Land of the Free, Home of the Brave, Streets of Fire

Abstract: Francis Scott Key chooses to cap off each verse of what was to become the national anthem of the United States with a metaphor: the home of the brave. The use of the noun “home” is fitting, seeing that it connects the concept of TO LIVE IN1 with that of PLACE; America is the place where the brave live. But “home” denotes far more wide ranging qualities than just PLACE TO LIVE. It is a concept in itself, an in HOME there is also belonging, family, security and emotional as well as economic investment. As such, the noun “home” entails something that is both tangible and abstract. HOME was a fitting concept to summon for the budding nation Key wrote it for, touching on a grand vision of what America could be.