A Plea for Climate Justice: The Rhetorical Situation in “Fallen Fruit”

In her song “Fallen Fruit”, from her 2021 album Solar Power, pop artist Lorde brings to light the heartbreaking realities of how climate change has permanently altered life for this and all future generations. She uses the song to express sentiments of frustration concerning the lack of meaningful action taken by older generations. This song effectively catches the attention of her predominantly young fanbase through unique lyrical choices as well as a deeply personal approach to the subject. Lorde’s intentional use of her music to both address climate change and criticize the actions that contributed to it is a clear example of an artistic response to a “rhetorical situation”.

As explained by Lloyd F. Bitzer, a rhetorical situation is one that holds a certain sense of urgency but also a set of limitations (5). This urgent element, also referred to as “exigence”, is often a time-sensitive issue that must somehow be addressed in an effective way by the audience as a result of the author’s rhetoric. Additionally, limitations or “constraints” in a rhetorical situation can exist in the audience’s preconceived ideas about the topic at hand or in the challenges presented by the medium through which the author delivers the rhetoric. These constraints pose unique challenges that can limit the rhetoric’s impact and the audience’s willingness to take action in regards to the exigence. The audience themselves also play a crucial role within a rhetorical situation, as they can impact the author’s choice of tone, style, or format as they bring awareness to the exigence. Each rhetorical situation presents a unique set of challenges through the countless intricacies created by the unique combination of the audience, exigence, and constraints. These three components present themselves in a unique but vivid way in the song “Fallen Fruit”.

In the rhetorical situation of this piece, the exigence can be classified as the immediate need to fully acknowledge the damage caused by climate change and redirect our actions before it progresses further. If all generations are aware of climate change and prompted to research how they can make a difference, these efforts could create a ripple effect to more sustainable practices and policies in our world. This may seem like a lofty goal, but awareness and passion for change are the crucial first steps towards action. The general population’s emotions concerning the crisis and perception of their own influence on the environment greatly affect their willingness to push for meaningful change (Hoggett 154). Once citizens realize the power their collective actions hold, the exigence can be addressed and further progress can be achieved. Lorde realizes the power of this unity among all people and attempts to heal the rift between generations that would otherwise make progress impossible. With lyrics stating, “And we will walk together… But how can I love what I know I am gonna lose?” the singer reconciles the generational gap that created a point of contentment in the song’s earlier lyrics. She ultimately extends a hand of solidarity to the older generations, implying that the only way to address this threatening exigence is through our collective effort. This approach successfully acknowledges the nuanced exigence that exists in the climate crisis.

Contrary to the song’s conclusion, which offers a feeling of unity, the earlier verses seemingly put the blame on older generations for allowing climate change to reach the irreversible level that it has. Because Lorde’s audience widely consists of the young people within her fanbase, the lyrics “To the ones who came before us… We had no idea the dreams we had were far too big” serve as an unexpected blast aimed at older generations for their lack of action on this issue. This accusation restricts her already limited audience even further by ostracizing the older listeners and creating in them a feeling of reluctance to receive its message. This limiting idea is also continually re-established in the main hook of the song which states, “You’ll leave us dancing on the fallen fruit”. However, Lorde approaches the exigence not from an activist’s perspective, but from an artist’s, letting personal sentiments take precedence over factual data. This overtly emotional plea, in a way, draws the remaining audience in nearer to the cause, which is arguably more effective in inciting change. The inescapability of climate change effects have had a significant impact on the mental wellbeing of the world’s population, which has, in turn, created a psychological barrier that prevents many from acknowledging it any further (Clayton). This continued expression of fear found in lyrics such as “We’ll disappear in the cover of the rain” creates a sense of relatability and drives listeners to dig deeper into the situation as a whole. The audience, while difficult to clearly define, is connected by the personal impact of this song and the desire to make a difference as a result.

A musical format poses many unique constraints within the deliverance of this rhetorical situation. While more people than ever have access to new music through today’s technology, this factor creates a wider platform for the constant stream of new content online through sites such as Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube, to name only a few. With the innumerable outlets available for new media, certain works inevitably get lost in the overwhelming shuffle. Additionally, while Lorde is a relatively popular artist, this song especially would likely not be heard on a radio station, which reduces its potential audience significantly. As far as preconceived notions within the audience, many citizens today are confident that climate change caused by human activity does not exist at all. On the flip side, many people acknowledge that climate change exists, but simply refuse to believe that the actions and habits of humans influence the condition of the environment  (Hoggett 196). With these skeptical attitudes being so common within our communities, Lorde’s audience is therefore limited only to people who are truly willing to listen and understand all aspects of the climate crisis. Progress is continually being made in this area, however, as “surveys show that awareness and self-reported knowledge about climate change have been rising over the last three decades” (Clayton). As the conversation surrounding environmental issues continues to progress, the potential audience for this song and this issue will grow as well. These various constraints, nonetheless, certainly restrict the song’s ability to raise meaningful awareness of the exigence. 

