“Mockingbird” by Eminem addresses the topic of bad pasts. The song describes the speaker’s bad past fathering his poor, dysfunctional family. The lyrics are directed at the speaker’s daughters, reassuring them that everything will be fine, even though things seem bleak. “Mockingbird” presents a theme that explains that even when time are tough, family is still there for you. The theme is first presented in the second line of the song “I know sometimes things may not always make sense to you right now, But hey, what daddy always tell you?
Straighten up little soldier” (Mathers 2-4). In this quote, the speaker is telling his oldest daughter to stay strong during these hard and confusing times. This quote introduces the tone of the whole song.