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Is the song Memory from Cats an example of rhetorical apostrophe?
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
I think it could be read at places both ways, a personification and just a regular noun. Overall, though, I do not think it uses rhetorical apostrophe, which means, "Apostrophe, a rhetorical device by which a speaker turns from the audience as a whole to address a single person or thing." Instead, Streisand draws the audience into the song to recall their own memories, especially the fleeting memories of living.
Here are the lyrics with some comments:
Midnight
Not a sound from the pavement
Has the moon lost her memory (here, the moon is personified as having a memory)
She is smiling alone
In the lamplight
The withered leaves collect at my feet
And the wind begins to moan
Memory, all alone in the moonlight (here, it COULD be read as "Memory is" or "Memory's, all alone in the moonlight." However, Streisand could then have just said Memory's for Memory is...)
I can dream of the old days (Here, referring to herself means it is her memory.)
Life was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was (Again, "I remember" contains no personification.)
Let the memory live again (Let THE memory-- again, it does not sound like memory is an entity.)
Every street lamp seems to beat
A fatalistic warning
Someone mutters and the street lamp sputters
Soon it will be morning
Daylight
I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life and
I mustn't give in (Here, a contraction or apostrophe of omission is used.)
When the dawn comes
Tonight will be a memory too ("A" memory-- no personification here.)
And a new day will begin
Burnt out ends of smoky days
The stale court smell of morning
A street lamp dies
Another night is over
Another day is dawning
Touch me,
It is so easy to leave me
All alone with the memory (THE memory-- again, it does not sound like memory is an entity.)
Of my days in the sun
If you'll touch me,
You'll understand what happiness is
Look, a new day has begun...
A possible revision to make it a more rhetorical apostrophe might be:
Memory, will you continually leave me
Will you make today, as if it had never been
When you leave me, my past thins at dusk
Making me search for you, all over again--
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
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What puccini song did 'memory' from cats rip off?
Girl from the Golden West
Who wrote the lyrics to the song memory in cats?
The lyrics to the song "Memory" were written by Trevor Nunn, based on two poems by T. S. Eliot - "Preludes" and "Rhapsody on a Windy Night".
What are the notes in memory form cats the musical?
I'm not eligable to answer this. Good- Bye!
What is the basic story behind CATS the musical?
All the cats in CATS are having a giant dance but they have to wait for their leader, Deuteronomy, to come before they can begin. As they wait, several of the cats are introduced through songs (The Gumbie Cat, Mungojerrie & Rumpleteaseer, The Rum Tum Tugger, etc.). Eventually, Deuteronomy arrives but is later captured by the bad guy Macavity, but is once again returned to the clan after the magician cat (The Magical Mister Mistofellees) . Deuteronomy's biggest job is to pick the cat that will be reincarnated into another cat every year. There are two candidates that are presented this year: Gus the Theater Cat and Grizabella the Glamour Cat. All of the cats in the clan shun Grizabella because she left the clan to go find fame and fortune but now she is old and unwanted; she sings "Memory". Deuteronomy chooses her and she is sent to the "Heavyside Layer" which is basically the cats' version of heaven. All of the songs in CATS are based off of T.S. Elliot's "Book for Practical Cats" Songs in CATS (the movie in 1998) include: -"Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" - "Tha Naming of Cats" -"The Gumbie Cat" -"The Rum Tum Tugger" - "Grizabella, The Glamour Cat" - "Bustopher Jones" - "Mungojerrie & Rumpleteaser" - "Old Deuteronomy" - "The Awful Battle of the Peakes and the Pollicles" - "Jellicles come to the Jellicle Ball" - "Memory" - "The Moments of Happiness" - "Gus the Theater Cat" - "Skimbleshanks, the Railway Cat" - "Macavity: the Mystery Cat" - "Magical Mister Mistoffelees" - "Memory: Reprise" - "The Journey to the Heavyside Layer" - "The Addressing of Cats"
What is Niall Horan allergic to?
He is said to be allergic to cats.
Where does the apostrophe go in cats?
There are two occasions where an apostrophe would be used. Singular possessive: This is where you are referring to something belonging to one cat. The apostrophe comes before the 's'. For example, the cat's milk. Plural possessive: This is where you are referring to something belonging to more than one cat. The apostrophe comes after the 's'. For example, the cats' milk.
Example of adding apostrophe and s forms the plural of symbols?
Anytime you add possession to an already plural noun (symbol or not), you'll use just an apostrophe at the end of the s. Example: Cats' tails
What does it mean if apostrophe is after s in a word?
If an apostrophe is after the "s" in a word, it typically indicates possession or ownership by multiple people or things. For example, "teachers'" means something belongs to multiple teachers.
What are the types of rhetorical community?
Some types of rhetorical communities include academic communities, political communities, online communities, and professional communities. These communities share common language, values, and goals, and use rhetoric to communicate and persuade within their specific contexts.
When to use an apostrophe after the s?
A possessive apostrophe goes at the end of a word to indicate ownership by a plural subject, hence: "The boys' bike" describes two or more boys who share one bike as opposed to "The boy's bike" which means there is only one boy who owns the bike.
Do dogs have more memory than cats?
cats will have more memory than adog if dogs will have 5-7minutes of memory where as cats will have 16minutes of memory
Where do you put the apostrophe in possevive words?
You put the apostrophe before the 's' in singular nouns, and after the addition of the 's' in plural nouns. So for example: The cat's toy. (Here, we have one cat who is in possession of the toy.) The cats' toy. (Here, we have multiple cats who are in possession of the toy.) Hope that helps!
What does the apostrophe after the word mean?
An apostrophe used after the letter S at the end of the word generally means it is a plural possessive, such as "cats' meow" which is basically referring the meow to all of the cats (plural).Sometimes, however, some words will end in an S without being a plural, such as names, but the apostrophe still indicates that it is possessive. For example "James' notebook" which is saying that the notebook belongs to a singular James.
What does an apostrophe after the word mean?
An apostrophe used after the letter S at the end of the word generally means it is a plural possessive, such as "cats' meow" which is basically referring the meow to all of the cats (plural).Sometimes, however, some words will end in an S without being a plural, such as names, but the apostrophe still indicates that it is possessive. For example "James' notebook" which is saying that the notebook belongs to a singular James.
Is the cats memory sharp?
yes the cats memory are very sharp but there memory is only sharp in catching mice
Does cats eyes have an apostrophe?
Yes. It should be "cat's eyes".
When Do you put an apostrophe before or after the s?
You put it before the s if the following thing belongs to that word. If their are multiples of that word, the s goes at the end. EXAMPLE (ONE cat): That is the white cat's toy. EXAMPLE (MULTIPLE cats): Those are the white, brown, and black cats' toys.
