Ishmael Beah Research Paper

Charlie Hale

Honors English IV

27 February 2024

Thematic Statement Essay

Transformative Potential of Music

Popular culture is most influenced by those experiencing the precipice of innovation, whatever activity younger generations seem to latch onto is what is deemed trendy. Historically, these esoteric niches of youth are the places where communal bonding amongst peers happens most frequently. The phrase “you wouldn’t get it mom” is a demonstrative cliché echoed in popular culture. Whether it is dances like the ‘griddy’ or the ‘dab’ that older folks have trouble understanding, or, experimental music that builds upon historically popular genres – this is how cohesive age-based cultural identity is built. Ishmael Beah in his memoir A Long …show more content…
Music & dance typically serve to unite communities by providing an effective medium of coping with unexpected tragedy.

The idea that self-expression can build upon a community’s strength rather than tear it down through the battle of egos is one explored deeply within Ishmael Beah’s text. Beah often turned to the cassettes and the corresponding dances that he had practiced in his home village. Early on in his hardship, I.B. was saved by music while being accused of being part of the Revolutionary United Front. After the chief guard found the tapes, he asked a boy from Mattru Jong if he recognized Beah and his group of friends from their previous performances of dance. It was only because “he remembered [them] from performances [they] had done” that the group of boys were not drowned as accused rebels (Beah 39). This exact situation happened once again in the memoir, further demonstrating Beah’s attachment to the tapes. When Ishmael Beah and a different group of found friends arrived in a new village on their journey, they were immediately detained due to the town’s fear of rebels. Once again, the …show more content…
As children began trying to adjust to the disease-infested reality of the outside world, many turned to gaming as a virtual escape hatch. It’s no surprise that Fortnite had two critical elements that other games had not mastered in the past, its use of hip-hop and expressive emotes made people forget the worries of the outside world. Fortnite became a tool for children to “[develop] in this virtual context” because they did not have access to the in-person interaction to do so (Navarro 1). It was not the elimination of opponents or taunting through the use of dances that brought Generation Z together though, it was the fact that Fortnite became a way to express oneself and relate with one another through popular songs and emotive expressions. Contemporary artists quickly recognized the potential of the game, with Travis Scott hosting a virtual concert during the pandemic with over “28 million” people attending the event in total (Bertz). This health-conscious way of listening to music is a wonderful way to connect safely without the worries of masks or social distancing. While many people find it hard to believe that

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