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Portraits of Criminals on Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska: The Enigmatic Criminal, the Sympathetic Criminal, and the Criminal as Brother

2007; RELX Group (Netherlands); Linguagem: Inglês

1556-5068

Samuel J. Levine,

Race, History, and American Society

Deconstructing Bruce Springsteen's album, Nebraska, Levine demonstrates how Springsteen's songs challenge modern paradigms of crime, punishment and the American justice system. Professor Levine deconstructs the message of the album by introducing the reader to the three categories of criminals who appear on the album: The enigmatic criminal; the sympathetic criminal; and the criminal as brother. Professor Levine first examines the enigmatic who materializes in Springsteen's title track, Nebraska. This shows no remorse for his crime and makes no attempt to justify or explain his actions. The enigmatic demonstrates how an exploration of the mindset may not yield any insight into the mysteries of senseless acts, their causes, or their motivations. Professor Levine next examines the sympathetic who manifests himself in three separate tracks: Atlantic City; Johnny 99; and State Trooper. These criminals regret their wrongful acts and provide the listener with sympathetic explanations for their conduct and resulting hardships. Such explanations include a man who turns to crime because he is unable to pay his debts though legal means, a whose jail sentence will cause great emotional hardship on his family, and a whose actions stem from a life filled with loneliness, desperation, and despair. Though one does not excuse their conduct, one begins to understand the motivations underlying the criminal's actions. Lastly, Professor Levine examines Springsteen's portrayal of the criminal as in the track Highway Patrolman. This does not openly seek forgiveness or mitigation of his punishment through explanation. Instead, he avoids punishment from the American justice system all together because the patrolman charged with pursuing him is his brother who allows him to flee the country. Professor Levine concludes that Highway Patrolman fuels debate over the boundaries of law, loyalty, and the complexity of striking the appropriate balance between justice and mercy.