My poetry class was recently assigned to read Bob Dylan's song "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll." The song shocked me, because it wasn't the normal everyday song that you can hear on the radio.
It tells a story, a true story about a man by the name of William Zanzinger who killed a waitress, Hattie Carroll.
As Dylan sings the song, there is not much emotion that is added to the song. He sings as if he is reading. There is a certain zing to the way he sings. He sounds as if he knows something is wrong with the picture.
Some background for those who are not familiar with Dylan's past. His songs became anthems for the US civil rights and anti-war movement.As I listened to the song, I made the instant connection between the song and the civil rights era. The song does not explain that the women was black and the man was white. My assumption was supported by newspaper articles.
The outcome of this case is appalling, though the court system agreed that it was equal, it turns out that, according to the lyrics, Zanzinger got away with just six months behind bars.
The court system in the past was know for being unjust. The Emmett Till case was probably one of the most inequitable rulings. There was ample evidence of the murder of Till. Because of the prejudice court system, the jury knew their ruling, the moment they were assigned to the case.
Justice was not served at the time for those who died on the accounts of discrimination, but thank goodness today there is fairness within the courts and all mean are equal!
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