Second Essay

For my second essay I have decided to use metaphorical criticism to analyze the recurring metaphor present in music of "Love is a fire" by examining the songs "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash and "Going Down In Flames" by 3 Doors Down.


Metaphorical criticism is a method of criticism that assumes the metaphors that a rhetor uses are necessary and important to the overall message of a rhetorical piece. A metaphor is the linking of two items that compares the first to the second. These metaphors are used to impart the rhetorical vision within something.

Music is full of metaphors; it is difficult to listen to a song from any genre and not see the implications that the lyricist, rhetor, was trying to communicate. I have chosen to look specifically at the recurring metaphor of "Love is a fire". There are many songs that try to describe and use the illustration of love being a fiery thing that takes it's physical and emotional toll on a person. For example, in the Doors Down song "Going Down In Flames" (Lyrics at bottom), the rhetor says "I'm going down in flames, I'm falling into this again". This symbolizes the act of "falling" into love even though love is not a physical action, but an emotional one. He says he is falling into it, saying he is falling simultaneously into flames and into love. Likewise, Johnny Cash uses a similar metaphor for "falling" into love in "Ring of Fire" (lyrics at the bottom). He says, "I fell into a burning ring of fire, I went down, down, down, and the flames rose higher." This indicates that the further you fall into love the more fire there is.

The fire of love could be indicative of the often times rocky and crazy trip that love is. These artists are comparing love to a fire because it is a constantly changing and evolving thing that can help or hurt the individual involved.


"Going Down in Flames"
Don't tell me what to think
Cause I don't care this time
Don't tell me what to believe
Cause you won't be there
To catch me when I fall
But you'll need me when I'm not here at all
Miss me when I'm gone again, yeah

I'm going down in flames
I'm falling into this again, yeah
I'm going down in flames
I'm falling into this again

Don't tell me how life is
Cause I don't really want to know
Don't tell me how this game ends
Cause we'll just see how it goes
Catch me when I fall
Or you'll need me when I'm not here at all
Miss me when I'm gone again, yeah

I'm going down in flames
I'm falling into this again, yeah
I'm going down in flames
I'm falling into this again, yeah

Now, I'm all the way down here
I'm falling
I'm all the way down here
I'm falling down again
I'm falling down
I'm falling down
I'm falling down

I'm going down in flames
I'm falling into this again,
I'm going down in flames
I'm falling into this again

Now, I'm all the way down here
I'm falling
All the way
All the way down here
I'm falling down again now I'm falling down


"Ring Of Fire"
Love is a burning thing
And it makes a fiery ring
Bound by wild desire
I fell into a ring of fire

I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down and the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire

I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down and the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire

The taste of love is sweet
When hearts like ours meet
I fell for you like a child
Oh, but the fire went wild

I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down and the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire

I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down and the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire

And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire
The ring of fire
The ring of fire