Alone in a Crowded Room

Literature grows and evolves everyday, but wether a classroom of students study the classic tales of Shakespere or the modern novels of J.K. Rowling they learn that some things never change. The literary themes and devices of ancient times develop throughout modern times. The modern saying that someone can feel alone in a crowded room sumarizes a similar theme between "The Seafarer" written by an unknown author and "You Found Me" written by The Fray. The two works portray a common theme that finding God helps change the emotion of lonliness and disappointment by using the similar elements of rhetorical questions, repitition, motifs, and mood shifts. Rhetorical questions, used in both peices, help to develop a feeling of disappointment. "The Seafarer" questions "Who could understand / in ignorant ease, what we others suffer / As the paths of exile stretch endlessly on?" (Unknown 55-57) that shows the reader the Seafarer, alone in exile, wants someone to help him overcome his sufferings. Although he also feels that nobody can help him because his own experiences and hardships display unique qualities. Similarily, the speaker of "You Found Me" asks "Where were you / When everything was falling apart?" (The Fray 9-10) which repeats the idea expressed in "The Seafarer", that the speakers only want somebody to be their friend. Eventually, both speakers find a friend in God. Another common literary edvice, Repitition, conveys the alike motifs of lonliness and disappointment. The Fray continuously writes "Where were you? Where were you?" (l. 22) that ties back into rhetorical questions. The speaker portrays that he feels disappointed and alone. With the constant use of the phrase "Why'd you wait?"(l. _) the speaker of "You Found Me" begins to express to the author why he struggles with depression. The speaker battles with the daunting reality of living a life alone. "The Seaferar" repeats the word no. Such an example exisits in these quotes, "Now there are no rulers,