Support Paragraphs

Sample Support Paragraph

COLOR-CODED ELEMENTS OF A SUPPORT PARAGRAPH

• • Topic Sentence

  • Evidence

  • Analysis

Told through the tragic story of a young American who was sent to fight in a the Vietnam War, Born in the USA is a cautionary tale about the devastating effects of the military draft, mislead youth, and an overzealous government. In the first verse, Springsteen compares the protagonist of his song (and all Americans) to “a dog that's been beat too much.” This line is quickly followed by the popular and catchy refrain “Born in the U.S.A., I was born in the U.S.A." The repetition and simplicity of this chorus overshadows the story that Springsteen has started to tell.  If listeners missed the tragic story that is started in the first verse, they don’t miss the repetitive chant of “born in the U.S.A.”  As the story continues, the second verse shows the young American as he is armed and sent to Vietnam.  It’s hard to believe that people miss the resentful tone that comes with lines like, “they put a rifle in my hand/sent me off to a foreign land /to go and kill the yellow man”, but they do.  As this tragic part of the story ends, we are again greeted with the widely-misinterpreted chorus: “Born in the U.S.A., I was born in the U.S.A.”  The word choice in these lines reflects the narrow-minded and xenophobic tone of our nation during this conflict.  Referring to the Vietnam soldiers as “the yellow man” does not tell a tale of patriotism, it tells the story of a confused nation that has been swept up by fear and racism.