Note that for this work, I will commonly use "Danielewski" to refer to author Mark Danielewski while using the stage name "Poe" to refer to his sister Annie Danielewski.
At a very simplistic level, it is clear that Mark Danielewski's work in House of Leaves connects to Annie "Poe" Danielewski's work in her album Haunted. The fact that the song has tracks titled Five and a Half Minute Hallway, Dear Johnny, and even House of Leaves should draw an obvious parallel. However, Poe's work does more than simply reference the work of her brother. The two mediums collaborate much more closely, and Poe's album connects with the novel at both a lyrical and musical level. Such relationships help the reader feel even more closely linked to the work and empathetic to the novel's characters.Haunted has the potential to impact a listener's/reader's view of House of Leaves by reinforcing many of the ideas perpetuated about the novel and its characters by Mark Danielewski.
Such conclusions may seem surprising to those familiar with Poe's work in Haunted. For example, the song Five and a Half Minute Hallway has a very folksy, melodic, and soothing quality to it. Throughout the novel House of Leaves, the hallway is portrayed as the very antithesis of those characteristics. However, by taking the entire song into consideration, it can be seen that the lyrics and musical qualities of the piece relate to Navidson's trek back to the house proper after the rescue attempt made during Exploration #4. The song connects to Navidson's inner thoughts and mentality during his struggle to return to his family and lends credence to the idea that he could survive within the bowels of the house, alone and in utter darkness, without succumbing to abject terror and perhaps even insanity. Poe's song perpetuates the idea that thought darkness physically consumed the innards of the house, inner light and hope could still be created based upon the individual found there. Many of Poe's other songs from Haunted feature similar characteristics which subtly underscore Danielewski's characters and methodology.
Poe. Haunted. Atlantic Records, 2000.
3 comments:
Note that for this work, I will commonly use "Danielewski" to refer to author Mark Danielewski while using the stage name "Poe" to refer to his sister Annie Danielewski.
At a very simplistic level, it is clear that Mark Danielewski's work in House of Leaves connects to Annie "Poe" Danielewski's work in her albums Haunted and Hello. The fact that the albums have tracks titled Five and a Half Minute Hallway, Dear Johnny, Angry Johnny, and even House of Leaves should draw an obvious parallel. However, Poe's work does more than simply reference the work of her brother. The two mediums collaborate much more closely, and Poe's albums connect with the novel at both a lyrical and musical level. Likewise, Poe's music shares similarities with Danielewski's writing by reinforcing the idea that things are not always what they seem. Haunted and Hello have the potential to impact a listener's/reader's view of House of Leaves by reinforcing many of the ideas perpetuated about the novel, its characters, and entertainment as a whole by Mark Danielewski.
Such conclusions may seem surprising to those familiar with Poe's work in Haunted. For example, the song Five and a Half Minute Hallway has a very folksy, melodic, and soothing quality to it. Throughout the novel House of Leaves, the hallway is portrayed as the very antithesis of those characteristics. However, by taking the entire song into consideration, it can be seen that the lyrics and musical qualities of the piece relate to Navidson's trek back to the house proper after the rescue attempt made during Exploration #4. The song connects to Navidson's inner thoughts and mentality during his struggle to return to his family and lends credence to the idea that he could survive within the bowels of the house, alone and in virtually utter darkness, without succumbing to abject terror and perhaps even insanity. Poe's song perpetuates the idea that though darkness physically consumed the innards of the house, individual inner light and hope could still be created based upon the nature of the person found there.
Along with connections to the story, Poe's work also supports Danielewski's idea that things are not what they seem. Throughout House of Leaves, the reader is constantly reminded that the work cannot be trusted. Much of Poe's work exhibits the same characteristics. Listeners of the track Angry Johnny hear a melodic track with very soft, almost sensual vocals. Upon listening to said vocals, however, the content is revealed to be quite literally murderous. Whereas Five and a Half Minute Hallway produced what might seem to be a contradiction with the novel, Angry Johnny seems to contradict itself. Listeners are aurally opposed as an easy, jazz-like track is accompanied with lyrics about the various locations, mindsets, and compsures of murder. Even the manner in which the lyrics are sung seems dream-like and sensual. The music video for the song adds yet another dimension to the contradiction. Poe is shown on a bed amidst various objects suggesting romance: pictures, hearts, flowers, and chocolate. Such visuals support the jazz room-like quality of the music, and as such they clash just as strongly with the song's lyrics. It is not until after three minutes into the song that the lyrics are sung with a more aggressive tone and visuals such as a skull with a candle are used to remind viewers of the true meaning behind the song. The mindset developed by those listening/watching Angry Johnny would serve readers of House of Leaves equally well. Thus, Poe's work portrays the same message as Danielewski's writing both contextually and ideologically.
Work Cited
Poe. Haunted. Atlantic Records, 2000.
Poe. Hello. Atlantic Records, 1995.
I also feel the need to complain that the comments disable the use of the [font] tag, meaning that I cannot color the word "house" blue. Not doing so just seems... wrong.
Yeah, blogger lacks some desirable features - that is an annoyance.
Anyway, this is a good, detailed proposal. You are outlining a couple of ways in which our reading of HOL might be influenced by Poe; what I particularly like here is that you are focusing more on music than on lyrics; doing the opposite is the cheap and easy way out. Your thesis isn't really clear, of course - that's the central issue at the moment. As someone who is simultaneously a good listener to Poe and a good reader of Danielewksi, what do you gain that you otherwise wouldn't understand? Your thesis *probably* should answer that focus, in one way or another.
Oh, and here's a nitpick. You can't address the contradictions of "Angry Johny" without finding some way of addressing the central metaphor of the song: "I want to blow you ... away." Sex=murder: the confusion of apparent opposites. Addressing the song in a more complicated way without also addressing the basics is awkward at best. "Control" from Haunted is perhaps somewhat similar, incidentally.
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