Thesis

Lyrics can be found here.

Dan Campbell of The Wonder Years incorporates consistent imagery, frequent alliteration/consonance, and structured repetition in the song "Passing Through a Screen Door" to portray his emotions of fear and incompetence in a world where "it's all a lie, what they say about stability."

One factor that plays a substantial role in conveying the lyrical value of this song is its consistent use of imagery. "Cigarette smoke dances back in the window / And I can see the haze on the dome light / I’m conjuring ghosts on a forty hour ride home / And they keep asking me what I'm doing with my life," Campbell describes, discussing the incessant pressure set by society for him to grow up and do "what you're supposed to" by personifying his fears and portraying them as real-life entities. "I'm terrified / Like a kid in the sixties / Staring at the sky / Waiting for the bomb to fall." This lines uses imagery to provide a simile for the uncertainty of life, and how Campbell is afraid that one day his stable world will be taken away from him in an instant, and he is unsure how he will continue on without a solid ground to walk on.

Another literary aspect of this song that can be evaluated is its frequent alliteration/consonance. "An escape artist's son / Sun-drenched pavement in my blood...What they say about stability / It scares me sometimes / The emptiness I see in my eyes." The abundant "s" and "a" sounds give the song a poetic vibe that feels less like a spoken narrative and more like an original piece. Use of this literary device also weaves the verses together in a smooth-sounding fashion, staying true to the rich lyrical substance that is prevalent throughout his writing.

Lastly, Dan Campbell incorporates a structured repetition. "I’ve been looking for tears in the screen door (tears in the screen door) / I’ve been waiting for another disaster (another disaster)...  And I was kinda hoping you'd stay [3x]" In doing this, Campbell reinforces his emotions and assures the reader that, though he is afraid of moving on and starting a new life, he will get there eventually, but he needs the faith of others in order to do that. Through repetition, Campbell expresses the idea that you should go through life at your own pace, but either way, the world will turn with or without you, and you will inevitably need to outgrow that place where you feel safe.