Matthew Hopfenspirger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoNtIkRm1HE

Existentialism in “Sleeping Lessons” by The Shins

The song “Sleeping Lessons” by The Shins is existentialist. It embodies absolute systems, authenticity and individuality. This song relates to Meursault in The Stranger by Albert Camus because of Meursault’s existential aspects, especially absurdity. The repeating ringing tone in “Sleeping Lessons” gives this same feeling of absurdity that is portrayed in The Stranger. “Sleeping Lessons” discusses the existential aspects found within The Stranger through the lyrics and also through to music behind the lyrics.
A main theme in the song “Sleeping Lessons” discusses breaking free from absolute systems. An absolute system is an organized system that has an enforced code of conduct. Absolute systems limit a person’s own personal meaning to life; they hold back and restrain a person. Sleeping Lessons portrays breaking free from these restrictive absolute systems. James Mercer sings, “Jump from the book,/ You’re not obliged to swallow anything you despise,” Mercer emphasize breaking away from the norms that everyone is following. A big part of existentialism is that you create a personal meaning to life. When James Mercer says, “jump from the book” he is explaining not to be ruled by absolute systems, but rather to create personal meaning in one’s life. Meursault has a similar existential outlook on absolute systems as in, “Sleeping Lessons.” Religion is one such absolute system that Meursault refutes because it doesn’t let him control himself. When Meursault is sentenced to death, a priest tries to have him turn to God in his last little while before his death. Meursault explains, “He wanted to talk to me about God again, but I went up to him and made one last attempt to explain to him that I had only a little time left and I didn’t want to want to waste it on God.” (Camus 120) Religion tries to make meaning for life, but religion really only limits personal meaning to life. Meursault doesn’t want religion forced upon him and to create meaning for him. In the last hours of his life, he doesn’t want religion to restrict his own personal meaning. Absolute systems create a forced meaning to life, that’s why in “Sleeping Lessons” and in The Stranger they both refute these absolute systems and break free from them to create their own meaning for life.
“Sleeping Lessons” also demonstrates another underlying theme of authenticity. A person is true to his own choices and personality, despite the pressures of society. In the song “Sleeping Lessons” James Mercer expresses, “Just put yourself in my new shoes,/and see that I do what I do,” Mercer talks about doing something new, against the norm, and doing what is pleasing to him. By making personal choices and not letting society sway them, it creates a personal meaning to life. Staying true by making personal decisions and not letting society form them, shapes the world around whoever makes these decisions and makes it their own life. These personal decisions and personality make it so that absolute systems aren’t defining; personal meaning is individually created. James Mercer is telling the listener to step outside the norm, and make their own decisions to define themselves.
James Mercer expresses individuality blatantly in his lyrics, “And glow, glow, melt and flow,/
Eviscerate your fragile frame and spill it out in the ragged floor,/A thousand different versions of yourself,” Absolute systems create a strict code in which everyone follows; however, this code heavily restricts a person’s potential in life. Sleeping Lessons calls to “Eviscerate your fragile frame.” Cast away the societal norms and absolute systems; their obtrusive rules dilute someone’s true meaning. Mercer is calling for people to break free from the restraints and to “spill it out on the ragged floor,/ A thousand different versions of yourself,” He talks about creating a personal definition and not letting absolute systems taint this meaning because it forces something that isn’t there. Opening up and putting forward a genuine meaning, gives a person their own definition to life; it doesn’t let the stringent absolute systems set restrictions to it. It gives someone individuality.
​The variation of up and down ringing tones, exemplified in the beginning of the song, helps to convey the feeling of absurdity. This incessant tone shows that there is no actual meaning to life. It goes up and down to the same notes and never really goes anywhere, having no real meaning towards the song. It is a higher pitch tone and paints the picture of absurdity. Just like how Meursault in The Stranger portrays absurdity when his maman dies. Meursault expresses, “Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t know.” (Camus 3) This depicts the feeling of absurdity. To a normal person, this event would cause great sadness. However, to Meursault, this occurrence is meaningless. He can’t even remember the day of which his maman died. She had lived with him and they were close, yet Meursault shows no emotion at all. This is absurd because it has no meaning to him at all and it shows that he has no real meaning to life. The back tone in “Sleeping Lessons” and Meursault radiate a feeling of absurdity and add to the feeling of existentialism.
​The Stranger and “Sleeping Lessons” both hold similar themes of existentialism like absolute systems, authenticity, individuality and absurdity. “Sleeping Lessons” focuses on breaking free from the restraining grip of absolute systems, while pursuing a personal definition to life. The harsh absolute systems choke out personal meaning and replace it with a generic meaning. Individuality helps create this authentic meaning and push back against the norms. Meursault exemplifies these existentialist themes, especially when dealing with absolute systems, by not conforming to the societal norm of religion. The tone of “Sleeping Lessons” also helps portray the meaningless theme of absurdity. It is a never ending up and down tone, which helps show that there is no real meaning. “Sleeping Lessons” and Meursault from The Stranger are both existentially themed.

