An excerpt from Henrik Ibsen’s play "A Doll’s House" published in 1879. "Helmer. And I very little, but I have not for a long time seen him in such good form. [Looks for a while at her and then goes nearer to her.] It is delightful to be at home by ourselves again, to be all alone with you--you fascinating, charming little darling! Nora. Don't look at me like that, Torvald. Helmer. Why shouldn't I look at my dearest treasure?--at all the beauty that is mine, all my very own? Nora [going to the other side of the table]. You mustn't say things like that to me tonight. Helmer [following her]. You have still got the Tarantella in your blood, I see. And it makes you more captivating than ever. Listen--the guests are beginning to go now. [In a lower voice.] Nora--soon the whole house will be quiet. Nora. Yes, I hope so. Helmer. Yes, my own darling Nora. Do you know, when I am out at a party with you like this, why I speak so little to you, keep away from you, and only send a stolen glance in your direction now and then?--do you know why I do that? It is because I make believe to myself that we are secretly in love, and you are my secretly promised bride, and that no one suspects there is anything between us. Nora. Yes, yes--I know very well your thoughts are with me all the time. Helmer. And when we are leaving, and I am putting the shawl over your beautiful young shoulders--on your lovely neck--then I imagine that you are my young bride and that we have just come from the wedding, and I am bringing you for the first time into our home--to be alone with you for the first time--quite alone with my shy little darling! All this evening I have longed for nothing but you. When I watched the seductive figures of the Tarantella, my blood was on fire; I could endure it no longer, and that was why I brought you down so early–" In A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, Torvald has a complex relationship with reality that is distorted to his own fantasies, as he daydreams that his relationship with his wife Nora is more exciting and describes this to her. By using a fond tone when Torvald speaks to Nora, and the grammatical structure of how the characters speak, Ibsen is able to portray how Torvald idealizes what his marriage should be like to show how humans will make artificial situations to satisfy their search for the ideal relationship, and yet a true connection cannot be forced and therefore can’t occur. Torvald speaks to Nora with a fond tone, as shown through his use of pet names for her as well as choice of adjectives. At the beginning of the excerpt, the couple have arrived home from a party. Nora requests for Torvald not to look at her with certain implications now that they are alone. Torvald answers, “Why shouldn't I look at my dearest treasure?--at all the beauty that is mine, all my very own?” In this line, he firstly calls Nora his dearest treasure, which is somewhat a strange nickname. This type of nickname is one that would more likely be used for parents speaking to their child, rather than a husband to a wife. This shows how Torvald is trying to reiterate that in their relationship, he is like the parent and Nora is like the child, serving to create what he believes as the ideal dynamic between them. Additionally, at the end of the excerpt while Torvald is describing his imagination of the two being secret lovers when they are in public, saying that, “your beautiful young shoulders--on your lovely neck--then I imagine that you are my young bride”. Torvald repeats the usage of the word “young” implying how he is specifically attracted to having a younger wife, which also reinforces his desire for that parent-like dynamic between them. He describes her body, complimenting her, which displays how he is superficial in what he wants in a relationship. Rather than seeking out a connection with her through discussion or knowing Nora, Torvald only wants Nora to be compilable to his dreams, in which their relationship is primarily physical and primarily only Torvald taking the lead. He is forcing a relationship which will never be built on anything genuine. Additionally, the structure of the excerpt varies with the length of each character’s dialogue. Although the characters take turns speaking, Nora’s dialogue is always less than a sentence, while Torvald rambles on for long lengths. Torvald is the only person engaged in their dynamic. Nora does not play into his fantasies, and rather doesn’t give him the time of day by giving him a satisfactory complicit answer that he seeks. Torvald is doing all the talking and asking, and Nora is just answering. She doesn’t really have a voice, and in this way their relationship feels forced and superficial. Additionally, when Nora does speak, her word choice is an attempt to get him to stop talking. When Torvald is speaking of the guests leaving, he says, “Nora--soon the whole house will be quiet” and Nora replies, “Nora. Yes, I hope so.” She actually wants him himself to be quiet, which displays how she is fed up with the dynamic he is trying to create, and how she really doesn’t care for what he has to say. She also repeats herself later in the conversation saying, “Yes, yes--I know very well” to something that he brings up. Nora is blatantly trying to get Torvald to stop speaking, still because she really doesn’t care for their relationship. For a true connection, both parties would be asking and answering, as well as properly being engaged and enjoying each other’s company. In this situation, neither of those are occurring. Torvald’s search for a true connection like an ideal relationship has is never going to be fulfilled, and yet throughout the excerpt he continues to push this narrative anyways. This displays Torvald’s distorted human desire for connection, but also the obliviousness to how that can properly occur and when someone else isn’t compatible.

