Essay Questions

How does the song criticize racism?

The song is a direct criticism of the racism against black people in America. It is a criticism on a larger scale, criticism of the wrongdoing by the humanity, such as greed, war, oppression and racism. The racism is directly implied in the second verse, with the questioning of freedom which is not directly connected to the existence of a human being when it comes to racism. The song also criticizes the ignorance, and decision to be ignorant, turning a “blind eye”, which is just as bad as the direct intended racism.

In what way does the song use symbolism to reveal a deeper meaning?

The song is full of metaphors and symbolic meanings, some are direct and clear, and other vague and open to interpretation. In the opening lines, “the road” can be interpreted as being a symbol of life and growth. The next lines mention a white dove, which can also be interpreted in different ways: a symbol of peace, or a direct reference to the Biblical meaning. The last lines of the first verse are more clear, and there is only one interpretation: cannonballs as metonymy for war.

How can the line “blowin’ in the wind” be interpreted?

The main line of the song, namely “blowin’ in the wind”, has paradoxical elements when it comes to its interpretation. The line can be interpreted as the lack of an answer, or the answer being obvious. It could be said the answer is “blowin’ in the wind” because the answer is obvious, all around us, but it could also be said that there is no answer, the answer is lost with the wind.