The Rhetoric of Hope and Despair essays

The Rhetoric of Hope and Despair essays The Rhetoric of Hope and Despair: A Study of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and the Jefferson Airplane American Quarterly, Vol. 23, No. 1(spring, 1971), 25-45 In this journal, Lawerence Chenoweth is trying to develop an understanding of a time period in the late 60s and throughout the 70s is referred to as the generation gap. To reach this analogy, Chenoweth is going to look at two prominent rock groups of that era, the Jimi Hendrix Experience and the Jefferson Airplane. Threw the interpitations of their lyrics what is perceived as their thoughts and emotions are compared to several case studies, which in hopes will relay the thoughts of that era. To help explain why the usage of mind altering experiences where sought. First of all; Chenoweth uses psychological concepts to explain the mind set of these two rock groups (Jimi Hendrix Experience and Jefferson Airplane,) not to say that he is trying to imply that there is some kinds of symptoms of disorder but to describe the products of this period of societal confusion. In ones state of mind, he/she may feel confused and insignificant: one may also seek direction in the way of mind and sensory expansion formulas, or turn to drugs to try to control their thoughts. Many people who enter this state of mind have usually been hurt in the past or are unsure of their future. Causing them to only live for the presence; to free themselves of stress by seeking some type of utopia or to recapture a sense of childhood innocence. They also choose past experiences to create a dreamt up world. Because their ideas are very unconventional, they go untested or questioned by others. It is believed that threw the style in which Jimi played the guitar; there was a chaotic way that his music came out. His music took the audience into his dream world; his reality, and under his voice they where guided by his lyrics into his fantasized esca ...