Bob Dylan Like A Rolling Stone

Am I a Stone?

                After reading and listening to "Like a Rolling Stone" I am surprised by the universal message Dylan is giving. This song is a timeless story about growing up and living life.  This song seems to be sung as if he is asking the listeners, what are they going to do about what is going on?  The way the story is depicted by Dylan, this song can be listened to by any generation and applied to their lives.

                Each verse of the song depicts different parts of the struggles a person is going through.  First, it seems to be describing teen years while living with parents and having no worries about life. Growing up they hear that they need to do something or you will end up failing. When you are on your own, things will be different and it will not be easy. Then it goes on to describe how the school system has done nothing to prepare for life, and you end up settling for less than you dreamt for.  According to Dylan, you eventually are no longer entertained by life, and will be taken advantage of. As this happens to you, the government is having a good time, pretending everything is ok. When the government calls for you, you will answer because you have nothing. In this case it seems to be to go fight in Vietnam. This message at first was used to explain life in the fifties which lead to the vast changed in the sixties.

                Bob Dylan is able to convey a message about growing up and the struggles of life that are universal for all time periods. Personally, this song makes me wonder, what my government is doing to make my life better.  Look at the sixties compared to now, people are having problems getting educated and getting jobs, the government is sending a message that they know the answer to the problem. I find it very interesting that over all this time, things have not changed. Dylan's message still has a timeless meaning to it and will be as true in the future as much as it is now and in the sixties.