Review our Discussion Board instructions so that your replies can shine.
Discuss the following questions:
1. What messages/ themes does Beyonce express through the song and video?
2. Are those messages/ themes similar to your initial reaction to the song and video?
3. How did Matsoukas help Beyonce convey those messages/ themes?
4. Find at least 2 examples of emotive language or rhetorical devices. What role do they play in the song? Be specific/ use evidence from the text.
5. Why do you think the song and video became controversial?
Replies: Read your classmates’ posts. Reply to at least 1.
One thought on “Conversation 2: Language”
Beyonce uses multiple messages and themes to express how she feels about what was and still is happening throughout the world which is the degradation of black people. The video takes place in New Orleans during the aftermath of hurricane Katrina as she speaks upon many things including her mixture of races, physical appearance and Blue Ivy’s hair which was controversial because of the texture. She showcases black southern culture throughout the video several times whether it was her dancers wearing big afros or braids, a black owned marching band, a black owned church full of black people preaching and praising, mardi gras etc. The most important message of all the police brutality black people still face. She has a line of policemen and a black person dressed in all black with their hands up on a wall is written stop shooting us. These messages and themes are definitely similar to my initial reaction. I remember watching this video after the killing of Eric Garner. It felt so empowering to watch as she shows visual representation of BLM and black culture and speaks on the behalf of black people period. Beyonce’s director helped portray her message and theme in many ways including visual storytelling, historical references and cultural iconography. The sinking of the police car, to show racial and social injustice. Showing the newspaper of DR Martin Luther King during the civil rights movement. Last but definitely not least the imagery of black culture. Beyonce uses the empowering statement of “i dream it i work hard i grind til i own it” this statement alone inspires determination in working hard and earning what you want. She also uses alliteration in the line “my daddy alabama my momma louisiana” to show her southern heritage and identity. The song and video of “Formation” created controversy due to its unapologetic engagement with social and political issues, its use of imagery and symbolism, and its timing, as it coincided with significant discussions around racial inequality and police brutality in the United States.Beyoncé’s willingness to use her platform to address these topics and her unapologetic celebration of Black culture and identity were key factors in the controversy surrounding the song and video. I think her making and creating this song was a complete masterpiece for the black community.