poems that we sing to our loved ones as babies and the message that we are passing along to them. Of course at their age they cannot understand everything that today's society has to offer, but as I sit and think about it, is there a possibility that we recite these short stories and songs to our children as a warning for when they grow up? Are we constantly teaching our young ones about the hardship that life has to offer once they grow up? Or are we just naive to the words that we speak to them?
What do you think?
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