TROPICO - EXPOSING SOCIETY

[cashcomesquick 5,381]

Hey, guys!

Since some people shared their "reviews" on Tropico, I'd like to share the first part I did on it. Lemme know what y'all think

 

 

Tropico is Lana Del Rey's attempt at exposing today's society based on the tale of Adam and Eve. It's composed of three songs, each telling a separate story, yet complementing each other.

 

Garden of Eden

It debuts in the Garden of Eden, the origin of mankind. In the context of religion, this is mankind's first "Free Will performance", choosing between good and evil, realising having choices, taking responsibility for your own actions.

 

Choose your idols wisely

The concept of Eden is applied to society. Lana and Shaun, representing human beings, are shown listening to John Wayne, instructing them on life. He plays God's role in Lana's metaphorical Garden of Eden.

During this scene, the emergence of a new era containing a contrary way of thinking is predicted. While Wayne instructs them to focus on aggressively achieving their dreams and goals, Jesus' words ("Forgive us our debts as we forgive those who trespass against us") fade away barely noticed.

The effect of this overlap is underlining the aforementioned thesis of a radical change within society.

 

Marilyn's first statement "Sex is a part of nature. I go along with nature!" perfectly describes the degradation of women in public. She is the definition of "sex symbol", being reduced to her physical appearance, yet she is idolised by many people which again leads to radical changes within society.

 

Elvis is displayed as the male counterpart to Marilyn.

 

Original sin

Tropico's re-enactment provides symbolic allusions to this theme, the lamb representing pure innocence and unconditional obedience based on lack of free will. The unicorn is commonly used to portray purity and grace. The serpent persuades Lana to eat the apple which leads to her fall.

A noticeable difference to the actual tale is that Shaun himself decides to eat from the apple in order to follow Lana. This difference highlights the free will, having the option of choosing between good and evil. Additionally, this difference is important regarding the assumption of "a woman being the reason of the original sin". It leads to the conclusion that everyone is responsible for their own actions.

[knoxavel 938]

good read. 

[sparklrtrailrheaven 9,115]

Great writing! It's a pretty tall order to break down all the symbols and meanings put across in Tropico, but you're doing a very good job of deciphering what Lana was going for! 

 

really - trying to come for:  @sparkltrailrheaven 

 

 

And, don't worry, I already gave my blessing to the good sis for this review 

[knoxavel 938]

Great writing! It's a pretty tall order to break down all the symbols and meanings put across in Tropico, but you're doing a very good job of deciphering what Lana was going for! 

 

 

And, don't worry, I already gave my blessing to the good sis for this review 

oh! i'll retract my original statement then.

[slang 1,533]

Yes, LDR really is interested in free will. She mentions the construct after the Ginsberg and the tweekers chapter, where says that what motivated "the fall" was "wanting to be too much like Him". 

 

Two short things:

I've always thought that it was significant that both Adam and the snake are albinos and that she's sort of equally friendly with both (i.e. does the same kind of dance/grind thing with both). Perhaps she seduces the snake to get at the apple (who is not present in the scene where she actually takes the apple). LDR's biting of the apple seems clearly to be free will under this interpretation, but Shaun's choice could be the desire to follow her given the unbearable circumstance of her absence. Of course, this is free will too, but sort of ambiguously "free" imo. It's not like LDR's initial "I'm gonna get that apple".

 

The other thing is the linking of Whitman to "the fall" combined with the failure of LDR to credit the Body Electric poem in the credits (which I think she recites). If this were intentional, it might indicate shade to Whitman in the sense of her rethinking her attitude toward him.