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Have been discussing the hidden meanings in the Carnival of Rust music video..

We are looking at it in a symbolic view point, so almost everything has a purpose as part of the story.

If you wish to put your view points down, post here. Thanks ^_^

Me:

First off: The meaning of the song name.

The chorus says that without her love, his life is nothing but a carnival of rust. What exactly does that mean?

My guess is that with her, life was brilliant, she was his everything and she made his life perfect. (Showing his complete and utter love for her).

But my real guess at what he means is that by Carnival of Rust.. After she left him, nothing seemed as bright.. It's like a carnival, it distracts you from everything in life for just a little while, but nothing changes.. your friends, your family, everything around you doesn't seem as grand as it was before. Rusty, if you will. Life is dull, and you live out every day in sadness (the rain that causes the rust).

Now for the video:

I'm looking at this symbolically.. So for me there are hidden meanings in everything going on in the video, except for certain aspects:

Remember, these are only opinions.

First off, her walking up to the machine and putting the coin in- Her giving him her heart and loving him.

Him in a box- he feels like he can't help her, no matter how much she hurts. (more on this later).

Lyric linking this one: Greed- she wanted more than what he could give her, though she knew he was devoted to her. "And taste the blame if the flavor should remind you of greed." She broke his heart. (That was easy.)

The guy at the ball toss counter- The guy she left him for. He symbolizes lust in my eyes.

Chorus- she broke his heart, but he still loves her and is trying to get her to see that.

People in front of the ball toss counter- The people she turns to when she leaves him, symbolized (again in my mind) as freaks because he finds them weird.

The guy giving her a doll- He symbolized lust, remember? He used her and left her with a kid, something she finds beautiful, but can't stand him for. Reason for her walking away.

As she walks away- He (guy in box) begs her to stay, to come back to him, and she stills goes with regret. (the hurt from earlier)

Cor Cordis- Heart of Hearts in Latin.. He still loves her regardless.

Koi: (REALLY LONG POST)

Bravo, Mr. Faldare ^^
Sorry if it sounds a bit jibbery, didn't have the chance to write it out yet so forgive me if I contradict myself as I ponder...

My theory for Carnival of Rust was that the carnival itself was a symbolic meaning of youth, like when they're relationship. It was blossoming and full of life.

I remember the first time I ever went to the fair and I was completely blown away by the lights and sounds

For him, as they're relationship progressed though things began to break down (rusty as you said in your's)
So by youth maybe this could mean his memories of the relationship
Looking back he could possibly wonder if there was anything he could do to have changed things or spotted her greediness beforehand..
Instead of showering her with gift, maybe he could have made her fall in love more with him than the possessions he gave?
Thus making those wonderful memories slightly more bitter

From her point of view perhaps she saw his love as nothing more than a game to win multiple prizes from.
Everything was fine till she grew bored of him and the carnival rusted (when one is no longer interested in a machine -like the Farris wheel even though this is beside the point- and doesn't take care of it, then it rusts)
Instead of seeing the relationship for what it was she took advantage and waited for things to slow down.
The rain, once again, would be showering her in gifts perhaps and once she met her quota the damage had already been done so why bother with a rusty mess when she could move on?

I suppose I'm seeing it more from the character's views instead of the singer/songwriter themselves...

The video:
Let me begin by saying how hauntingly beautiful this video is
Love it!

Let us begin with our leading lady...
The gasmask: Used to filter out bad air... perhaps the man in the box is her ex?
She took advantage of him, they broke up
He still holds feelings for her, feeling of which she doesn't wish to return
That she has moved on, but still sees him as a friend... maybe more of an acquaintance?
Her wearing this could symbolize that she is trying to get over their troubles, but finds it difficult to be around him for some reason?

Maybe that's not it at all though, what if she's gotten herself into a terrible mess...? (will pick up in a few moments)
What if they were never actually together?
Say he was a shy kid? A bit anti-social (being in the box)
He watched from the sidelines as she went about her life (thirsty for your love)
He wanted her... but his feeling fell on blind eyes and deaf ears...

The lollipop: Innocence, perhaps the pair were high school sweethearts? An innocent love? What if this symbolizes her... 'innocence'? (will pick up)

The black dress: Possible hint of foreshadowing? Perhaps she's aged a bit from when they dated (or friends in her mind), since the outfit looks childish but she herself is obviously no child. Like I said this is coming from my mind right to this screen... usually go to Microsoft to tear and resemble.

Putting the nickel into the machine: She wants his two cents (maybe the price means she's a little more than desperate to hear his advice?) on what's going on around her... and he tries to help. Try, being the keyword (following up later)

Her looking around: As if she's looking around herself, so many options in a hectic life (thinking more of Carn-Evil I suppose when this came to mind)

The sign: Break for Freedom... obvious... the beguiling smile on his face like that of a snake. He's a liar, but she's desperate. Box guy wants to help her, longs to save her, but he just can't. The way his hands move, the expression, he's angry with himself, disappointed he can't save the women he loves from walking into the arms of that rat of a man!

