Rhetorical Analysis

In the song "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam, forensic proof of the injustices put upon Jeremy by his peers and own parents is offered and defined as the cause of him "speaking in class," meaning commiting suicide in the classroom.

Jeremy would draw pictures of himself lording over a pile of dead bodies, supposedly the corpses of people who had wronged him. He's atop a yellow sun, arms raised high in a V - King Jeremy. No one can touch him. No one can hurt him. He's his own authority. The idea of the picture offers a means to an end. With all of the oppressive factors in his life done away with, Jeremy could be free. The lyrics are to make the audience feel Jeremy's pain. The picture, a better situation for Jeremy, yet unattainable.

Jeremy was picked on by his classmates, and the singer's guilt is clearly unveiled in the second verse. He explains the events he took part in that helped drive Jeremy over the edge. Jeremy's suicide was the consequence of their selfish bullying.