Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Anadiplosis: Life is Wonderful by Jason Mraz

Life is Wonderful
Jason Mraz

It takes a crane to build a crane
It takes two floors to make a story
It takes an egg to make a hen
It takes a hen to make an egg
There is no end to what I'm saying

It takes a thought to make a word
And it takes some words to make an action
And it takes some work to make it work
It takes some good to make it hurt
It takes some bad for satisfaction

Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la

It takes a night to make it dawn
And it takes a day to make you yawn brother
And it takes some old to make you young
It takes some cold to know the sun
It takes the one to have the other

And it takes no time to fall in love
But it takes you years to know what love is
And it takes some fears to make you trust
It takes some tears to make it rust
It takes the dust to have it polished

Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la

It takes some silence to make sound
And it takes a loss before you found it
And it takes a road to go nowhere
It takes a toll to make you care
It takes a hole to MAKE a mountain

Ah la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la life is meaningful
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la life is meaningful
Ah la la la la la la life is full of
Ah la la la la la life is so full of love
Ah la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life is meaningful
Ah la la la la la life is full of
Ah la la la la la life is so full of love

Analysis:
"Life is Wonderful" by Jason Mraz uses a form of repetition, called anadiplosis, to enhance the meaning of the song. Anadiplosis is the repetition of words at the end of a phrase that are used at the beginning of the next phrase. The song is meant to be inspirational, saying that life goes full circle, and everything happens for a reason. The speaker uses anadiiplosis in the first verse to further support his ideas. He sings, "it takes an egg to make a hen it takes a hen to make an egg" to provide an example for his philosophy that life goes full circle. The speaker uses some anaphora as well, repeating the phrase "it takes" at the beginning of most of the lines of the song. This use of anaphora illustrates the dependence one thing has on another in order to make something happen. Cranes are needed to make cranes, thoughts are needed to make words, and it takes some fears to make you trust. Every occurence in life happens because of another occurence, and everything happens full circle. This song uses repetition to enhance its message and meaning, and its meaning makes it optimisitc and inspirational.

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