X.
Eclipse
And everything under the sun is in tune
But the sun is eclipsed by the moon
There must be order in the shape of life.
Doug hears it said over and over, echo of a lifelong curse, in the convoluted paths his job forces him to tread. It is a subtle law, dripping from wherever he can see – their faces, their unrestrained tongues.
That he is supposed to make sense is all they agree to tell him. He refuses to answer, and leaves them behind.
Too strong, too unyielding, are the forebodings he walks along. He must watch their projects, shining with logic and deceit, unfold in silence – the greater truth, the shadow of danger beneath, he alone seems to recognize.
He is obsessed with the dark side of things, they always say. He embraces the chance of disaster before anything else. Would they speak differently, if they opened their eyes as well?
After all, that is how the world reasons – the truth is a clear geometry, enclosed by the safety of vain, repeating habits. There is no room for doubt in their orderly little lives.
If only they had tried, he later muses, from the dimly lit corner of his hideout. Had they listened for a moment, they might have understood – how a parallel world of possibilities throws a shade on all things, tainting them with its touch.
What they saw was tangible enough. Without its secrets, however, it could but be incomplete.
Once more, Doug leans against the wall. Their blindness gained him all this. If nothing else, he is safe.
The first image he draws on its surface, testament and memorial, is that of a new moon.
And here we are, at the end of this series! It is my cue to explain what, in my opinion, is the ultimate meaning of Dark Side of the Moon.
This album talks about the dark truths of life. It relies heavily on the theme of disillusion, whether it comes to our quiet daily lives or to tragic events. It talks about lies, like money or the motivation to fight, as opposed to the simple reality of living in freedom and peace. It tells of how easily these lies fall apart. It discusses death, war and insanity, in more or less metaphorical ways. And I believe Eclipse is the song that sums it all up:
And all that is now
And all that is gone
And all that's to come
And everything under the sun is in tune
But the sun is eclipsed by the moon
After listing several actions and choices, Eclipse tells us that everything we do in life has an inner connection, possibly referring to the bond of cause and effect. However, it also says that these things we can do and see are somehow eclipsed by the moon, i.e. that darker, deeper side to life that is disillusion.
The "dark side of the moon" represents what in life pains us and we have a hard time accepting. The inevitable flow of time, death, suffering. However, it also challenges the idea that they are bad things, by implying that they are a natural part of our existence and that they should be accepted the way they are. A life all made of happiness and comfort is illusory, and confronting the darker reality of our condition inevitably bursts the bubble. It eclipses it, as it should. It throws a shadow on the brilliance of that fake life.
Which is why:
There is no dark side of the moon, really. Matter of fact, it's all dark.