I've never been in love, nor dated anybody, but that doesn't stop Taylor Swift's love songs from being my favorites. Perhaps it's the hope of what love can be, in heartfelt lyrics. Or feeling the bitterness alongside Swift's heartbroken songs. Love is a tricky concept. It ebbs and flows, breaks and grows. Taylor Swift had taken a completely new approach to love throughout 1989. 1989 is a contrast to Swift's take on love in the past. Rather than bitter breakup songs or whimsical love songs, 1989 shows a change toward a more realistic and carefree view to love. This shift is perfectly displayed in the song "New Romantics". "New Romantics" stands out to me as my favorite because of the in-between carefree view of love and relationships- alongside the catchy beat. The chorus of "New Romantics" is my favorite part; "Baby, we're the new romantics / Come on, come along with me / Heartbreak is the national anthem / We sing it proudly / We are too busy dancing / To get knocked off our feet / Baby, we're the new romantics / The best people in life are free". Alongside having a catchy pop beat, these lyrics are very well written. The contradictory lines of heartbreak yet being proud of that stands out. It shows that in the end, heartbreak doesn't matter. Keep getting back up, keep dancing, it was never as big of a deal as you thought. This carefree view of love resonates with me, and I feel like it can apply to many. Our society is so focused on finding perfect love and relationships, it's so easy to get caught up in that trend. Instead, stay out of it. Keep yourself busy with other things. I love this message that you don't have to have love, just do what you want and be with who you want instead. Additionally, probably the reason I love this song the most, is the simple line; "the best people in life are free". I feel like this line sums up the song. Surround yourself with good people. They shouldn't cost you anything, any money, anything emotionally. These people that were free to you are with you because they genuinely wanted to be with you- they didn't want or take anything from you. And that speaks a very true message to me because it shows that there are authentic people out there, and they are the best kinds of people- and that I love. Overall, "New Romantics" is my favorite song from 1989 because this song is glittery and fun and makes you want to sing along- while also having very meaningful lyrics. "New Romantics" is a carefree song about being yourself, not following society's trends, and not worrying about love. I can easily pick up these messages and apply them to myself. Fitting in can be hard, but this song explains how you don't have to do that. These messages will continue to inspire me, one of the compelling things that music can do.

Navigating through life is an experience unique to each individual. Taylor Swift embodies this in her song, "You're on Your Own, Kid". Amid the lines of yearning for love, Taylor sings about searching for friendship and fitting into society, with lines hinting to younger and more innocent, childish times. Every hardship and failure is a step towards progress. Every lost relationship shapes who you are and is necessary towards growth. While life is something you have to face on your own, the ultimate realization that Taylor portrays is that that's how it's always been, stated in the line "You're on your own, kid, you always have been". Prior to that line, though, she provides the comfort that you have no reason to be afraid, you can face this. You've always been alone in your journey through life, which is exactly why you can conquer anything. In the end, all your choices are your own and always have been, and so will be everything you experience, and this is oddly comforting. This song has the most important message to me because I feel like it has a strong message that I can resonate with. I've always felt on my own, and while Taylor blatantly states that we're alone, she provides comfort and encouragement. The childhood parallels in this song make me even more emotional, and just as how this song has parts where it's as if Taylor is talking to a younger version of her, I can picture myself saying these lines to a younger me, too. Heartbreak, relationships, failures, journeying through life, are all relevant topics in my own life. It's comforting to know that even though I'm on my own, that's how it will always be; therefore I can do anything.