JC
Explore the significance of disappointment in SZA’s ‘Kill Bill’.
Read the ‘Kill Bill’ lyrics and prep by considering the 3 questions directly below.
- Decide how significant SZA’s disappointment is? You will use your introduction to articulate exactly how significant you feel her disappointment is.
- If you don’t feel disappointment is the only significant factor, what other factors/feelings can you identify that feel as significant as SZA’s disappointment?
- What, in a contextual sense, might influence the way she feels/acts?
- Highlight the quotes that will help you make your argument and label the techniques SZA makes use of.
Target: to write with as much passion as precision!
SZA: ‘Kill Bill’
I’m still a fan even though I was salty
Hate to see you with some other broad, know you happy
Hate to see you happy if I’m not the one driving
I’m so mature, I’m so mature
I’m so mature, I got me a therapist to tell me there’s other men
I don’t want none, I just want you
If I can’t have you, no one should
I might
I might kill my ex, not the best idea
His new girlfriend’s next, how’d I get here?
I might kill my ex, I still love him though
Rather be in jail than alone
I get the sense that it’s a lost cause
I get the sense that you might really love her
The text gon’ be evidence, this text is evidence
I tried to ration with you, no murders or crimes of passion, but damn
You was out of reach
You was at the farmer’s market with your perfect peach
Now I’m in the basement, planning home invasion
Now you laying face-down, got me singing over a beat
I’m so mature, I’m so mature
I’m so mature, I got me a therapist to tell me there’s other men
I don’t want none, I just want you
If I can’t have you, no one will
(I might)
I might kill my ex, not the best idea
His new girlfriend’s next, how’d I get here?
I might kill my ex, I still love him though
Rather be in jail than alone
I did it all for love (love)
I did it all on no drugs (drugs)
I did all of this sober
I did it all for us, oh
I did it all for love (love)
I did it all of this on no drugs (drugs)
I did all of this sober
Don’t you know I did it all for us? (I’ll kill your ass tonight)
Uh, I just killed my ex (my ex)
Not the best idea (idea)
Killed his girlfriend next, how’d I get here?
I just killed my ex (my ex)
I still love him, though (I do)
Look to bottom of this page if you want to see which words and phrases my class highlighted (these highlights will be available next week) – and what techniques they thought might be fun to analyse!
Now, write your essay.
Feel free to use the introduction below. Either that or use one of the ideas you came up with when planning.
SZA’s disappointment is SO significant. She is clearly upset over the split from her ex-lover and the dismay she feels when thinking about him – or watching him get on with his life – threatens to devour her.
Now, support your argument with a flood of evidence. Focus on:
- Analysing as many techniques in each quote as possible.
- Using vocabulary that shows you care passionately about what you’re writing – words that reflect your enjoyment of the writing process!
Vocabulary you might be interested in trying out…
Firstly, it could be useful to make a list of synonyms for any key words in the question. In this case, you would be looking at synonyms for ‘disappointment’…
- blow
- dismay
- frustration
- crestfallen
- dejected
- disconsolate
When writing, you’ll enjoy the process more – and feel greater ownership of it – if you’re able to incorporate words that really do add a sense of fun and personality to your essay.
Although you don’t want to suggest that things are absolute if they’re not, an overall sense of conviction is good! Commit to your argument! Perhaps these words will help invest your writing with a sense of commitment while also offering a sense of tone/humour/personality…
- absolutely
- frankly
- really
- utterly
- inextricably
- The truth is…
- It’s worth noting…
- No wonder…
Use imperatives at the start of sentences to underline your belief in your idea…
- Look at
- Consider the
- Examine the
- Think about
- Remember that
And some more words that offers a sense of oomph and emphasis…
- such
- so
- colossal
- profound
- mind-boggling
- eye-opening
- startling
Here are the ideas the Sound of Pen students highlighted – with techniques added in brackets.
SZA: ‘Kill Bill’
I’m still a fan even though I was salty (juxtaposition)
Hate to see you with some other broad, know you happy
Hate (repetition) to see you happy if I’m not the one driving (metaphor)
I’m so mature, I’m so mature
I’m so mature, (repetition) I got me a therapist (irony) to tell me there’s other men
I don’t want none (juxtaposition), I just want you
If I can’t have you, no one should
I might
I might kill my ex, not the best idea
His new girlfriend’s next, how’d I get here? (rhetorical question)
I might kill my ex, I still love him though
Rather be in jail than alone
I get the sense that it’s a lost cause
I get the sense that you might really love her
The text gon’ be evidence, this text is evidence
I tried to ration with you, no murders or crimes of passion, but damn
You was out of reach
You (anaphora/foregrounding of pronoun) was at the farmer’s market with your perfect peach (plosive alliteration)
Now I’m in the basement (metaphor), planning home invasion
Now you laying face-down, got me singing over a beat
I’m so mature, I’m so mature
I’m so mature, I got me a therapist to tell me there’s other men
I don’t want none, I just want you
If I can’t have you, no one will
(I might)
I might kill my ex, not the best idea
His new girlfriend’s next, how’d I get here?
I might kill my ex, I still love him though
Rather be in jail than alone
I did it all for love (love)
I did it all on no drugs (drugs)
I did all of this sober
I did it all for us, oh
I did it all for love (love)
I did it all of this on no drugs (drugs)
I did all of this sober
Don’t you know I did it all for us? (I’ll kill your ass tonight)
Uh, I just killed my ex (my ex)
Not the best idea (idea)
Killed his girlfriend next, how’d I get here?
I just killed my ex (my ex)
I still love him, though (I do)
And here’s the opening to the essay those same students started in class:
Disappointment is significant but jealousy and resentment might be more so? Most significant of all, perhaps, is the vengeance she enacts – but still it’s true that this vengeance is driven by jealousy, resentment AND disappointment.
SZA is definitely disappointed from the very start. Examine the way she begins with the line: “I’m still a fan even though I was salty.” The juxtaposition highlights the shame she feels about herself – she is cross with because she’s still a “fan” of this person who has deserted her. The embarrassment she feels serves as a catalyst for her “Hate.” The repetition of that verb “hate” reflects her constant dismay and frustration. This feeling is also paralleled within the metaphor; she doesn’t enjoy it when: “I’m not the one driving.” Her disappointment comes from not being in control. In the 21st Century, women are told to take charge of their own destinies, to be independent, but she is not doing that. In a world where she has the opportunity to be free, she feels disconsolate as a result of locking herself to this ex-lover. Furthermore, we should think about the repetition of: “I’m so mature, I’m so mature, I’m so mature.” Here, SZA tries to remind herself that she is not so dependent – she does have the potential to exist on her own.
And do send your work in! We want to publish the most exciting writing!