The freaks (as you say): Her 'friends'. Thinking to a few of my own friends, when I was dating my ex and told them I was thinking of breaking up with him they kept telling me it was a mistake because he had money... could buy me things. They guilted me into staying with him for as long as I did... needless to say he went beyond his limits and we broke up... and I broke his nose and split his lip. There smiles are fake, they either want to get in on the deal (greed) or the just want to see her fall.

The Pink suit: As you said, Lust. He's offering her something she wants... possibly in more ways than one.

The coins: Her chances? She took a chance asking Box boy what she should do... (will come back to this later possibly)

Again in the video when the man in pink beckons for her the man in the boxes hands curl and his face takes on the look of disgust. Perhaps this man is offering her a way out of her life (break for freedom) that has turned out so poorly making her ignore the one who can truly help her.

Now here's where things get a bit technical. Notice the flash of light before the rest of the video progress. As if he's screaming "Please, just listen to me!" then shortly afterwards shadows creep onto the scene... maybe it's too late to save her?
(By the way... I'm watching the video without lyrics... I like to analyze them separately unless what is being said at that moment impacts what is going on. The lighting I'm still working on. Have you ever watched Heart of Darkness? Lighting is crucial in that movie, each variation meaning something)

The spiraling roller coaster ride: She's taken his words into perspective, but everything around her is so unstable. She's not sure who to turn to... lost in a dizzy confusion (which would add to the spirals over her eyes). Or it doesn't matter once again, she's already in a downward spiral towards destruction (pick up later)... or perhaps she's going over everything that has happened in her mind?

Dropping the coin to the musicians: Taking another chance, they seem harmless enough, but looks can be deceiving. What if they only cause more trouble (in the name of misbehavior) What if they drug her? (notice the fireworks in the background, like you see in old cartoons when someone is tipsy and the way she tilts her head to the side) Also tying lust from the lyrics into this, perhaps they were singing a Siren Song to her? Wait for it... and there. She drops the lollipop into their hat, she dropped her innocence. Though there wasn't a struggle which leads me back to thinking of this as if she were at a party. Music playing, get the girl drunk and then rape. Tragic and would add to the spiral downward, another dark secret? (there has to be a reason for the gasmask!) Yet she moves on... which lead me back to the doll in the man's arms. Lust, what if the man in pink doesn't represent lust? Thinking, pink is a lighter shade of red. The dark atmosphere, the savior, the guy in the box being white!

Perhaps this is more than it seems. What if everything going on in the girls life has taken a heavy toll on her? She's thinking of ending it all!? The carnival could represent her mind, going back to the youth part at the beginning and taking your idea of the rain being sorrow. The man behind the counter could be the representation of evil (little devil on your shoulder) while man in the box represents good (the little angel on the other while still being that shy friend. Perhaps a voice of reason in her chaotic life)
So going from there, what if the man in pink is trying to offer her an escape from life? (Break for Freedom) but then there's the baby. Say the musicians represent the above? Then what if she got pregnant afterwards and the baby was a secret... another reason she wanted to end it. Notice how after that scene she ignores the boxed man

She could be disgusted with herself (reason for the gasmask!? OwO) so why should she bother listening to her angel/friend when some much has gone wrong? His words could be lies like the others. The freaks appear once again, demons in her mind? Just ugly thoughts pushing her further and further down that path? OH MEH GOSH! What if rumors went around about her? Delicious on that guys shoulder… what if the musician’s spread rumors about her? Eww… what if those guys think she’s easy and want to try and get her too?! >.<; The mask, the way he likes his lips… an ugly rumor!

Walking up to the stand she has given up. The demons ushering her up to the stand with hungry hands. There he is, grinning and taking this whole thing as a joke. A game for the girl’s soul perhaps? This is her last chance, but what she doesn’t realize is that its only in vain. Her last chance is snatched away by greedy hands while our hero in a box has his hands almost in a praying gesture, does he realize its over and praying for her?

The way he reels after she’s hit her target. Perhaps each one hammering against his own heart, devastated that he couldn’t save this girl? The girl he loved! The man in pink cheers her on as she ‘breaks’. The box man’s hand moves over his chest, as if trying to soothe his aching heart. It goes back to her eyes and the spirals of confusion have returned. The guy in the booth looks just like the man in the pink, two faced. So the baby is handed to her, she gazes at it. She’s embracing a sin perhaps? Though it wasn’t the baby’s fault. It almost looks like he wants out of that box to save her, then his eyes close, he feels defeated.

