OPTION 1/Literary Analysis

OPTION 1/Literary Analysis of WWI

Objectives of the assignment:

Here are the steps for being successful with OPTION ONE.

1. Choose a(n) topic/event/person leading up to WWI.
2. Find a poem/song/piece of writing that applies to your topic/event/person.
3. Analyze the poem/song/piece of writing by EXPLAINING how your topic/event/person and your poem/song/piece of writing are related!!! BE CLEVER, but not lofty! There are times when things are obvious and times when things are unseen by the naked eye. Choose your path wisely. I’m confident that BOTH will challenge you.

FORMAT FOR OPTION ONE…please number your response as shown below.

1. Type your topic/event here. Then provide a summary. Now post a link where someone can learn more about the topic/event.
2. Copy and paste the poem/song/piece of literature you found here. Now post a link where someone can find it.
3. Now write your analysis. (for each piece of commentary you have, copy and paste a line from the poem as a concrete detail and include specifics about the event.)

My Topic/Analysis

1. Alliances prior to WWI

alliance; a union or association formed for mutual benefit, esp. between countries or organizations

Here is a list of some influential alliances formed prior to WWI (*Note: The more important alliances have summaries, but all have links to get more information from. Also, the alliances are in chronological order):

• The Emperor’s League (1873) http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/threeemperorsleague.htm 
• Berlin Congress (1878) http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Congress_of_Berlin.aspx 
• Dual Alliance (1879) 

The dual alliance was made between Germany and Austria-Hungary It was simply an agreement between them saying they had each others back if Russia or France tried to attack. http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/dualalliance.htm

• Three Emperor’s League (1881) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_of_the_Three_Emperors
• Austro-Serbian Alliance (1881) http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/86088.html 
• The Triple Alliance (1882)

In 1882 Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy formed the Triple Alliance. The three countries agreed to support each other if attacked by either France or Russia. France felt threatened by this alliance. Britain was also concerned by the growth in theGerman Navy and in 1904 the two countries signed the Entente Cordiale (friendly understanding). The objective of the alliance was to encourage co-operation against the perceived threat of Germany. http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/triplealliance.htm

• Austro-German-Romanian Alliance (1883)

The Austro-Romanian alliance is barely known between people since both countries were not “dangerous” to others. When Serbia and Romania joined the triple alliance, Romania and Austro-Hungary had alliances with each other, because Austro-Hungry wanted to take over Romania, and Romania needed protection. Eventually, the triple alliances broke and everything fell apart even before Austro-Hungary could do anything to Romania. http://www.docshare.com/doc/137816/Otto-von-Bismarcks-foreign-policy-genius-afte 

• Franco-Russian Alliance (1894)

The Franco-Russian Alliance was a military alliance between the French Third Republic and the Russian Empire that ran from 1892 to 1917. The alliance ended the diplomatic isolation of France and undermined the supremacy of the German Empire in Europe. France would remain the principal ally of Russia until 1917, from an economical, financial and military point of view. http://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/The_Franco-Russian_Alliance_Military_Convention

• Russo-Bulgarian Military Convention (1902) http://www.worldwar1.com/tlalli.htm#rb
• Entente Cordiale  (1904)

The Entente cordiale is a series of agreements signed on 8 April 1904 between the United Kingdom and the French Republic. Beyond the immediate concerns of colonial expansion addressed by the agreement, the signing of the Entente cordiale marked the end of almost a millennium of intermittent conflict between the two nations and their predecessor states, and the start of a peaceful co-existence that has continued to date. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/188822/Entente-Cordiale 

• Anglo-Russian Entente (1907) http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/25097/Anglo-Russian-Entente
• Triple Entente (1907)

Russia, who feared the growth in the German Army, joined Britain and France to form the Triple Entente. The Russian government was also concerned about the possibility of Austria-Hungary increasing the size of its empire. It therefore made promises to help Serbia if it was attacked by members of the Triple Alliance. http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/triple_entente

Other good links for the alliances: http://www.worldwar1.com/tlalli.htm, http://www.historywiz.org/alliance.htm 

1. “Lean On Me,” by Bill Withers

Sometimes in our lives

We all have pain

We all have sorrow

But if we are wise

We know that there's always tomorrow

Lean on me, when you're not strong

And I'll be your friend

I'll help you carry on

For it won't be long

'Til I'm gonna need

Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride

If I have things you need to borrow

For no one can fill those of your needs

That you won't let show

You just call on me brother, when you need a hand

We all need somebody to lean on

I just might have a problem that you'd understand

We all need somebody to lean on

Lean on me, when you're not strong

And I'll be your friend

I'll help you carry on

For it won't be long

'Til I'm gonna need

Somebody to lean on

You just call on me brother, when you need a hand

We all need somebody to lean on

I just might have a problem that you'd understand

We all need somebody to lean on

If there is a load you need to bear

That you can't carry

I'm right up the road

I'll share your load

If you just call me

Call me (if you need a friend)

Call me (Call me)

Call me (if you need a friend)

Call me (if you ever need a friend)

Call me (Call me)

Call me 

Call me (if you need a friend)

Lean on me...

(continues until it fades into the end)

Link for lyrics: http://www.leanonmelyrics.com/

Link for song (with music): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPoTGyWT0Cg

1. For this assignment, I chose to focus on the alliances in World War I, and how they apply in the song “Lean On Me,” by Bill Withers. 

I will begin with the first verse. “Sometimes in our lives, we all have pain. We all have sorrow. But, if we are wise, we know that there's always tomorrow.” This verse illustrates the fact that everything, (human, society, empire, country), has their downfall. However, this verse makes the point that “if we are wise, we know that there's always tomorrow,” which could refer to the benefits of forming an alliance and looking into the future knowing that someone else, (a country for example [making this relate to alliances in WWI]), has your back.

Secondly, the verse that consists of “Please swallow your pride, if I have things you need to borrow. For no one can fill those of your needs, that you won't let show.” I think this relates to alliances because it shows how despite the reputation of any commended country, everybody needs some help every now and then. I think the “things you need to borrow” could be supplies from the countries part of the alliance with the struggling country. 

Also, the second part of the verse, “For no one can fill those of your needs, that you won't let show,” demonstrates the sometimes dishonesty of alliances. An example of this could be with the country of Italy, which started in the Triple Alliance, but conformed later into the Triple Entente.

Another example of the relationship between alliances in WWI and “Lean On Me,” is the verse, “If there is a load you need to bear, that you can't carry. I'm right up the road. I'll share your load, if you just call me.” I think the parallels of this and alliances is that the load to carry could be the eminence of a war or political/military trouble that could be consuming the leader of an empire in an alliance.

Lastly, the most commonly used verses, or refrain displays the similarities quite well. 

“Lean on me, when you're not strong... Somebody to lean on,” could refer to the “friendship” of  countries in an alliance.  In most healthy friendships, friends return favors, and the message that you can rebound (get a country back on it’s feet) and from each other’s help comes across in this verse.

“You just call on me brother, when you need a hand. We all need somebody to lean on. I just might have a problem that you'd understand. We all need somebody to lean on.” This verse means that a type of brotherhood (or “countryhood”) could be formed between countries in an alliance. 

There are many alliances, therefore there are good and bad alliances. Similarly, there are good and bad brothers. This song focuses on the positive brother that helps you in your time of need. A good alliance would do the same.

That concludes my thoughts about how alliances apply to the song “Lean On Me,” by Bill Withers.

~Elizabeth :)