The Hobbesian Jungle is an archetype of a representation of terror, or nature in its most dangerous form. Hobbes claims that “we are what we are” and that we can’t help but be in the situation we are in, which I believe is incorrect. There is always a way out of a problem; all you have to do is be ready to put in the effort.
GrandMaster Flash’s song The Message paints a society in turmoil and disorder, saying, “It’s like a jungle, it makes me wonder how I keep from going under.” Many individuals are drowning in the demands of the government and the demanding stress of poverty in the inner city. There is a lot of crime and false accusations, and it seems like you’re battling for your life in a jungle and fighting for your life.
In a similar manner, Guns N’ Roses’ Welcome to the Jungle depicts a brutal, lawless world that is symbolic of city life. It shows the dark side of city life and what many individuals go through behind all the glitz and glamour. These two songs are different in that The Message is about someone who did not choose a life of poverty, but Welcome to the Jungle is about someone who migrates to the city and is exposed to it for what it is.
Citations
- Guns N’ Roses, Lyrics to “Welcome to the Jungle Lyrics.” Mide Clink, Axl
Rose, 1987. s://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/grandmasterflashandthefuriousfive
- Flash, Grandmaster. Lyrics to “The Message”. Fletcher, Robinson, Mel,
Bootee, Chase, Sugar Hill. 1982. ww.azlyrics.com/lyrics/grandmasterflashandthefuriousfive
