Name: Saga, Edward Louis Eisen R.

| Course Name: GEC 006-CPE12S2 - Art Appreciation | Date:

4/16/2022

1. What parts of the song picture out the life of Vincent Van Gogh? You may cite
the line/s or what stanza/s.
A particular line that sticks to me is “How you suffered for your sanity”, referring to the
schizophrenic disorder that plagued Van Gogh’s life. In the chorus, the author delved
deep into what feelings Van Gogh may have had during his time in the asylum, arriving
to the conclusion that the so called “treatment” Van Gogh received further increased the
torment he himself was fighting internally. With no one listening and caring for him, he
ended his life, considered by general public as a failure who achieved nothing.

2. What is that Don Mc Lean wants to tell us? or What is it that he wants to prove
about Van Gogh which Van Gogh himself failed to prove because people do not
listen?
3. They say that artists are well understood only when they are gone. Do you think
Van Gogh is one of those?
Of course, he is, numerous amounts of artists were written off in the past because of
reasons such as mental disorders when in fact those are the reasons why an artist
became who he/she is. Van Gogh is one of the prime examples of artists that are only
recognized after their death. Had discrimination not existed in the past, I guarantee that
our level of artistry will reach levels that we have yet to reach right now. Another artist
who I am invested in is Edgar Allan Poe, he suffered from a dark past that continues to
haunt him till his last day.
4. Is the sound relaxing? If yes, what made you say so? If no, why not?
It is really relaxing for me. I think part of why I like it is because I’ve started to listen to
older songs. I feel like I can see the things Van Gogh experienced when I close my eyes
while listening to this song. McLean successfully captured the feelings of Van Gogh in his
last few days and I am honored to learn about this song because of this activity.
5. Was the singer able to communicate his message through this song? If yes, what
is the message? If no, why not? 
Yes, he was able to do so. McLean’s intent in creating this song was to spread awareness
of the suffering that Van Gogh experienced during has last few years. McLean made use
of what he is good in and chose to create a song to memorialize Van Gogh. He first read
about Van Gogh while reading an autobiography, and from there on, McLean felt a sense
of need to spread stories about Van Gogh in his own notable way.