Shifting from an obsessed fan’s
perspective to his own, in “Stan”, Eminem makes use of earnest and bitter tone,
skillfully placed point of view, and gloomy mood that fabricates an
entertaining and mournful tale bound to pull an emotion response from the
listener.
The tone of Eminem is enough to move
any listener and gives life to the mentally unstable fan. The first verse is
sincere, for he claims to be his “biggest fan”. In the story, Eminem does not
write back so he becomes angry. Stan says “You ain’t called or wrote, I hope
you get a chance. I ain’t mad, I just think it’s f**ked up you don’t answer
fans”. Finally after not getting a response in “two months”, Stan becomes
outraged and snaps. He yells into a recording while driving off a bridge with
his girlfriend in the trunk. The resentment in his voice is so strong, even
though it is a fictional story.
The point of view used in this song
adds to the story in a way that could not be expressed without it. Eminem
finally responds to the letters claiming that he was busy and apologizes for
not sending a reply sooner. He talks about how Stan sounds obsessed and that he
should see a psychiatrist, and is about to talk about a news story he saw when
he realizes the man in the report was Stan. He says “Come to think about it,
his name was, it was you?..Damn”. Without point of view, the song would have
been more dull and have less depth.
Mood works coincide with tone to
make listeners experience mournfulness. Everything about the song adds to the
mood. The music, the slow chorus, and the way the narration unravels help
create a gloomy atmosphere. The chorus is “My tea’s gone cold I’m wondering
why, I got out of bed at all. The morning rainclouds on my window, and I can’t
see at all. And even if I could it’d all be grey…” This sounds like someone who
is depressed and cannot see any reason to do anything.
Eminem uses tone, point of view, and
mood to make a sad and powerful song. Tone provides depth and life for the
character Stan. Point of view gives a listener the feeling of surprise when Eminem
writes him back after he commits suicide. Finally, mood strengthens the other
poetic devices and binds the entire song together. “Stan” elements expertly
placed to make it a piece of art.
