Falling Slowly

Track 5: Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard

This song reminds me of 1984 Winston’s way of spreading the word and what happens when people disobey Big Brother.

Winston thinks that the rest of the people need to hear what is happening to actually see what is going on in their society. Winston thought that if they spoke out against Big Brother people would see what was happening and follow in their footsteps; the way of Big Brother is not the only way that you have to live.

“Take this sinking boat and point it home

We’ve still got time

Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice”

Then you get to the part of the song

“Falling slowly, eyes that know me

And I can’t go back

The moods that take me and erase me

And I’m painted black”

This is at the point that they have broken the rules and have been caught. Winston and Julia can’t change what they have done and they are taken by Big Brother to be erased from society. The lyric “And I’m painted black” holds 2 meaning to me when related to this book. It could mean when they were being tortured or you could look at it as when they were erased.