Taylor Hennas

Existentialist Mix tape

                Albert Camus, an Algerian author, wrote The Stranger in 1942. The book is based on an existentialist Algerian character named Meursault. The Stranger is divided into two separate parts. The first part is a first person narrative of Meursault’s thoughts before he kills an Arab man. The second part is a first person narrative of Meursault’s thoughts after he commits his crime and how his execution will go. Both parts are written with existentialist themes in mind. Existentialism is a theory in which one makes decisions that will benefit oneself, follows no system that doesn’t accommodate oneself, and believes life has no universal meaning: every life is the same and death is death. Many modern bands, like The Shins, write music about philosophies like existentialism. The Shins are an American indie band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, formed in 1996. Music written by The Shins consists of hidden meanings of how every life is the same. Similar to The Stranger, the song “Nothing At All” composed by The Shins illustrates existentialism through the principles of absurdity, alienation, and absolute systems.

Similar to The Stranger, “Nothing At All” represents existentialism through the principle of absurdity. Absurdity is that there is no actual or universal meaning to life. Every life is the same. An example of absurdity in “Nothing At All” is the first through third line, “Well there’s an idea inside of me, That we’re nothing at all. There’s nothing threatening controlling me, In fact there’s nothing at all.” This quote illustrates absurdity because ‘that we’re nothing at all.’ means there is no true meaning to life, it has no specific definition.  This example of absurdity connects to The Stranger. “I said that people never change their lives, that in any case one life was as good as another and that I wasn’t dissatisfied with mine here at all.” (43)  This quote is Meursault’s response to his boss’ offer. This quote shows Meursault’s belief in a certain way of human existence. This comment also implies that each person’s life is essentially equal to everyone else’s. These are both examples of absurdity but that is not the only principle of existentialism represented in both of these articles.

Another principle represented in both The Stranger and “Nothing At All” is alienation. Alienation is a fact that a human being is a stranger in their own life. No one can completely understand the human being. An example of alienation in “Nothing At All” is in the fourth stanza, “I’m just a shell empty as can be, Yeah, I’ve got nothing at all.” This illustrates alienation because “I’m just a shell empty as can be” means this person has no emotion. Having nothing and no emotion mean a human being can be stranger in their own life. This lyric representing alienation also connects to a passage from The Stranger. “A minute later she asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn’t mean anything but that I didn’t think so.” (36) The quote also illustrates alienation because Meursault is talking about his feelings towards Marie after she asked him if he loved her. He does not truly understand his feelings therefore he is a stranger in his own life. No one can completely comprehend Meursault’s emotional behaviors. Both examples of writing connect to alienation, but also connect to absolute systems.

The Stranger and “Nothing At All” represent a theme of existentialism through the principle of absolute systems. Absolute systems are philosophies such as religion, the law, etc. Existentialists, such as Meursault or The Shins, do not believe in absolute systems. An example of absolute systems in “Nothing At All” composed by The Shins is in the beginning of stanza two. “You got a feeling nothing here is free, ‘Cause you grew up in a mall.” The Shins are referring to growing up in an environment where laws are enforced. Nothing is free, and no single person can do whatever they want to do. This example is similar to a passage from The Stranger. “It took me awhile to realize my life would change dramatically, since this was my first time in a police station.” (62) This passage is describing Meursault’s thoughts after he shot the Arab and went to jail. This is an example of absolute systems because Meursault did not obey by the law, an absolute system, and he is being punished for it. Meursault thought existentially before he shot the Arab because he wasn’t thinking about the consequences, he did not think twice about what he was doing; Meursault just went with it.

Similar to The Stranger, the song “Nothing At All” composed by The Shins illustrates existentialism through the principles of absurdity, alienation, and absolute systems. The Shins and Meursault from The Stranger are similar because they both have an existentialist view on life. They both believe life has no true meaning, every life is the same, absolute systems are optional, and decisions that help oneself are beneficial. The Stranger written by Albert Camus was one of the first books written with an existentialist theme. Maybe most modern music, like The Shins, is based off of The Stranger?