Not Fade Away
The music, and namely three characters, Joshua, Donna, and the ghost in Not Fade Away, are the most important elements to the book. The title alone is a song by the Grateful Dead, and throughout the entire book, music is present. George Gastin is out on the road the entire book, just like a "rolling stone," and the music is what keeps him upbeat and going. Whether George was chilling out listening to his bud Big Red Loco play the saxophone, or dancing in the car to Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, or Buddy Holly, the music was what made George feel good. George got into the music after a plane crash that claimed the lives of Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, and the Big Bopper, J.P. Richardson. He became aware of them when his true love Kacy came crying to him, distraught, after she heard about the crash. That was what opened George up to their music, and to the Big Bopper, the basis of the novel. The characters as well opened George up to new things: Donna's record player gave Geor
The music and the characters in the book are strung together to allow George to have fun on his journey, and have fun he does. Despite some of the other, less influential characters like Mrs. Nogardam, who was a real pain in the ass for George, music would always make Mr. Gastin feel better after an encounter with one of these characters. When George was gloomy, all he had to do was put on some music and turn his frown upside down. "I listened to everything I had of the Bopper, Buddy, and Ritchie, hoping the sound of their music would stir their lingering spirits to help me......... 'A love for real not fade away!!!'"(221) The station KRZE brought George John Seasons, and Captain Midnight, whom George tuned into on All Hallow's Eve, KRZY allowed George to listen to his good friend, the Reverend Double-Gone Johnson, and KROM had a typical run-of-the-mill DJ, but they played the type of music George had been listening to the whole way. When the music was not playing, making George feel good, the crazy, on-air personalities gave George people with whom George could identify. ge the knowledge of music as well as instant happiness; Joshua's drugs and insanity allowed George to unwind and live a little more; and the ghost's passion for having a good time added for interesting event
Some common words found in the essay are:
Joshua George, Donna George, George Donna's, Johnson KROM, Lace Donna, JP Richardson, Buddy Ritchie, George Gastin, Buddy Holly, George Hey, record player, music george, buddy holly, george feel, george music, allowed george, jerry lee lewis, chuck berry, berry buddy, bopper jp, book music, berry buddy holly, music george feel, chuck berry buddy, bopper jp richardson,
Approximate Word count = 873
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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