Students, teachers say Dylan is deserving of the Nobel Literature Prize

Bob+Dyan%2C+American+songwriter%2C+receives+the+2016+Nobel+Prize+in+Literature.

Courtesy of nobelprize.org

Bob Dyan, American songwriter, receives the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Meghan Edwards and Jazzlyn Torres

Nobel Literature Prize winners include authors such as Ernest Hemingway and Toni Morrison, but literary circles — including ones here at DHS — were somewhat surprised that this year’s award went to singer/songwriter Bob Dylan.

Dylan, a folk singer who gained popularity in the 1960s with songs that touched a generation seeking answers in a time of war, political assassinations and domestic turmoil, is known for such anthems as “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Like a Rolling Stone.”

Still, some critics argue that the award should be given strictly to authors of fiction and poetry. They argue music is not literature, therefore musicians should not be eligible for the award that’s intended to “represent the literary production” of their country, according to the prize committee.

However, supporters of the 75-year-old Dylan argue that his poignant and inspirational lyrics prove him to be rightfully deserving of earning of this award.

Ryan Ferrucci, a junior, says that, “If it was anyone else, I would be mad, but Bob Dylan has the ability to create youthful, rebellious, rock and roll that’s inspiring.”

Ferrucci says that it’s this poetic quality about Dylan that the committee recognized.

Here’s a sampling of his lyrics from “Blowin’ in the Wind,” which has been covered by numerous artists over the years such as folk singers Peter Seeger and Joan Baez:

“Yes, and how many years can a mountain exist

Before it’s washed to the sea?

Yes, and how many years can some people exist

Before they’re allowed to be free?

Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head

And pretend that he just doesn’t see?

The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind

The answer is blowin’ in the wind”

Elise Tobin, who teaches AP Lang and Creative Writing, says, “Bob Dylan writes as a political activist,” which, she adds is in line with the prize’s focus of intellectual artistry.

Tobin used the news to spark conversation within her AP class by assigning it to conduct research on Dylan, which they then used to debate whether he was deserving of the prize.

Unanimously, the students decided he was a justified winner, all arguing that his lyrics were inspirational and timeless.

Senior Dan Baker, who is in Tobin’s class, said, “As writers write of their lives and current issues, musicians do the same. In my opinion a musician winning is a good thing. They deserve the recognition too.”

Baker added that in this technology-driven world, musicians are, in a way, better suited to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

“Musicians are authors,” Baker said. “They may not write novels but they do write music. And in today’s generation we would rather listen to music than read a book.”

Juliane Armentano, who teaches English III and AP Lit, said that Dylan’s winning is “telling of our generation and shows what our generation is beginning to value.”

In this sense, Dylan perfectly sums up the literary production of the United States, as, speaking generally, music is more prominent and abundant than the typical novel or anthology of poems, Baker says.

Ray Coletti, an English IV teacher, says that Dylan’s win started the “acknowledgment that modern poetry is alive and well in music.”

Coletti says some writers can “express the human heart in conflict with itself more effectively than others,” and added that Dylan sits among these artists.

Some critics argued that Dylan’s win would broaden the definition of literature beyond what is reasonable, allowing for the consideration of more poetic musicians of lesser talent.

But Coletti says that not only did it broadened the award choice for more musicians but also screenwriters, directors, producers as, he says, “Film can also be perceived as a type of literature.”

Armentano adds that the fear among some critics is it could essentially lead to pop stars, such as Britney Spears, holding a Nobel Prize.

She says, though, that Dylan is a “prolific writer,” and it is those types of musicians, who are truly artists, that will benefit through the opportunity to win in the future, and it is those musicians that will be considered by the academy.

As the winner of 13 Grammys, a Golden Globe, Academy Award, and countless other honors, Dylan isn’t lacking any credit. Hence, it has been said that he has no need for yet another award, as he’s been graced with countless others, and that the committee should have awarded it to someone more unknown.

This led Tobin to say that, “It is likely that the people who don’t know of the person, also don’t know what the Nobel Literature Prize is, nor do they care about it, period.”

This would cause the committee’s supposed goal, as stated on its website, of bringing fame to a struggling writer impossible.

Tobin, even says that, not only is the desire for unknown winner of the prize fruitless, but also “diminishes the credibility of the award” itself, as they would be unfairly inconsiderate of very talented people, solely for the sake of popularity.

Coletti also argues that Dylan is, in fact, underrated. “Dylan is respected and appreciated but he has never sold the quantity of records that his peers or modern artists sell.”

After the announcement, rumors circulated that Dylan would not attend the ceremony to accept his award, showing ungratefulness while at the same time, leaving people in confusion. One committee member even called his silence “impolite and arrogant.”

But Dylan, during his U.S tour in Alabama, cleared up with a reporter in his first interview in two years, that he will be accepting his award. He has since replied to the committee saying that the prize was, “Amazing, incredible. Whoever dreams about something like that?”

Although Dylan was a more prominent figure during the 1960s, his work continues to surpass the test of time and  influence people today.

Armentano, says that Dylan has a special quality about him and his songs, making him a “storyteller.” She says that this is what people appreciate about Dylan, as stories are what people can connect to, and what they enjoy.

Senior Jessica Ferreira says that Dylan, “Is an inspiration to all that listen to him, not only as an advocate for peace but also an example that anyone who works hard toward success can achieve it, no matter the previously accepted boundaries.”