English Classics - Lyrics Series

Instructions:

  1. Open a new browser.
  2. Copy and paste the following keywords into a search engine.
  3. Choose an appropriate website, read the lyrics and answer the following questions.

The Rose

"The Rose" is written by Amanda McBroom. The song was the title track to the film "The Rose" (directed by Mark Rydell, 1979), which was based loosely on the life of Janis Joplin, a talented singer-songwriter who died of a heroin overdose in 1971 at the age of 27. Bette Midler made the song famous with her performance of the song in the film. The song was subsequently covered multiple times by different singers, including LeAnn Rimes, Bonnie Tyler, Conway Twitty and Westlife.

1. In the opening line, love is likened to a river because

  1. it nurtures and nourishes life.
  2. it flows unceasingly.
  3. it runs deep.
  4. it can cause danger and death.

Your answer:

The river "drowns" a weak plant in the Verse 1 and is not perceived as positive.

2. Which literary device is repeatedly used in lines 1-8?

  1. simile
  2. metaphor
  3. alliteration
  4. personification

Your answer:

Love is compared to 4 different things in lines 1-8.

3. What is the persona's view on love according to lines 1-8?

  1. Love is life-threatening.
  2. Love causes pain and injury.
  3. The hunger for love cannot be satisfied.
  4. Love is delicate and beautiful.
  5. Love comes from oneself.
  1. (iv) & (v)
  2. (i), (ii) & (iii)
  3. (ii), (iv) & (v)
  4. (i), (ii), (iv) & (v)

Your answer:

Only the part with "I say ..." shows the persona's view.

4. According to the lyrics, what kind of people cannot open their hearts to love?

  1. people who are afraid of being hurt
  2. people who live in fantasy and don't want to face reality
  3. people who would like to receive love before they give
  4. people who don't want to live
  5. people who believe love will only come to some fortunate and chosen ones
  1. (i), (ii) & (v)
  2. (i), (ii), (iii) & (iv)
  3. (i), (ii), (iii) & (v)
  4. All of the above

Your answer:

"And the souls afraid of dying that never learns to live" suggests fear and a sense of insecurity rather than a desire for death.

5. What message is conveyed in the last 8 lines?

  1. Humans are lonely in a cold world that lacks love.
  2. Love can overcome hardship and transform life.
  3. The lucky and strong ones can feel the power of love.
  4. There is always a warm spring after the cold winter.

Your answer:

The song is in praise of the power of love. Imagery of nature is used to support this in the last 8 lines.

6. How would you describe the ending of the song?

  1. pessimistic
  2. sentimental
  3. life-affirming
  4. playful

Your answer:

In the last verse, a warm spring comes after the bitter winter and the seed grows into a rose under the sun. The scene is hopeful and positive.

7. In which verse can you find perfect rhymes in the scheme of ABAB?

  1. Verses 1 and 2
  2. Verses 3 and 5
  3. Verses 1, 2, 3 and 5
  4. All verses

Your answer:

Perfect rhymes involve words of the same ending vowels and consonants. "river" and "razor" or "hunger" and "flower" are considered only half/imperfect rhymes.

8. Decide if the following descriptions on the form of the lyrics are True (T) or False (F).

8a. The song is made up of 6 verses.

8b. Each verse consists of the same number of lines.

8c. All verses follow the same rhyming pattern.

8d. There is a refrain/chorus in the song.

    "Refrain/Chorus" means "a repeated verse/part".

9. What is the main purpose of the song?

  1. to show the features and qualities of love
  2. to clear up some misconceptions about love
  3. to compare and contrast different kinds of love
  4. to describe love with flowery language

Your answer:

The persona talks about other people's views on love before presenting his/her idea on the subject.

10. A song like "The Rose" is often described as a "ballad". Which of the following is NOT a feature of “ballad”?

  1. a song originally written for a film
  2. a slow romantic or narrative song
  3. a poem/song written in short verses
  4. a song with regular verses sung to the same melody

Your answer:

A ballad is not written in connection to another text/work of art.

The Rose

Score Sheet

Questions Results
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5
Question 6
Question 7
Question 8a
Question 8b
Question 8c
Question 8d
Question 9
Question 10
Total

Extended Questions: Think and Share

11.

Some say love, it is a hunger, an endless aching need.

Do you think love will trigger emotional hunger or reliance, turning you into an emotionally needy person? Share your view with some examples or experience.

12. If you could rewrite the fourth line of the first verse, what would be your version? Complete the line below and explain the meaning of it.

I say love, it is ______________, ________________________________________________.