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rvandelaar-blog · 6 years

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Once upon a time...

Once upon a time, there were a happily married King and Queen. After the Queen gave birth to her beautiful daughter, they organised a giant birthday party. People from all over the country came to this special event, and brought wonderful presents for the new-born. It was an amazing party and everything seem to go all right. Everybody was dancing, chatting, drinking and one by one they could take a look at the little baby. But half way in the evening, the so far beautiful day turned into a windy and rainy one. No one saw this coming, and suddenly the doors opened and the wind blew all the candles out. The Queen instantly ran to her little Princess, to make she was save.

But when she arrived, an evil Witch was already bending over the crib, inspecting the baby very closely. “Back off!” shouted the Queen, after which the Witch slowly turned around. “Ah, my Queen, there you are. Congratulations with your daughter and the great party, too bad I wasn’t invited. But don’t worry, I brought you and your husband a present. Very kind of me, don’t you think?”

The Witch turned back to the baby, and spoke the following words: “When you, little Princess, turn 15 years old, you will be stung by a weave and die the same day!” After casting this horrible spell, the Witch left immediately. While everybody was still thunderstruck by the situation, a bright and gentle Fairy entered the castle. She could not undo the spell, but softened it: “The Princess won’t die, but she will sleep for over 50 years”.

The years went by and the Princess turned 15. All the weave in the country has been burned the past years and it seems she would make it through the day without hurting herself. However, the Princess went on an adventure and she got in the highest tower of the castle. A weave was attracting her attention, and although the King and Queen tried everything to avoid the Princess of getting hurt, it did happen. Nobody came to the castle anymore since that day, and the Princess was sleeping in a giant room. Many soldiers, men, boys and even a Prince tried to break through the big walls which were built around the castle. They were stuffed with roses, so it was impossible for everyone to get in and save the Princess. Almost 45 years were past, and the 50 years became closer and closer. When the sun came up on the day that the tragic happened was exactly 50 years ago, the Princess was till in a deep sleep.

Then suddenly a Stranger from far away came up and said he would be the man who saved the Princess and will spend the rest of his life with her. He fought for days, but eventually he made it through the big wall. However, he didn’t show his happiness and people on the other side of the wall weren’t sure if he had made it.

What the Stranger saw on the other side of the wall was unbelievable. The Princess was running after 2 little children, and she seemed alive like she has never been asleep for all those years. When the Princess noticed the man, she was shocked a little bit. “What.. what are you doing over here?”. The Stranger explained that he was there to save her for her death, by kissing her and ending her 50 years of sleep. The Princess started to laugh: “What do you mean? I have didn’t sleep longer than just one night.”

The Stanger can’t believe his ears and after a few seconds he also cannot believe his eyes. Bigfoot is entering the big square in front of the castle. “Princess!! Watch out!!” The Princess: “Oh, silly Stranger, don’t be afraid! This is my husband. We have been together for almost 50 years. He was the only one who didn’t leave me after a night of deep sleep..”

The Stranger ran back through the hole through which he came from in the big giant wall and covered the gap with all the stuff he can find, swearing to never go back again. And for the Princess and Bigfoot – they lived happily ever after.

*** THE END ***

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rvandelaar-blog · 6 years

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Robbie Williams – Angels

I sit and wait Does an angel contemplate my fate And do they know The places where we go When we're grey and old 'Cause I have been told That salvation lets their wings unfold So when I'm lying in my bed Thoughts running through my head And I feel the love is dead I'm loving angels instead

And through it all she offers me protection A lot of love and affection Whether I'm right or wrong And down the waterfall Wherever it may take me I know that life won't break me When I come to call, she won't forsake me I'm loving angels instead

When I'm feeling weak And my pain walks down a one way street I look above And I know I'll always be blessed with love And as the feeling grows She breathes flesh to my bones And when love is dead I'm loving angels instead

Song analysis Repetition: The whole song has a lot of repetition. Not only on the end of a sentences but also in the whole song. Every stanza and refrain ends with the same sentence “I’m loving angels instead”. I think repetition mainly used in songs because it gives rhythm, and this is in my opinion is the most important part of a song. Repetition in a song doesn’t always have to be a sentences but in this the biggest repetition of the song.

Metafor: “And down the waterfall Wherever it may take me I know that life won't break me” He is suggesting that his life is worthless and he lost control. The water(life) is taking him somewhere be he doesn’t know where it will end, he is letting himself go and takes a deep dive into the unknown. Although he beliefs in something that will ‘save’ him and won’t break his life, so everything will turn out in a good way.

It is a really powerful part I think, possibly many people will recognise this struggle and the part ‘I know my life won’t break me’ is an amazing end. People might get some strength out it or inspiration, which I think is the most important purpose of a song.

Personification: “Does an angel contemplate my fate” An angel doesn’t exist, so he is suggesting something unreal, although he makes it an existing thing. It gives him fate to keep up and don’t give up.

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rvandelaar-blog · 6 years

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rvandelaar-blog · 6 years

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Traditions, things that shouldn’t be changed, or should they?

The Netherlands is a county which has a lot of traditions for ages. People are changing, the country is changing, traditions fade out and traditions are adapted to the changing culture all over the world. but still every year the same discussion is int he news for a couple of years. Maybe you know what i’m talking about, maybe not. But the Black Piet discussion is a discussion i think will be there the rest of our lives.

The NOS reported an article about the changes of Black Piet during the last 1500 years. There have been 6 different types of Black Piet and it is “normal” that they change. They are transforming into the type of Black Piet which fits with the culture of the Netherlands at that moment. In 1850, Black Piet was the servant of St. Nicolaus and he looked almost the same as African people. But the fact that there almost were no Africans in the Netherlands, nobody knew that this could end up like the racism of discrimination feeling by others those days. But I don’t think that this is the main point of the problem people are dealing with at this moment. However, if you see the changing throughout all the years, you see that the citizens never stop changing. Will the world be satisfied, ever?

Everybody wants to be equal. And because there are coming more immigrants to the Netherlands the numbers of cultures and opinion increases. Those two topics are contradicted. More opinions could result in less equality, which results in more discussion. And that is what is happening right now.

What the people want right now, is no discrimination, no reference to African people who are the servant of a white man. It is a painful topic for all the humans who were involved in the times of slavery, or that their family was involved at during this years. I think this is completely understandable. But I do not agree with the fact that they should be coloured in all colours of the rainbow. In my opinion, this change is too extreme. It isn’t realistic anymore!

If we are becoming that multicultural as we say we are, why shouldn’t there be an Asian black Piet, an African black Piet, a white Black Piet, etc.? At that point, nobody can complain about being discriminated by their colour or their skin anymore. I agree that we have to go along with modern times like we are in today.

Although I think that the people in the Netherlands will find something else to complain about. Dutch people are nagging a lot about whatever they think they might or could nag about. Maybe it is a good thing that they are nagging about this topic. It could go on forever and if this stays the main topic people nag about, it means that the other topics are doing quite well.

To conclude my opinion, it has two sides like you could have read. On one hand, we should stop nagging about the black Piet and keep up with the modernisation. But on the other hand, it might be better for the Netherlands that this is the main point which we are nagging about. Of course, there are other topics which are in the news every week, but at this time of the year, people only care about this topic. Which probably is a good this so everybody forgets a little bit all their other problems.

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