As opposed to many people here, I view the narrator of the song being the pessimist with a jaded view of the world, and more importantly, wishing they could be the optimist like the person the narrator is talking to: "When you look at the world / What is it that you see? / People find all kinds of things / That bring them to their knees."
The narrator wants to be like the person they're talking to. To be able to change the atmosphere in a room just by walking into it: "I see an expression / So clear and so true / That changes the atmosphere / When you walk into the room", and to be able to look at people who are facing terrible conditions or events and find a way to find a positive in those conditions or events so they can handle such conditions without shame or heartbreak: "When there's all kinds of chaos / And everyone is walking lame / You don't even blink now do you? / Don't even look away."
The chorus, however, seems to indicate more romantic indications with the use of "without you it's no use", almost as if the narrator can be the optimist like the person they're talking to, but only when that person is around: "So I try to be like you / Try to feel it like you do / But without you it's no use / I can't see what you see / When I look at the world."
I agree with the obvious religious overtones with the last verse, especially the Pope John Paul II ideas, since that so strongly fits Bono's persona and writing style. That said, I don't think that "I think of you and your holy book" must refer to the Bible or any religious book in general. I rather look at it as referring to a mindset, or a coping mechanism, one might fall back on when things get rough, to be able to see the worst of the world, whether that be nature, humans or whatever else and still find the best of the world around you.
I find that view really makes the lament at the end of "Tell me, tell me / What do you see? / Tell me, tell me / What's wrong with me?" extremely sad. The narrator wants so badly to understand how this person can be so positive and have such a great effect on everyone they're around, they think there's something wrong with them because they just can't. They can't shake their pessimistic thoughts that "are too expensive to keep", and it's becoming too much to bear.
As opposed to many people here, I view the narrator of the song being the pessimist with a jaded view of the world, and more importantly, wishing they could be the optimist like the person the narrator is talking to: "When you look at the world / What is it that you see? / People find all kinds of things / That bring them to their knees."
The narrator wants to be like the person they're talking to. To be able to change the atmosphere in a room just by walking into it: "I see an expression / So clear and so true / That changes the atmosphere / When you walk into the room", and to be able to look at people who are facing terrible conditions or events and find a way to find a positive in those conditions or events so they can handle such conditions without shame or heartbreak: "When there's all kinds of chaos / And everyone is walking lame / You don't even blink now do you? / Don't even look away."
The chorus, however, seems to indicate more romantic indications with the use of "without you it's no use", almost as if the narrator can be the optimist like the person they're talking to, but only when that person is around: "So I try to be like you / Try to feel it like you do / But without you it's no use / I can't see what you see / When I look at the world."
I agree with the obvious religious overtones with the last verse, especially the Pope John Paul II ideas, since that so strongly fits Bono's persona and writing style. That said, I don't think that "I think of you and your holy book" must refer to the Bible or any religious book in general. I rather look at it as referring to a mindset, or a coping mechanism, one might fall back on when things get rough, to be able to see the worst of the world, whether that be nature, humans or whatever else and still find the best of the world around you.
I find that view really makes the lament at the end of "Tell me, tell me / What do you see? / Tell me, tell me / What's wrong with me?" extremely sad. The narrator wants so badly to understand how this person can be so positive and have such a great effect on everyone they're around, they think there's something wrong with them because they just can't. They can't shake their pessimistic thoughts that "are too expensive to keep", and it's becoming too much to bear.
@Leafsdude Beautiful thought! Hope you kept a positive view in this troubled period!
@Leafsdude Beautiful thought! Hope you kept a positive view in this troubled period!