Blowin’ in the Wind by Bob Dylan
- Santi
- Oct 16, 2016
- 3 min read
The Meaning Behind “Blowin’ in the Wind”
In the 1960’s America was once again involved in a devastating war. During this time there was many songs speaking against the war. Bob Dylan’s Blowing in the Wind is one of those songs. The anti-war symbols in Blowing in the Wind are impressive. Blowing in the Wind interpretation is about being against the Vietnam War.
“How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?” This opening question to the famous Dylan hit Blowin’ in the Wind alludes to the fact that many young men, barely out of high school, were shipped off to war. The symbolism in Blowing in the Wind shows the belief of the time that going off to war makes a boy into a man, by posing the question essentially what makes you a man. Is it going off down as many winding roads as possible?
The symbolism in Blowing in the Wind continues with “How many seas must a white dove sail before she sleeps in the sand?” This metaphor uses the dove which is widely accepted for a symbol of peace, the opposite of what war is all about. Dylan uses the dove specifically and the phrase “sleeps in the sand” as a reflection of the passage in the Bible of Noah sending the doves out to find land after the flooding of the earth. He was searching for a place to land and rest. Blowing in the Wind meanings is about this rest that comes from peace time.
The anti-war symbols in Blowing in the Wind continue with the next stanza “Yes, ‘n how many times must the cannon balls fly before they are forever banned?” This call to ban cannon balls is a direct correlation with his stance on the war. He wants the firing to stop, the use of destructive weapons to stop. He sees the futility in this. Blowing in the Wind interpretation can really be anchored to this line, he wants the fighting to stop.
“The answer my friend, is blowin’ in the wind. The answer is blowin’ in the wind.” This means that the answer is out there. Blowing in the wind meanings poses the question to everyone about peace but tells us we have to get out there in order to find the answers. The answers can be found if you are interested in finding them.
The symbolism in Blowing in the Wind continues with then following stanza “Yes, ‘n how many years can a mountain exist before it’s washed to the sea?” This is all about life. This is another anti-war symbols in Blowing in the Wind. Those who are about peace will exist longer than those who are for war. The “sea” will swallow the war mongers up first. Blowing in the Wind interpretation is all about being anti-war and surviving longer if you are more interested in being peaceful. The song goes on to ask the question how many years some people can exist before they’re free. This anti-war symbols in Blowing in the Wind tells us that those who are in the midst of war are not free. They are the pawns of the governments.
Symbolism in Blowing in the Wind is all about being anti-war. The Vietnam War was a difficult time for the country. Anti-war songs were part of the era. Anti-war symbols in Blowing in the Wind shows how peace should be without point blank saying war is wrong.
