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Modify (2008) - Lemon Demon (Neil Cicierega) 

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Modify (2008) - Lemon Demon (Neil Cicierega) 

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The song "Modify" by Lemon Demon describes a series of characters who get body modifications. For example, in the second stanza, "Sally got a dagger hung from her septum/O'Malley cut his ears off, but wishes that he kept 'em/And it's all right (it's all right to look cool)/(You do what you do what you do)." The song displays an acceptance of one anothers' differences, and encourages people to be who they want to be.

In The Lord of the Flies, during the first assembly on the island, the boys discuss their names; “'We’d better all have names,' said Ralph, 'so I’m Ralph.' 'We got most names,' said Piggy. 'Got ’em just now.' 'Kids’ names,' said Merridew. 'Why should I be Jack? I’m Merridew.' Ralph turned to him quickly. This was the voice of one who knew his own mind. 'Then,' went on Piggy, 'that boy—I forget—' 'You’re talking too much,' said Jack Merridew. 'Shut up, Fatty.' Laughter arose. 'He’s not Fatty,' cried Ralph, 'his real name’s Piggy!'" (Golding 27). During the discussion, Jack declares that his name will in fact not be Jack, but Merridew. Similarly, Piggy also has his name assigned to him. However, Jack is immediately identified as cool and adult-like, whereas Piggy is compared to a pig for the remainder of the book. The others view him as fat, lazy, and whiny from this point onward.

The song portrays a similar idea as that Jack is trying to emulate. The freedom of the island has provided the characters a blank slate, and the ability to mold themselves and others into whatever they see fit.

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Modify (2008) - Lemon Demon (Neil Cicierega) 

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Modify (2008) - Lemon Demon (Neil Cicierega) 

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Aquarium, from The Carnival of Animals (1886) - Camille Saint-Saëns

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Aquarium, from The Carnival of Animals (1886) - Camille Saint-Saëns

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The piece "Aquarium" by Camille Saint-Saëns- the seventh movement in the suite The Carnival of Animals - has an air of mystery and pensiveness. The chord structure is deceptive, and moves forward with a sense of uncertainty. This, as well as the fluid runs in the pianos, creates a feeling of vagueness in the listener, akin to that of the ever shifting form of water.

In The Lord of the Flies, after the hunters let the fire go out, Ralph calls an unexpected assembly, and thinks to himself, "If faces were different when lit from above or below—what was a face? What was anything?" (Golding 109). Later in the assembly, when asked his name, Percival replies, "'Percival Wemys Madison. The Vicarage, Harcourt St. Anthony, Hants, telephone, telephone, tele—' As if this information was rooted far down in the springs of sorrow, the littlun wept. His face puckered, the tears leapt from his eyes, his mouth opened till they could see a square black hole. At first he was a silent effigy of sorrow; but then the lamentation rose out of him, loud and sustained as the conch," (Golding 122-123). The island has caused Ralph to question his identity and sense of self. Percival, who has forgotten information deep rooted within himself, has also lost a part of himself on the island.

The boys have obtained an uncertainty and fluidity in their sense of self, which is captured by the feeling of "Aquarium." Just as water casts bending light and shadows, and as the twinkling pianos wripple through the chords, their identity has become warped and clouded. A shadow has been cast on their previous lives, and the island is shaping them into unknown people.

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Isolation gives one the ability to alter their identity.

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Aquarium, from The Carnival of Animals (1886) - Camille Saint-Saëns

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Aquarium, from The Carnival of Animals (1886) - Camille Saint-Saëns

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The song "Systematic Death," by the anarcho-punk band Crass, is about being born into an exploitative system. The song explores how we are conditioned by society, stating, "Poor little schoolboy, poor little lad/They'll pat him if he's good and they'll beat him if he's bad/Poor little kiddy, poor little chap/They'll force feed his mind with their useless crap/They'll force feed his mind with their useless crap." Society, or the "system" as the track refers to it, trains us to think a certain way from a young age. The song explains that the boy's thought process has been invaded by social norms through the exercise of authority.

In The Lord of the Flies, after Roger has been relieved of duty at the fire, he watches a littlun play, "Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. Yet there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life. Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and policemen and the law. Roger’s arm was conditioned by a civilization that knew nothing of him and was in ruins," (Golding 86-87). Roger is then called over by Jack, "He knelt, holding the shell of water. A rounded patch of sunlight fell on his face and a brightness appeared in the depths of the water. He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger. He spilt the water and leapt to his feet, laughing excitedly. Beside the pool his sinewy body held up a mask that drew their eyes and appalled them. He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling. He capered toward Bill, and the mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness," (Golding 89). Civilization still has a lingering effect on Roger. Even with no adults on the island, he still holds himself to the same standards as if they were there. Jack however, through the anonymity of the mask, is able to escape these societal constraints.