Although a somewhat unconventional approach to environmental activism, Lorde’s method is arguably effective, both in its format and its accessibility to the available audience. Historically speaking, music’s expressive capabilities have allowed artists to capture the emotions of their audience and direct their attention to the exigence. More specifically, the use of music to address environmental issues can even be traced back to 1963, when indigenous songwriter Peter La Farge alerted listeners to the disasters the natural world would face in his album As Long as the Grass Shall Grow (Currin). A pattern then emerged when Depeche Mode addressed environmental justice in their 1983 song  “The Landscape Is Changing”, and Dave Matthews took a similar approach in 1993 with “One Sweet World” (Currin). Clearly, there is value in the unique ability musicians have to guide the public’s consciousness towards an issue by creating works that express their own ideas or anxieties surrounding it. The personal connections created by these artists stir up a greater sense of shared responsibility within the global audience, especially in regards to environmental issues. Because of the emotional resonance that can be achieved through music, Lorde’s song offers a deep emotional appeal that could be very effective in encouraging the audience to participate in addressing the exigence. 

The constraints created by the varying beliefs people have regarding climate change, however, greatly limit the impact of this work as a response to a rhetorical situation. Oftentimes, though, when music carries a political message that could be viewed as polarizing, it is useful in creating an emotional connection and a sense of community between the artist and their listeners (Grant). These shared ideas about the world have the ability to unite people from many different communities through their shared passion towards a specific cause. The presence of such strong messages in music may be off-putting to those with different viewpoints, but it brings those willing to take action closer to the cause by creating a personal connection and sense of community. While the song may not reach the widest audience possible, that does not diminish the potential impact the available audience can have on the situation at hand within their own communities.

Lorde’s own perspective as an artist adds potential constraints and further nuance to her delivery of this song. The singer is from New Zealand, where climate change is widely taken much more seriously than in the United States and the countless other countries in which her fans reside. New Zealand even recently became the first nation in the world to require by law that its financial institutions make official reports on their environmental impacts (“NZ to launch”). Lorde’s own perspective on the climate crisis was likely impacted by the ongoing dialogue surrounding it in her home country, which likely motivated her to address this situation in her own work. Although she likely expected pushback from people who disagree with the sentiments she expresses in “Fallen Fruit”, Lorde’s fanbase primarily consists of young people who generally share her more liberal views on issues such as climate change. With this in mind, the singer likely expected she would be met with support from young fans who likely share a similar perspective on the way older generations have contributed to this crisis over time. Because of this shared ideology, the available audience is more willing to connect with and fully absorb the song’s message. By sharing her personal ideas surrounding the subject, including the negative feelings surrounding it, Lorde has carved out a niche for an audience whose beliefs more or less align with her own.

Lorde’s stylistic choices within “Fallen Fruit” also greatly shape the overall impact of the song on its audience. Prior to the album Solar Power, Lorde’s musical style could be described as a polished, electronic sound. With “Fallen Fruit” and the other songs on the album, however, she took on an entirely different creative approach. Acoustic instruments and drums have a much larger presence in these songs, creating a more natural and grounded musical atmosphere. This earthy quality found within the instrumental backing lends itself to the overall theme surrounding the natural world’s majesty, which ties into the exigence of the climate crisis. This use of auditory tools and cues help establish a more clear purpose for the rhetoric as a whole. These uncharacteristic creative choices help the situation stand out in a more authentic way and allow Lorde to deliver the exigence more effectively.

Through the use of powerful lyrical choices and unapologetic emotional honesty, Lorde effectively brings to light the rhetorical situation surrounding climate change in “Fallen Fruit”. As its effects continue to worsen each year, the exigence brought on by this situation calls for immediate action from people across all generations. Certain constraints limit the audience’s ability to wholeheartedly accept the song’s message, but nonetheless, a dedicated audience exists, ready to fully acknowledge the exigence. This song serves as a clear example of one of the countless ways in which a rhetorical situation may be addressed, both creatively and effectively. 

Word Count: 1915

Works Cited

Bitzer, LLoyd F. “The Rhetorical Situation.” Philosophy & Rhetoric, Vol. 25, 1992, pp. 1-14.

Clayton, Susan, and Christie Manning. Psychology and Climate Change: Human Perceptions,

Impacts, and Responses. Elsevier Science & Technology, 2018.

Currin, Grayson Haven. “Music For Our Emergency.” NPR. 5 Dec. 2019. 

www.npr.org/2019/12/05/784818349/songs-our-emergency-how-music-

approaching-climate-change-crisis. Accessed 8 Oct. 2021.

Grant, Kristin Westcott. “Political Activism and Music in 2019.” Forbes. 16 Jan. 2020. 

www.forbes.com/sites/kristinwestcottgrant/2020/01/16/political-activism-and-music-in-

2019. Accessed 9 Oct. 2021.

Hoggett, Paul. Climate Psychology : on Indifference to Disaster. Palgrave Macmillan, 2019.

“NZ to launch world-first climate change rules”. BBC. 14 Apr. 2021.

www.bbc.com/news/business-56728381. Accessed 9 Oct. 2021.