The Hurricane :: essays research papers

Lyrical Analysis Presentation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On July 17, 1966, in Paterson, NJ, Rubin â€Å"Hurricane† Carter was contending for the heavyweight boxing title, when, one night, he was pulled over and suspected of a murder. There was no evidence or witnesses to prove the Hurricane guilty, but the cops needed somebody to blame; so they fixed the trial, and Rubin received the short end of the stick. He was put away for life for a crime he didn’t commit. This is a true story. The song was written by Bob Dylan to bring Rubin’s situation to the public. Rubin Carter was a black man; so many people, including judges and cops, just turned their head. The Hurricane’s verdict was changed after nineteen years in prison. He is now trying to live the life that was taken from him. Dylan’s song, â€Å"The Hurricane† explains how Rubin Carter was proven innocent, but found guilty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shots were fired, and a triple murder was committed. Two people were at the scene, Patty Valentine and a man, but there were no witnesses. The man next to the bodies said, â€Å"I was only robbin’ the register, I hope you understand.† Somehow this burglar is not suspected of the murder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The number one contender for the heavyweight title is not even near the shootings. It says â€Å"Meanwhile, far away in another part of town, Rubin and a couple of friends are drivn’ around.† But he was pulled over anyway â€Å"just like the before and the time before that. In Paterson, that’s just the way things go. If you’re black you might as well not show up on the street ‘less you wanna draw the heat.† People were very racist back then, and therefore a black man was always suspected before a white man.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The police are at the scene gathering information. The burglar and his partner said they saw two middleweights running, and Patty Valentine agreed with them. A cop sees that the bartenders not dead, â€Å"and though this man could hardly see they told him he could identify the guilty man. The cops have to find a person to blame, and even though it doesn’t say it in the song, Rubin has had trouble with the Chief of Police when he was younger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rubin is hauled to the hospital, so that the bartender could identify him. â€Å"The wounded man looks up through his one dyin’ eye, says, wha’d you bring him in here for?