The symbolism used here is amazing. The picture Matt paints of a Rat, normally viewed as a dirty, worthless creature, elevated to a King by virtue of luck is powerful, and adds to the sense of loss in the song. It is clear from the line, 'and you know that love's not enough" that the Rat has lost, or is going to lose his love, and there is very little chance of him ever regaining it.
The most difficult part of the song for me to understand was the imagery of typhoid and ashes, and how these two disasters were imagined by the Rat and faced alone, without outside help. Perhaps Matt is trying to convey the Rat looking ahead, envisioning his future and only seeing death and sorrow. Or perhaps the Rat has megalomaniac tendencies, and he is imagining situations where in the face of these disasters he alone can help his love, which would bring them closer?
The analogy of love to a grenade with names scratched on the side is probably the most accurate description of love I have ever encountered. The idea of love being a battle is well depicted here, but the symbolism of a grenade takes it even further. Love, like a grenade, can be thrown away, and it will blow up in your face over one seemingly small event, in this case a pin being pulled.
The symbolism used here is amazing. The picture Matt paints of a Rat, normally viewed as a dirty, worthless creature, elevated to a King by virtue of luck is powerful, and adds to the sense of loss in the song. It is clear from the line, 'and you know that love's not enough" that the Rat has lost, or is going to lose his love, and there is very little chance of him ever regaining it.
The most difficult part of the song for me to understand was the imagery of typhoid and ashes, and how these two disasters were imagined by the Rat and faced alone, without outside help. Perhaps Matt is trying to convey the Rat looking ahead, envisioning his future and only seeing death and sorrow. Or perhaps the Rat has megalomaniac tendencies, and he is imagining situations where in the face of these disasters he alone can help his love, which would bring them closer?
The analogy of love to a grenade with names scratched on the side is probably the most accurate description of love I have ever encountered. The idea of love being a battle is well depicted here, but the symbolism of a grenade takes it even further. Love, like a grenade, can be thrown away, and it will blow up in your face over one seemingly small event, in this case a pin being pulled.