In this essay, Living With Music, Ralph Ellison speaks of the importance of music in a person's life. He presents the contributions that it offers, such as giving people understanding, order, and meaning, while it also helps us shape our own unique social and cultural identity. Firstly, Ellison describes his first experiences with music. During his childhood years, he played a brass horn. He remembers how his music teacher and tradition says to play what …showed first 75 words of 293 total…

…showed last 75 words of 293 total…heard. Ralph Ellison apprehended the power of music. He realized that music can is a constant reminder of your past and of whom you were, while it reminds us of our aspirations. At the same time, it is an escape. It helps to drown the troubles in life, as he did to drown the horrible notes that his neighbor sung. Music will not only calm when one is troubled, it will resurrect and liven him.