DeVona L. Cordell
English Composition 2
Professor Kate Brady
February 8, 2009
Essay #1 (First Draft)

Does Anybody Hear Her- Casting Crowns

This song has a message for everyone. It shows, pain, suffering, loneliness, human kindness and acceptance. In today’s society, we run from one activity to another. Many times missing opportunities to make a new friend, help someone who is struggling, or just make a difference in someone else’s life. Mark Hall lead singer of Casting Crowns says, “They are all around us. To become numb to their pain is to become numb to the very heart of God and the suffering of His only Son.” The repetition and flow of the phrase “She is running a hundred miles an hour, in the wrong direction,” shows the rhetoric appeal to our ethos and that if she is going in the wrong direction, which direction she should be going?
This song is not able religion, but a relationship, a relationship with people and with self. How will I react? Will I notice them? When watching the video, it showed her jogging past a group of people who don’t even look her way. It makes me think of the many times I have been so preoccupied in my own life, that I’ve missed opportunities to give someone a smile or kind word. She was looking for a relationship with people and ends up in the arms of a stranger who told her what she wanted and needed to hear.
What would have made the difference in her life? The story line leads you to believe that she has struggled, been indifferent and growing cold over many years. There is one very important part in the video. She is at home and trying to get some attention from her father, but he is too busy lo even look up from his paper. Why doesn’t he see her? Doesn’t he know how important that relationship is? Would life have been different, if she had a better relationship at home? I think so, the relationship between parent and child is extremely important, especially the relationship between father/ daughter and mother/ son. Many of us can relate and wish our relationships with our own parents were different. We see how this relationship good or bad, has molded and shaped a part of who we are.
I believe the songs target audience is women, I posted this on my Facebook and all of my responses were from women, who were feeling a lot of pathos about the song and relating past experiences of their own lives. But it is so much more; I wonder how men feel about this song? Does it relate to them, do they feel it has enough logos to be credible? What about the one night stand, wasn’t he looking for more?
What in life are we searching for? Do we even know the answer to our own loneliness? Is it “a hero to ride in to save the day?” Is it a religion or a group of people who understand? Do we really see the hurting people around us? Casting Crowns are credible because of their commitment to youth. As youth leaders, they are trying to answer the question of, what is the distance between Sunday and Monday mornings for their teens. What happens when they go home? They spent countless hours reading the Myspaces of their youth and trying to understand their struggles... It was clear to them that life is a journey, with all its struggles and victories. Their songs appeal to human needs and life, with all of its struggles and successes.
The last line in the song is, “He is running a hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction,” shows us another person who is hurting and in pain. We all have opportunities in our life to show kindness and acknowledge others. What we think of as a meaningless conversation, could mean life or death for someone else.
Will we make time? Will we slow down enough so we don’t miss it? Would we see this differently, if someone missed talking to our own child who was struggling? I believe that my faith in Jesus has helped me to see, understand, and appreciate my own relationship with my parents. I know that I was raised in a family who loved me and wanted the best for me. They did the best with what they knew; I vowed to do a better job with my own children. I believe my husband and I have done that, I guess time will tell.



Works Cited

Hall, Mark, Casting Crowns. 2008 Casting Crowns, c/o Beach Street Records,

February 11, 2008.www.castingcrowns.com/ppandterms.htm


WORDS AND WEBSITE:

Does Anybody Hear Her – Casting Crowns - www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfAxQxoEBvA

She is runningA hundred miles an hour in the wrong directionShe is tryingBut the canyon's ever wideningIn the depths of her cold heartSo she sets out on another misadventure just to findShe's another two years olderAnd she's three more steps behindDoes anybody hear her? Can anybody see?Or does anybody even know she's going down todayUnder the shadow of our steepleWith all the lost and lonely peopleSearching for the hope that's tucked away in you and meDoes anybody hear her? Can anybody see?She is yearningFor shelter and affectionThat she never found at homeShe is searchingFor a hero to ride inTo ride in and save the dayAnd in walks her prince charmingAnd he knows just what to sayMomentary lapse of reasonAnd she gives herself awayDoes anybody hear her? Can anybody see?Or does anybody even know she's going down todayUnder the shadow of our steepleWith all the lost and lonely peopleSearching for the hope that's tucked away in you and meDoes anybody hear her? Can anybody see?If judgment looms under every steepleIf lofty glances from lofty peopleCan't see past her scarlet letterAnd we've never even met herIf judgment looms under every steepleIf lofty glances from lofty peopleCan't see past her scarlet letterAnd we've never even met herIf Judgement looms under every steepleIf lofty glances from lofty peopleCan't see past her scarlet letter And we've never even met herNever even met her(Never Even Met her)(OHHHHH)Does anybody hear her? Does anybody see?Or does anybody even know she's going down todayUnder the shadow of our steepleWith all the lost and lonely peopleSearching for the hope that's tucked away in you and meDoes anybody hear her? (Does anybody hear her?) Does anybody see? (Does anybody See?)Does anybody even know she's going down today? Under the shadow of our steeple (shadow of her steeple)With all the lost and lonely people (Lost and Lonely people)Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and meDoes anybody hear her? Does anybody see?He is running a hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction