DREAM ON
By: Aerosmith (Progress Report #3- March 7th)
This song effectively displays when Charlie is “dreaming” about being more intelligent. Despite the progress report itself not directly indicating to Charlie’s dream of being smart and intellectually more capable, it’s quite evident through the “voice” in this short piece of writing. This voice is so clear and so bright, perfectly representative of Charlie’s motivation and his optimistic attitude towards life, or more specifically, towards becoming intelligent. Charlie accounts when "they asked him why he came to adult school". He told them it's because someone told him it's where to learn if he wants to read and spell good in order to be "smart and not dumb". He, even in his low mental capability has such strong motivation towards something almost impossible for someone like him is impressive and striking. It’s almost as if the voice in the journal, Charlie's spirit were crying, hungry for knowledge. This song shows not only this emotion in Charlie, but also provides the darker side of things. The lyrics refer to dreaming as “dream on, dream until your dreams come true.”, but also imply the Charlie’s incoming loss through “Sing with me, sing for the years, sing for the laughter, sing for the tears, sing with me, just for today, maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away.” Charlie lives his life cherishing everyday, yet he does live in a certain amount of uncertainty of what to expect for tomorrow.
This song, while directly reflecting the character’s motivations and intentions also provides the necessary foreshadowing for Charlie’s incoming loss. As a part of the soundtrack, not only should it reflect something in the present, but it should also add to the overall effect of the story. Thus, having lyrics in this song that help with the foreshadowing adds suspense for the plot prior to the climax, enabling a more exciting story to exist for the reader/viewer.
This song, while directly reflecting the character’s motivations and intentions also provides the necessary foreshadowing for Charlie’s incoming loss. As a part of the soundtrack, not only should it reflect something in the present, but it should also add to the overall effect of the story. Thus, having lyrics in this song that help with the foreshadowing adds suspense for the plot prior to the climax, enabling a more exciting story to exist for the reader/viewer.
“Dream on, dream until your dreams come true. Sing with me, sing for the years, sing for the laughter, sing for the tears, sing with me, just for today, maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away.”
CLOSE MY EYES
By: Mariah Carey (Progress Report #9- April 20th)
When Charlie realizes what it means to “pull a Charlie Gordon”.
Charlie learns many things, things people of his emotional basis shouldn’t have to bear. He doesn’t deserve to know the hatred of the world around him, that those he considered his very "friends" were only those that took him as a joke, as their source of entertainment. The devastation caused by these realizations almost become unbearable for him. As he wrote "I didn't know where to turn. Everyone was looking at me and laughing and I felt naked. I wanted to hide. I ran outside and threw up.... It's a funny thing I never knew that Joe and Frank and the others liked to have me around all the tima to make fun of me." This raw emotion is perfectly reflected by the song, through it's lyrics about a child growing up, losing their innocence. The first verse speaks of a someone with a childlike innocence having to bear the weight of the world, yet having to keep it deep inside at the same time. “And I learned many things, little ones shouldn't know.” Charlie, despite him being an adult should not have to bear the emotional toll and physical toll of such harsh knowledge. After all, his emotional and intellectual “age” may as well as correspond to that of a child. This verse may have been directed towards someone like Charlie, but evidently, someone like Charlie would be able to cohesively relate. Charlie’s innocence in the beginning of the story allows him to see things in the simplest way possible. He rarely analyzes situations to understand everyone’s motives. He keeps to the surface level, just describing the events as is. His emotions are simple. This keeps matters simple. He can live in a black and white world, despite it being filled with ignorance and oblivion.
The following verses are filled with moving lyrics about how the child learnt to deal with his/her personal issues and those issues surrounding him/her. Charlie dealt with his situation with as much bravery and “guts” as the song describes the child doing so. These lyrics in the second verse perfectly reflect this: “but I closed my eyes, steadied my feet on the ground, raised my head to the sky” Charlie, even after his mental deterioration kept his original character, filled with motivation and his ambition to be better everyday. It’s like how this child in the song, closed his/her eyes; blocked out the negative things, and raised his/her to the sky, symbolizing the hope of a better tomorrow. Charlie always had this in him, this hopeful and optimistic look. It’s what pushed him through his life’s darkest days. This song is highly reflective of the character’s motivations and attitudes during this particular journal entry. It implies a child, having to lift the burden of the world on his/her shoulders, yet carrying on because they know that being grounded in one place is useless. Charlie is exactly like this. His motivation and his positive attitude towards life enables him to push forward despite his shame and despite the obstacles (towards being smart) that are thrown at him.
Charlie learns many things, things people of his emotional basis shouldn’t have to bear. He doesn’t deserve to know the hatred of the world around him, that those he considered his very "friends" were only those that took him as a joke, as their source of entertainment. The devastation caused by these realizations almost become unbearable for him. As he wrote "I didn't know where to turn. Everyone was looking at me and laughing and I felt naked. I wanted to hide. I ran outside and threw up.... It's a funny thing I never knew that Joe and Frank and the others liked to have me around all the tima to make fun of me." This raw emotion is perfectly reflected by the song, through it's lyrics about a child growing up, losing their innocence. The first verse speaks of a someone with a childlike innocence having to bear the weight of the world, yet having to keep it deep inside at the same time. “And I learned many things, little ones shouldn't know.” Charlie, despite him being an adult should not have to bear the emotional toll and physical toll of such harsh knowledge. After all, his emotional and intellectual “age” may as well as correspond to that of a child. This verse may have been directed towards someone like Charlie, but evidently, someone like Charlie would be able to cohesively relate. Charlie’s innocence in the beginning of the story allows him to see things in the simplest way possible. He rarely analyzes situations to understand everyone’s motives. He keeps to the surface level, just describing the events as is. His emotions are simple. This keeps matters simple. He can live in a black and white world, despite it being filled with ignorance and oblivion.
The following verses are filled with moving lyrics about how the child learnt to deal with his/her personal issues and those issues surrounding him/her. Charlie dealt with his situation with as much bravery and “guts” as the song describes the child doing so. These lyrics in the second verse perfectly reflect this: “but I closed my eyes, steadied my feet on the ground, raised my head to the sky” Charlie, even after his mental deterioration kept his original character, filled with motivation and his ambition to be better everyday. It’s like how this child in the song, closed his/her eyes; blocked out the negative things, and raised his/her to the sky, symbolizing the hope of a better tomorrow. Charlie always had this in him, this hopeful and optimistic look. It’s what pushed him through his life’s darkest days. This song is highly reflective of the character’s motivations and attitudes during this particular journal entry. It implies a child, having to lift the burden of the world on his/her shoulders, yet carrying on because they know that being grounded in one place is useless. Charlie is exactly like this. His motivation and his positive attitude towards life enables him to push forward despite his shame and despite the obstacles (towards being smart) that are thrown at him.
"And I learned many things, little ones shouldn't know.... But I closed my eyes, steadied my feet on the ground, raised my head to the sky.."
WISH YOU WERE HERE
By: Avril Lavigne (Progress Report #13- June 10th)
When Charlie loses Algernon, his “mouse friend”
It was extremely difficult for Charlie to lose on of his closest friends, someone who he felt truly understood him as Algernon and him share the experience of the experimental surgery. Algernon, as simple as his character was, just another experimental lab animal had a special connection with Charlie. Algernon gives Charlie what he needs the most: unconditional friendship. The white mouse doesn't judge him like the humans around him. He's simple and gives Charlie the comfort he needs simply by being present. The song repeats this part of the lyrics again and again, saying “Damn, damn, damn. What I'd do to have you, here, here, here. I wish you were here. Damn, damn, damn. What I'd do to have you, near, near, near. I wish you were here.“ The lyrics of the song are quite simple, but this simplicity is perfect for the mood/atmosphere of this part of the story. Charlie is stricken with grief to the point where he even shuts down. He wants Algernon back, yet he knows that Algernon is aleady dead. Notice in this journal entry, after finding out about his incoming loss, he kept his words simple and kept his paragraph brief. Having a complicated song would almost ruin this certain simple, but grievous atmosphere. Thus, this song is a perfectly reflective representation of this journal entry.
It was extremely difficult for Charlie to lose on of his closest friends, someone who he felt truly understood him as Algernon and him share the experience of the experimental surgery. Algernon, as simple as his character was, just another experimental lab animal had a special connection with Charlie. Algernon gives Charlie what he needs the most: unconditional friendship. The white mouse doesn't judge him like the humans around him. He's simple and gives Charlie the comfort he needs simply by being present. The song repeats this part of the lyrics again and again, saying “Damn, damn, damn. What I'd do to have you, here, here, here. I wish you were here. Damn, damn, damn. What I'd do to have you, near, near, near. I wish you were here.“ The lyrics of the song are quite simple, but this simplicity is perfect for the mood/atmosphere of this part of the story. Charlie is stricken with grief to the point where he even shuts down. He wants Algernon back, yet he knows that Algernon is aleady dead. Notice in this journal entry, after finding out about his incoming loss, he kept his words simple and kept his paragraph brief. Having a complicated song would almost ruin this certain simple, but grievous atmosphere. Thus, this song is a perfectly reflective representation of this journal entry.
" Damn, damn, damn. What I'd do to have you here, here, here, here. I wish you were here. Damn, damn, damn. What I'd do to ahve you near, near, near. I wish you were here."
IN THE END
By: Linkin Park (Progress Report #13- July 25th)
Here, the emotional build up has finally come crashing down on Charlie. Even though he knew from his scientific discovery that an intellectual decline was inevitable, he still had a hard time accepting it. After all, he struggled so hard to understand the world around him, then acquire that knowledge, and now, it’s all being taken away from him. The song’s chorus is perfectly reflective of this internal struggle inside Charlie. He doesn’t want to let go, he still wants to hold onto as much as possible. Yet, he knows, that it’s all slipping away sooner or later. “I tried so hard, and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter, I had to fall, to lose it all, but in the end, it doesn't even matter.” Charlie had put so much effort into becoming intellectually capable and emotionally aware. Intellectually, he got so far, to the point where he even surpassed Dr Strauss and Dr Nemur level of knowledge. Yet, in the end, all of it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter how much he’d learned, how many hours he studies; because all of it faded away along with his mental deterioration. As he wrote "I was looking at some of my old progress reports and its very funny but I cant read what I wrote... Please... please let me not forget how to read and write." He's so desparate, yet deep down, he knows it's uselss.This internal struggle is expanded further in terms of in detail in the first and third verse, allowing more than just this conflict to come through.
“I kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart, what it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time... Watch it count down to the end of the day, the clock ticks life away.” The emotion shown through the lyrics would be a perfect fit for this particular mood/atmosphere. It speaks of despair and hopelessness, exactly what Charlie felt during his entire mental deterioration process. He had attempted to keep everything with him, the knowledge of how to read and write, the knowledge of difficult academic concepts; yet it all came unraveling until all of it disappeared. Time was a valuable thing to Charlie. Yet, even with as much time as possible, his painful decline would’ve still happened. The clock ticks life away, the life that Charlie so valued was stolen by time. Everything here shows just how desperate Charlie is to keep his knowledge and intelligence intact; yet with time pounding at his side, all of it eventually disappears.
“I kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart, what it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time... Watch it count down to the end of the day, the clock ticks life away.” The emotion shown through the lyrics would be a perfect fit for this particular mood/atmosphere. It speaks of despair and hopelessness, exactly what Charlie felt during his entire mental deterioration process. He had attempted to keep everything with him, the knowledge of how to read and write, the knowledge of difficult academic concepts; yet it all came unraveling until all of it disappeared. Time was a valuable thing to Charlie. Yet, even with as much time as possible, his painful decline would’ve still happened. The clock ticks life away, the life that Charlie so valued was stolen by time. Everything here shows just how desperate Charlie is to keep his knowledge and intelligence intact; yet with time pounding at his side, all of it eventually disappears.
“I kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart, what it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time... Watch it count down to the end of the day, the clock ticks life away.”
EVERYBODY KNOWS
By: Leonard Cohen (Progress Report #13- July 27th)
The lyrics, so simple, yet so meaningful perfectly echo the meaning behind this very journal entry. The song lyrics’ speak about obvious things, putting them as “everybody knows...Everybody knows that the boat is leaking, everybody knows that the captain lied, everybody got this broken feeling, like their father or their dog just died, everybody talking to their pockets, everybody wants a box of chocolates… That’s just how it goes.” The world and life has a fate, destined to go somewhere. Every wants joy and sweetness, no one welcomes grief or deception. Somethings aren’t fair, but “that’s just how it goes”. The song takes these everyday examples and strings them together in a metaphorically significant way, leaving the listener deep in thought. In this journal entry, Charlie tells his experience of returning to his job as a janitor at the factory. Here, one can see the evident pity that his co-workers, and even his boss feel for him. Joe and Frank even offered to defend him if anyone were to tease him to try and take advantage of him. Deep down, Charlie’s co-workers know the truth. It’s already too late. Had they taken the effort to act kinder to Charlie earlier, it may have ridded the anguish and shame that Charlie felt after the operation, but either way; Charlie’s mental deterioration was inevitable. They couldn’t of done anything to stop it. As Charlie put it, Mr. Donnegan “looked very sad and put his hand on my shoulder and said Charlie Gordon you got guts”. Here, the truth hidden deep down in Charlie’s coworkers’ and boss’ hearts is more obvious; but it all goes back to the same thing. They all feel this stricken pity for Charlie because they’ve finally seen firsthand fate take it’s toll on someone they know. But, it’s undoubtable that someday they’ll realize that what happened was not within their control and their pity was useless. Had they really wanted to do something for Charlie, they should’ve done it before. It’s just like how the lyrics say. Everybody “knows that you’re in trouble, everybody knows that it’s coming apart.” But, in the end, “that’s just how it goes.” Even Charlie knows this. His scientific discoveries proved his intuition right.
This song is not only an excellent representation of the characters (Charlie and his co-workers/boss), but also the atmosphere/mood at this particular time period in the story. Character wise, it’s highly reflective of the current emotions/feelings of them. It shows how the characters ultimately know the final result, that Charlie will lose all that he had; yet they try to cover up their guilt of their previous hard feelings toward him by filling his last days with pity. Deep down, the characters know the truth. Even Charlie knows. He cried when Joe and Frank told others off because they were teasing him. He didn’t just cry because he was moved by their actions, but also because he knew that their kindness had come too late. Everybody knows it’s too late. “‘Cuz that’s just the way it goes.”
This song is not only an excellent representation of the characters (Charlie and his co-workers/boss), but also the atmosphere/mood at this particular time period in the story. Character wise, it’s highly reflective of the current emotions/feelings of them. It shows how the characters ultimately know the final result, that Charlie will lose all that he had; yet they try to cover up their guilt of their previous hard feelings toward him by filling his last days with pity. Deep down, the characters know the truth. Even Charlie knows. He cried when Joe and Frank told others off because they were teasing him. He didn’t just cry because he was moved by their actions, but also because he knew that their kindness had come too late. Everybody knows it’s too late. “‘Cuz that’s just the way it goes.”
“Everybody knows...Everybody knows that the boat is leaking, everybody knows that the captain lied, everybody got this broken feeling, like their father or their dog just died, everybody talking to their pockets, everybody wants a box of chocolates… That’s just how it goes.”
ISOLATION
By: Lucas King (Progress Report 13- July 28th)
This instrumental (piano) piece is simple on the surface level, yet hids so much depth within every single note. It’s a perfect ending piece for the story. The song, filled with melancholy shows the mood and atmosphere, while displaying the emotions of the character (which correlate with the mood/atmosphere). Charlie, despite being extremely miserable over his loss, hides this with his hopeful words, letting his good nature and attitude shine through; but it’s obvious that he’s still grieving. And despite his low mental capacity, he can still feel the pain of his loss. In this last journal entry, one can almost hear the sadness in Charlie's written words. He tells everyone goodbye and retells all the things he remembers, saying that he doesn't want anyone feeling sorry for him anymore. Yet, despite all this, his true persona, this bright and optimistic attitude shines through it all. He says he's "gonna keep trying to get smart so I can have that feeling agen. Its a good feeling to know things and be smart." This striking piece forms this mood perfectly.