With her last chance gone, she’s given up. When the world is burning, her sins have caught up to her, she’s going to hell (represented by the gates) all those who betrayed her bidding her farewell and throw away her last bit of common sense (cents for the coin?). Boxed hero is begging for her to stop (his voice not so strong anymore). Last chance, last scream, its too late. Fire and lizards, the gate opens. He’s lost, she lost all hope. Notice the darkness flare up again. He fades away, the circus fades. Though at the end, she looks like she wants to go back to him like maybe she’s giving this all a second thought. –face/palm- Can’t think anymore… he looks dead and defeated now. It’s all so sad… still love the song

Me:

And a bit more to add to it: the lyrics are about to be dissected.

When she puts the coin in, he starts up. 'D' you breathe the name of your savior in your hour of need? And taste the blame if the favor should remind you of greed?'

It fits your points earlier. He's asking her 'Are you turning to me as your savior? and if you are... does breathing my name bring back your memories of using me?'

so much I could dissect with this....

And I will >3

Heard about Poets of the Fall from a friend, but didn't get into them until I played Alan Wake.

But about the guy in the box: he is professing his love to her, so he's not isolating himself..

And maybe the cracks on his face actually means how broken he is on the inside? Soul shattered from years of beating himself up for losing someone he loved so much? or just that he is tearing himself apart from the inside out?

Edit: Also saw an interview where the singer said that everything in the video has some meaning to it. 'EVERYTHING has a purpose' was the quote..

and on the subject of the lollipop-

Koi pointed out that the lollipop symbolizes innocence.

Then the two guys playing were temptation. She leaves the lollipop with them. Symbolizing?

She left her innocence with them. No? Yes.

It is fine Koi. All input is welcome.

And I think it was one of the Break for Freedom spinning plates.

Have we gone over the fact that it might not be her conscious? Maybe he symbolizes what she KNOWS is right, but she won't accept? Maybe we are taking it to far from the concept that he might be her love from long before?

Maybe she knew he was right for her, she knew that he would satisfy her no matter what she needed. She knew that he was pure, but she made a wrong choice, made a bad turn, and ended up away from him with no way of getting her love back? So he has to watch her life from the side, seeing her mistake after mistake and, as I mentioned before, knowing he can do nothing.

Maybe we are looking at this wrong. We are seeing her as being wrong, and using him or ignoring it completely, but what if she cared? Maybe she fell to temptation? Then she was torn apart by her temptation and her loss of innocence? Maybe she thought, after losing her innocence that she wasn't worthy of him, someone so pure?

Maybe she lied to him, the reason she hid herself with the gas mask, to get away from him and then he found out about what had happened and- (will continue what he did in a bit. kinda contradicting to add this in up here after I put it down there).

Then she is wearing the mask because she is ashamed to show him what she had become? Koi mentioned her shame before.

Or maybe, he is a family member? It's a longshot, but work with me:
You grow up with no other family (if the fire breathers/eaters are her parents, there are no other children around theme), and it's only you and your brother. You have nothing, showing poverty (which would symbolize the way he is dressed like a fortune teller, because it is an easy costume). when you are in complete trouble and have no idea what to do, who would you turn to? Someone who had always been there for you. Then she turns to him and doesn't heed his advice?

The Tarot card thing kind of goes with the fortune teller.

And the black spot over his eye? My thoughts were he did something bad out of vengeance for her. If we go with the thing I said earlier, then he finds out that temptation took her innocence and lashed out in anger.

And ANOTHER thing: The Break for Freedom? Could be Trickery instead of Lust. They promise her something she wants, so she throws her life away without a thought to get what they promise?

See how the guy at the break for freedom counter just kind of tosses the coin into the register? He sealed another deal. Tricked another customer.

And maybe her walking away at the end..

Maybe that symbolized the final end. How she is walking away, dragging the child by it's hand, and merely glances back at what could be her life, then everything goes dim? Maybe she kills herself and he's begging her not to do it because, even though she hurts every day, he would rather see her live then watch her end it all? Throw away the life he would kill to protect?

And the snakes throughout the video obviously symbolize sin. That's pretty simple. Maybe he is in the box because he hasn't sinned enough to be included in the sinners around the area? Or maybe it's because 'the savior' doesn't want him to get tainted any more than he is?

So much can be broken down about this video. I LOVE it.

lol you're disagreeing with me while supporting what i said. im getting confuzzled now.

you just said that everything had a purpose before but now you're agreeing with me and what i was saying about the straws before and saying that the cracks are probably just there to make it look good. and yeah, i dont think the guy in the booth was hypnotizing her. but i truly do believe that the roller coaster represents her getting lost: a downward spiral (obviously lolz sweatdrop ) that part seems pretty clearly represented there. the hypnosis just being there to symbolize i more, not necessarily literal.

be right back. im gonna watch the video 1 more time . . . hopefully.

--- 3 minutes later ----

heh, nope crying

to tell the truth, I doubt the brother thing.. I was grasping at a shredded straw there.

I think they are ex's.