Song Analysis 1

                                                                                                            Colin Feeney

                                                                                                            10/16/11

                                                                                                            Class-G

                                                                                                            Song analysis

                In one of Eminem’s most famous and my favorite Eminem song “Stan”, Eminem uses unexpected irony, difficult but good oxymoron and ironic paradox to prove the obsession Stan has for Eminem. Also, Eminem wants to show his fans not to be so obsessed with him and to follow his footsteps.

            In this song Eminem has a lot of unexpected irony. He uses this to show how being so obsessed with someone can make you go crazy and maybe even die from it, like what happens to Stan. Stan goes from being Eminem’s favorite fan (he claims) to hating him because Eminem never writes him back fast enough. “It’s been six months and still no word, I don’t deserve it, I know you got my last two letters, I wrote the addresses on them perfect” This is one of the ways Eminem uses irony in this song.

            Eminem also uses oxymoron in his song “Stan”. “Dear slim, I wrote you but you still aint callin” this line shows how he uses it because he is saying he wrote Eminem but then he is saying that Eminem won’t call him. Also when he says “I know you probably hear this every day, but I’m your biggest fan” he is saying he is Eminem’s biggest fan but obviously he can’t just say that. Eminem uses oxymoron great in a lot of his songs and also in this one.

            Another unique literary device Eminem uses in this song is ironic paradox. “Dear Stan, I meant to write you sooner but I’ve just been busy” this is how Eminem starts off his last verse after Stan has already died. This whole verse is a paradox because the whole thing is ironic. It is ironic because Stan has been writing to Eminem a lot and not getting anything back. Then right when Stan dies Eminem writes him a letter apologizing how it took so long to answer and so on. It is just ironic how it worked out like that.

            Eminem is my favorite rapper/ person in the world and I have been inspired by him since I was like 8. He is a lyrical genius and can come up with the craziest but best lines sometimes. Some of these times he uses some literary devices as well. Eminem will always be my favorite and he uses these devices really good in a smart way.