My interpretation of the song's ending ("Look how soon my hands won't move") is that this verse is the last set of thoughts that go through Bear's mind as he falls to his death. It is often said that in those last seconds, our whole lives flash before us. Having been a performer in the circus his whole life, Bear's last thoughts are related to this... and perhaps falling to his death is meaningful because Bear's livelihood in the circus involved walking (or bicycling) across balance beams, where he had surely imagined falling to his death before. "If you improve, we all improve," would have been something that was drilled into Bear's head throughout his life of rehearsing with the other animals. The Circus is a collective effort. This interpretation also squares nicely with many of Aaron's lyrics about community and realizing one's identity in relation to others (going back to the theme of Solipsism). As Bear falls, his body is gradually and then with the last line ("ten foot more and nothing moves") totally surrendered to death. In between these lines about losing control of his body, his Bear instincts kick in, and his body tells him he is going into hibernation ("fill our den with acorn mast, I'll wake before the salmon pass").
@beerice41 I like you interpretation. Would you agree that it seems like Bear's brother actually died when Bear was younger? This got me thinking that maybe the "fill our den" line was said to Bear by his brother before his brother died. And to take this further, maybe Bear had to eat his brother to avoid starvation himself in that situation, hence why he knows there will be "enough to fill your cup for days". It gets really somber when Bear begins to describe his brothers death "I shut his dogtooth violet eyes..." seems like he is actually recalling the...
@beerice41 I like you interpretation. Would you agree that it seems like Bear's brother actually died when Bear was younger? This got me thinking that maybe the "fill our den" line was said to Bear by his brother before his brother died. And to take this further, maybe Bear had to eat his brother to avoid starvation himself in that situation, hence why he knows there will be "enough to fill your cup for days". It gets really somber when Bear begins to describe his brothers death "I shut his dogtooth violet eyes..." seems like he is actually recalling the time he did that. Just something to think about.
@beerice41 I think us not knowing whether Bear's brother existed is Aaron trying to get us to empathize with Fox, and be just as surprised as she'll be when Bear kills himself
@beerice41 I think us not knowing whether Bear's brother existed is Aaron trying to get us to empathize with Fox, and be just as surprised as she'll be when Bear kills himself
My interpretation of the song's ending ("Look how soon my hands won't move") is that this verse is the last set of thoughts that go through Bear's mind as he falls to his death. It is often said that in those last seconds, our whole lives flash before us. Having been a performer in the circus his whole life, Bear's last thoughts are related to this... and perhaps falling to his death is meaningful because Bear's livelihood in the circus involved walking (or bicycling) across balance beams, where he had surely imagined falling to his death before. "If you improve, we all improve," would have been something that was drilled into Bear's head throughout his life of rehearsing with the other animals. The Circus is a collective effort. This interpretation also squares nicely with many of Aaron's lyrics about community and realizing one's identity in relation to others (going back to the theme of Solipsism). As Bear falls, his body is gradually and then with the last line ("ten foot more and nothing moves") totally surrendered to death. In between these lines about losing control of his body, his Bear instincts kick in, and his body tells him he is going into hibernation ("fill our den with acorn mast, I'll wake before the salmon pass").
@beerice41 I like you interpretation. Would you agree that it seems like Bear's brother actually died when Bear was younger? This got me thinking that maybe the "fill our den" line was said to Bear by his brother before his brother died. And to take this further, maybe Bear had to eat his brother to avoid starvation himself in that situation, hence why he knows there will be "enough to fill your cup for days". It gets really somber when Bear begins to describe his brothers death "I shut his dogtooth violet eyes..." seems like he is actually recalling the...
@beerice41 I like you interpretation. Would you agree that it seems like Bear's brother actually died when Bear was younger? This got me thinking that maybe the "fill our den" line was said to Bear by his brother before his brother died. And to take this further, maybe Bear had to eat his brother to avoid starvation himself in that situation, hence why he knows there will be "enough to fill your cup for days". It gets really somber when Bear begins to describe his brothers death "I shut his dogtooth violet eyes..." seems like he is actually recalling the time he did that. Just something to think about.
@beerice41 I think us not knowing whether Bear's brother existed is Aaron trying to get us to empathize with Fox, and be just as surprised as she'll be when Bear kills himself
@beerice41 I think us not knowing whether Bear's brother existed is Aaron trying to get us to empathize with Fox, and be just as surprised as she'll be when Bear kills himself