I've learned from literary criticism courses that many meanings are possible, not merely the author's intended meaning. As long as the text, or poem, or song, supports the supposed and interpreted meaning it can indeed be subjective, based upon the reader's experiences.
In that vein, I have to say to me, this is a story of lost love from youth. The dog, she is bound to the earth and the ground, to her circumstances which are narrated well by the captivity she finds herself in with the old man. The old man is reality, capitivity. She sees the butterfly she loves and the beauty that is his freedom. She finds him in his secret place and tries to reach him, discovering and laughing about the fact she realizes she cannot fly. She is earthbound; she is the loyal dog and her circumstances contain her within that reality. She cannot however, help but look up to the beautiful butterfly, that represents her lost freedom and true love, and at least try to join him, falling in spite of it again to the warm, soft ground that is her home, her place. She longs for her freedom, she longs to join the butterfly she loves but realizes she cannot, but has to try.
That is the forestructure, my personal reality, that I bring to interpreting this song. It is the personal meaning I attribute to the lyrics. It may be vastly different from your interpretation but it is still supported by the lyrics.
This is not to say that the song, writing or poem can mean anything we apply to it; it must be supported by the text. However, the coupling of the text with our personal interpretations are what bring a myriad of meanings to a singular work. Dog and Butterfly may be then, many things, but to me, it is my song about the freedom I wish so desperately to connect with, but realize I cannot.
I've learned from literary criticism courses that many meanings are possible, not merely the author's intended meaning. As long as the text, or poem, or song, supports the supposed and interpreted meaning it can indeed be subjective, based upon the reader's experiences.
In that vein, I have to say to me, this is a story of lost love from youth. The dog, she is bound to the earth and the ground, to her circumstances which are narrated well by the captivity she finds herself in with the old man. The old man is reality, capitivity. She sees the butterfly she loves and the beauty that is his freedom. She finds him in his secret place and tries to reach him, discovering and laughing about the fact she realizes she cannot fly. She is earthbound; she is the loyal dog and her circumstances contain her within that reality. She cannot however, help but look up to the beautiful butterfly, that represents her lost freedom and true love, and at least try to join him, falling in spite of it again to the warm, soft ground that is her home, her place. She longs for her freedom, she longs to join the butterfly she loves but realizes she cannot, but has to try.
That is the forestructure, my personal reality, that I bring to interpreting this song. It is the personal meaning I attribute to the lyrics. It may be vastly different from your interpretation but it is still supported by the lyrics.
This is not to say that the song, writing or poem can mean anything we apply to it; it must be supported by the text. However, the coupling of the text with our personal interpretations are what bring a myriad of meanings to a singular work. Dog and Butterfly may be then, many things, but to me, it is my song about the freedom I wish so desperately to connect with, but realize I cannot.