The Ballad of Sherman Wu
Sherman Wu's Struggle: Breaking Barriers at Northwestern
Lyrics
As I was out walking
Introduction: Narrator is walking on the streets
The streets of Northwestern
Location mentioned as Northwestern
I spied a young freshman dejected and blue
Narrator sees a saddened freshman
And so when I asked him
Narrator inquires about the cause of the student's sadness
"Why are you dejected?" he said
Freshman explains his inability to join Psi U fraternity due to being Chinese
"I'm Chinese and I can't join Psi U!"
Freshman expresses disappointment and exclusion
"I see by your frat pin that you are a Psi U
Narrator identifies as a Psi U member
If I had a frat pin I'd be one too
Narrator sympathizes, saying the freshman could be Psi U if he had the fraternity pin
If I had a frat pin then I'd be a Psi U
If the freshman had a pin, he could belong to Psi U
I can't have a frat pin
Freshman laments not having a pin
Cause I'm Sherman Wu"
Freshman, named Sherman Wu, explains his Chinese heritage as a barrier
The dean said, "Now Sherman
Dean advises Sherman against causing trouble
Don't make a commotion
Dean discourages airing personal grievances publicly
It's wrong to wash laundry
Reference to airing "laundry" means discussing personal matters publicly
In public you know
Dean suggests the issue will be addressed by the Student Government Board (SGB)
The SGB soon will be making a motion
SGB will condemn the actions bothering Sherman
Condemning the action that bothers you so"
(Empty line)
Now they still haven't made a
Reference to a motion being made by SGB against the issue
Psi U out of Sherman
Indication that Psi U hasn't accepted Sherman yet
Cause Jack Lageschulte said Wu had to go
Jack Lageschulte decides Sherman should not be in Psi U
If he were just Jewish, or Spanish, or German
Contrast with other ethnicities; Sherman's Chinese identity stands out
But he's so damn Chinese the
Emphasizing the distinctiveness of Sherman's Chinese identity
Whole campus would know
The campus is aware of Sherman's Chinese identity
As I was out walking
Repetition of the initial scene, encountering a dejected Chinese freshman
The streets of Northwestern
Setting remains on the streets of Northwestern
I spied a young freshman dejected and blue
Repetition of encountering a dejected freshman
And so when I asked him
Narrator repeats the inquiry about the cause of the freshman's sadness
"Why are you dejected?" he said
Repetition of the freshman's response about being unable to join Psi U
"I'm Chinese and I can't join Psi U!"
Reiteration of Sherman's exclusion from Psi U due to his Chinese identity
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