When Alice peers through the looking glass, it is not the illogical whimsy of wonderland that troubles her. It is her growth (or lack thereof). Almost all of Alice's conflicts arise when she is faced with the reduction and/or production of her self.
It is fascinating to observe that "looking glasses" or mirrors are found throughout childhood stories, fables, myths, and even superstitions. (Think of the magic mirror in Snow White, the reflection in the greek myth of Narcissus, Dracula's lack of a reflection in mirrors, Urim & Thummim, etc.).
Why? Why mirrors? Why reflections? Why do these objects and manifestations persist?
Arcade Fire has a hunch. (Maybe more than a hunch--an album...)
The aptly named "Reflektor" was released on October 29, 2013. (You may also note that on 2007's "Neon Bible" the band sings about a "Black Mirror.").
(Before I go on, you should know that I'm unabashedly hooked on Arcade Fire's earnest-anthem-rousing-introspective-emotive rock music, okay? They just really do it for me).
So, they come out with this album and a single by the same name (Reflektor). The single is, by all accounts, a "dancey" number with nods to James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem and "Mr. Labrynth" himself, David Bowie.
I love it.
I also love the video (click here to see).
I've listened to it so many times now, I've actually started to hear the words they're singing. (I still don't understand the French part, but, whatevs, right?)
Win Butler and his wife sing about prisms of light and falling in love during the "reflective age." It's all very beautiful.
As the stanzas march forward, an awareness begins to brew...The reality (love?) they have forged may not be reality, but merely a reflection (Win Butler sings: "Our song it skips, on a little disc. Our love is plastic, we'll break it to bits.").
This leads to a sweet new-wave-break-down-of-a-bridge with David Bowie singing alongside Win Butler:
"Thought you were praying to the resurrector, turns out it was just a Reflektor!"
Here, the band introduces a "Reflektor" as sort of this doppleganger character--a mirage of themselves, a mirage of salvation, a mirage of truth and a mirage of love.
Just like Alice, the conflict they discover comes from a reflection. The reflection leads them to struggle with both the reduction and/or production of themselves.
The album veers back and forth from this theme with a fair amount of whimsy, irony, and even humor. (If you haven't seen their genius satire of themselves--and the current "irony state of hipsters" on SNL--check it out now!)
So, why do mirrors represent such chaos and conflict? Mystery and trouble?
The answer is simple: Mirrors provide us with our reflection. What we see, is what we get.