Roger finds himself in the position of the schoolboy. His mind is still filled with the rules of a society that has all but forgetten him. By painting his face Jack can act outside of the rules, an act of defiance akin to that spoken in the song. Only by concealing his identity can Jack circumvent his own. In making his face a blank slate, Jack has the power to truly shape who he is.

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The Thing (1982) Main Theme - Ennio Morricone

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The Thing (1982) Main Theme - Ennio Morricone

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The Thing (1982) Main Theme - Ennio Morricone

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The Thing (1982) Main Theme - Ennio Morricone

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The main theme for the movie The Thing, by Ennio Morricone, is sparse and foreboding, just as the antarctic setting is in the movie. The plot of the movie follows a group of United States researchers in Antarctica. Their base camp is invaded by an alien organism that can take on the form of any creature it consumes. The researchers must fight to kill the thing, however paranoia ensues, as the thing could be any one of them. The movie is an intense game of predator and prey, and comments on how when humans are in a survival situation they lose the privelege of being human and having depth to their character. John Carpenter, the director, uses faces (eyes especially) to convey the lack of emotion in the characters. Oftentimes the characters' eyes are covered by goggles or glasses, limiting the amount of expression in their faces. Also, when the thing assumes the role of a character, they won't have a glint of light in their eyes, but a character who is still human will.

In The Lord of the Flies, Jack and his newly formed tribe hunt a pig, "The afternoon wore on, hazy and dreadful with damp heat; the sow staggered her way ahead of them, bleeding and mad, and the hunters followed, wedded to her in lust, excited by the long chase and the dropped blood," (Golding 194). Jack and his hunters pursue the pig with a zealousness that is unlike the tiredness they feel. At this point in the story, the hunters have broken off from Ralph's tribe, seperating from the last remnant of civilization they had. They have almost fully regressed to their primal urges of lust and violence, and have become vulgar and disorganized.

Painting his face allows Jack to rebel against Ralph's order and form his own tribe, and without the pressures of social organization, Jack's tribe quickly becomes animalistic and wild. In the movie, the thing puts up a sort of mask as well by turning into it's victims. In fact, we never see it's true form in the movie. Anonymity allows the thing to stay out of harms way, making it the ultimate predator. Through transforming themselves, Jack and the thing become animals in a human body, and hunt and kill if only for the instinct to. Meanwhile, the U.S. researchers also lose their humanness, both for being in isolation and being hunted by the thing. They cover their faces and become nothing but prey animals fighting to survive. In abolishing their identities, the characters in both The Lord of the Flies and The Thing become animals, or at least as much of animals as people can become.

I consulted Ms. Bain on what gives a feeling of chaos and anonymity to a piece. She suggested the song "Madness" by Ruelle, stating, "I'm not sure this song addresses the element of anonymity, but I think it definitely matches the descent into chaos." I decided to search for a piece that matched the confrontational bass in the song, so as to keep the element of chaos, but with more subtelty, like it had something to hide. I considered some other film soundtracks, but I ultimately decided on the score for The Thing, if not for the movie's story.

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The song "Iron Man" by Black Sabbath follows a man who uses time travel to go into the future. However, "He was turned to steel/In the great magnetic field/When he traveled time/For the future of mankind/Nobody wants him/He just stares at the world/Planning his vengeance/That he will soon unfurl." In the future the man sees the end of the world, and upon returning to the present he is turned to steel. He tries to warn everybody about what will happen, but they disregard his prophecy and make him out to be a monster. He then takes his revenge on humankind.

In The Lord of the Flies, Simon sees a hallucination of the pig's head, which says, “'Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!' said the head. For a moment or two the forest and all the other dimly appreciated places echoed with the parody of laughter. 'You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are what they are?'" (Golding 206). The pig's head explains that the Beast isn't an animal on the island, but rather an inner evil in the boys, as Simon had predicted. The boys have neglected the flaws inherent within themselves, and this has caused division and disorder among them.

The true nature of the Beast serves as a warning of man's imperfections. By making the Beast out to be a monster, the boys ignore its warning, just as with the Iron Man. They have detached their flaws from themselves and externalized them as the Beast, which threatens to throw their lives into disarray. In forming an identity around the Beast, the boys remove any moral responsibility rooted in their own identities as humans.

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To be read in five columns, with two additional notes at the bottom

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To be read in five columns, with two additional notes at the bottom

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Isolation causes one to lose their sense of self.

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Anonymity allows one to escape the societal constraints attached to their identity.

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When one defies order, they succumb to their primal impulses.

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When one externalizes their flaws, they become detached from themselves.

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Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. Penguin Group, 1954.

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After reading Cedar's rationales I was really impressed by her connections between the songs and quotes from the text. Cedar did very well with describing certain elements and aspects in her music when making connections. It was very easy to see what the tracking was and connections that were made. Overall Cedar did very well.