Narrative Criticism

Fill The World With Love

My second most favoriate song... 

Fill the World with Love - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

From: Goodbye Mr. Chips
Music & Lyrics by: Leslie Bricusse.
Origional Artist: Petula Clark
Album: Goodbye Mr. Chips

Lyrics: Fill The World With Love

In the morning of my life I shall look to the sunrise.
At a moment in my life when the world is new.
And the blessing I shall ask is that God will grant me,
To be brave and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.

(Chorus)
And to fill the world with love
And to fill the world with love
And to fill the world with love my whole life through

In the noontime of my life I shall look to the sunshine,
At a moment in my life when the sky is blue.
And the blessing I shall ask shall remain unchanging.
To be brave and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through

(Chorus)

In the evening of my life I shall look to the sunset,
At a moment in my life when the night is due.
And the question I shall ask only I can answer.
Was I brave and strong and true?
Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

(Chorus)

My Comments:

            Events of the past two weeks have caused me to revisit the inspiring wisdom demonstrated in a song I first learn while attending Dixie College in 1972.  This song, and its powerful lyrics, were first introduced and taught to me by Roene Difiore, as a participant of Dixie’s Program Bureau.  This song became an ambition. 

             What brought this song into conscious were two simultaneous events, only days apart.  First, of learning of my nephews attempted suicide because of his perceived total failures in life at age 34 and second, of a great-nephew being bullied so bad (age 9), that caused him to write a detailed suicide plan last week.  

             Life delivers everyone threatening challenges that sometimes cause us to contemplate ending this precious gift. Without having purpose, far too many succeed in ending their journey.  These lyrics have given me vision not to give up when facing mine.  I hope my nephews may soon find their own foundations.

             This artifact meets the requirements for a narrative criticism as it tells a story with both active and stative events drawing on emotions of the rhetor and listener.  It clearly is organized in the life cycle time sequence. The message also promotes change then asks the question if those charges for action were met.  Finally, this narrative has a unified subject to challenge oneself, throughout their life, to fill the world with love.