NCHS AP English Language

Chapter 3 Bob Dylan Pawn Essay by Bobby Katoli

In Chapter of Bob Dylan and Philosophy the author analyzes one of Bob Dylan's, "Only a Pawn in Their Game." The songs refers to Byron de la Beckwith who killed Medgar Evers. However, Bob Dylan states that Beckwith was a "pawn" or the tool used to kill Medgar Evers. Ultimately Beckwith was a "pawn" of the propogandas of the white supremisists.

In essence, Bryon de la Beckwith was brainwashed by the white supremisists. Beckwith was taught to believe that all whites were superior to all African Americans. Like pawns, Beckwith wanted social mobility. Since he was taught that this was the only way of thinking he thought the white supremisists were right. Where you are born in the world makes a difference on how you think and believe. For example, a person born in the MIddle East will be Muslim and a person born in Israel will be Jewish. For Beckwith, he was born where white superiority is taught. Beckwith was also in a "liminla posisition", a position between rigid social categories, and a desperation to stay in the in-group because it seems a matter of lifeand death. The "pawn" is brainwashed to believe taht his society is sinking into a "state of nature" where there will be "a war of all against all." Beckwith's position in this situation is to follow ths principle laid before him by the supremisists.

One cannot judge a pawn but the people that control the pawn. Beckwith was ignorant of the truth. As the author states, Beckwith was "blamelessly ignorant." Beckwith did kill Evers, that's right, but by whose demand, the supremisists. Beckwith was the gun, and the southern supremisists pulled the trigger.

posted by NCHS AP English Language III @ 10:00 AM