30/90 by Jonathan Larson Essay Sample

The song “30/90” by Jonathon Larson, expresses his fears for turning thirty. Throughout the entire song, Larson is very adamant and clear about his feelings towards his upcoming birthday (they’re singing happy birthday/ I just wish it all were a dream/ it feels much more like doomsday). Larson is hoping to make it to Broadway with his first musical, but as the days go by he feels like time is slipping right out of his hands. He is consistently hit with waves of realization as he continues to work on his musical (“feels like you’re treading water/ but the riptide’s getting stronger”). He compares himself to other great Broadway directors who got their big break at far younger ages than him leading him to hate his birthday. The happy atmosphere surrounding birthdays is heavily contrasted within the song. Larson frequently follows up the verse “They’re singing, ‘Happy Birthday’ ” with verses that contradict it. For example, the verse “You just want to lay down and cry”. The days are tip-toeing closer to his thirtieth birthday, and he dreads it as he runs out of time.

Despite Larson himself fearing his birthday, the song encourages others to live in the present instead of the future. There are many literary elements and devices that are used in order to get the message across. Similes and anaphoras are used heavily throughout the song (don’t panic, don't jump ship/ can’t fight it, like taxes), (don’t freak out, don’t strike out/ can’t fight it, like city hall). The usage of those two devices calms the audience down as Larson states that turning thirty can not be avoided. To furthermore engage the audience, Larson asks many rhetorical questions during his song (bang! you’re dead, what can you do?/ what can you do?/ what can you do?). The audience is asked a rhetorical question about what they can do about turning thirty. The question makes the audience pause and thinks about the possibility that they can avoid it. It is left unanswered because there is nothing they can do about growing older. All the devices deepen the meaning of the song by exaggerating, emphasizing, and explaining the message. Larson wants the audience to know that they are not alone in their stressful days of growing older, and they should appreciate the times that they are living in now as opposed to worrying about what is to come.