Rhetorical Analysis "Concrete Angel"

I chose the song Concrete Angel by Martina McBride. Martina uses methods of pathos, ethos, symbolism, and imagery. This song is based on a true story, so it reflects all of the events in order in which they occured. The name of the song, Concrete Angel, gives it a powerful meaning because no matter how hard the little girls life got, she faced everyday with a smile and incentive. Because of how strong she was her heart and soul will live on in "A place where she's loved." This songs imagery will leave the audience grief-stricken.
Like any other song you don't get the full meaning of a song until you read the lyrics, as well as watch the video. In reading the lyrics to the song, Concrete Angel, tells a story about a little girl. She goes to school wearing a dress in hopes to cover up all the imperfections on her body. The girls school teacher believes there is something wrong but never mentions anything, instead she ignores it. Also, the little girl is going through something so dreadful that "Sometimes she wishes she was never born." No matter how hard she tries to stay strong through it all, she can't get ahead or overcome it. Then one night the neighbors hear noises coming from the house but reject any suspicions, and just "Turn out the light." Then when morning rolls around it's already too late, and "She flies to a place where she's loved." The only thing remaining is a gravestone that lies above her in a shaded place.
When I watched the video for the song, it gave me a better grasp of what the song was talking about. It's a story about a girl named Angela Carter who is trying to deal with the abuse from her alcoholic mother. She goes to school like any other child with a lunch she's packed in one hand, and her school books in the other. She is wearing the same dress she wore the day before to try and hide the bruises on her body. Some people, including her school teacher, see's the bruises but doesn't ask any questions. The little girl become friends with the little boy who lives next door to her. On a dreary night the little boy and girl are both at their windows talking to each other, when suddenly the girls mom burst into the room. She starts yelling and beating the girl in a drunken rage. She eventually beats her to death while the little boy is watching. By the time morning comes around and the ambulance arrives, it's to late. She is buried in the cemetery with her name carved into the gravestone. At the end of the video, it revealed that the little boy is actually and angel who has been watching over her the whole time. They run away together holding hands "To a place where she's loved."
I can't even image being in Angela's place. The song is about more than just abuse, she is taking care of herself because her mom doesn't feed her of as much even care about her it seems. She tries to stall going home because she is praying someone will come rescue her from this nightmare. This song makes you begin to realize what some helpless children are going through in the world we live in, and it puts an unsettling feeling in my stomach and tears my heart apart. It makes me enraged and heavyhearted at the same time because I hear all types of stories like this, but yet there is nothing I can do about it. Lastly, this song is actually based on a true story.

Concrete Angel lyrics

She walks to school with the lunch she packed
Nobody knows what she's holding back
Wearing the same dress she wore yesterday
She hides the bruises with the linen and lace, oh

The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask
It's hard to see the pain behind the mask
Bearing the burden of a secret storm
Sometimes she wishes she was never born

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place
Where she's loved concrete angel

Somebody cries in the middle of the night
The neighbors hear but they turn out the light
A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate
When morning comes it will be too late

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place
Where she's loved concrete angel

A statue stands in a shaded place
An angel girl with an upturned face
A name is written on a polished rock
A broken heart that the world forgot

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place
Where she's loved concrete angel