absorption lines

[MLA]

Does anyone have a clue what "my absorption lines they are frayed" means? And while I'm on the subject of Suede, what do you guys imagine her star being? She mentions a star in both Suede and Datura and I have kind of an image of what it is, but...what do you guys think?

[dozey]

I know nothing about science and I know absorption lines is something scientific but I personally interpreted it as my defences are down and I feel weak and open. In that verse:

My absorption lines they are frayed
And I fear
My fear is greater than my faith but I walk the missionary way

I feel vulnerable and scared.

[SeaGull]

well, star is a symbol for the soul, for the energy within. At suede she fears being lost in this "evil", this fear, this dark mass, and losing herself, her soul, within it.

At "Datura" she states that she needs to stop this tendency of feeding off other people power (a known theme in Tori's work) - She have to stop to drink the blood from the tip of their star - their soul energy.

Absorption lines, for me, is like defence lines, which have been used till they broke. they are frayed. they are weak and are not holding. Holding of course the fear and the dark mass mentioned before.

--sea

[SavinNoSouls]

i took "absorption lines" more literally -- not that they're a defense, but that they represent her ability to understand, to *absorb* what he's saying. you know how when people throw words at you... they talk and talk and talk and yell and scream and you just can't hear it anymore? you can no longer process what's going on. your absorption lines are frayed.
first she says "i'm sure that you've been briefed." it's as though he knows that her absorption lines are frayed, and he's using that against her by calling her evil over and over and wearing her out -- but she's not very mad at him because she sees so much of herself in him ("there are days i am your twin.") it's not really a struggle, but she does want him to be quiet ("keep your silence silencer on")... she gets to the point where she's so exhausted that she'd do anything to save those absorption lines: give him a job, get him out of the hole, and let him into her bayou.

[apple green]

Great questions. May I add one?
Right after your "absorbtion lines" part you asked about, she says "and i fear my fear is greater than my faith"
I've noticed this could be read in two ways and always wondered other's interpretation on it.
Is it "And i fear. my fear is greater than my faith"
or is it "And i fear my fear is greater than my faith"
the second saying she is scared that her fear is greater than her faith, the first saying it definitely is.
minor distinction, but one that has always intrigued me.

Hmmm. regarding the absorbtion lines being frayed, I felt abstractly that that was like the the whole self being less distinct. Like, you know how cells have a cell body and fluids can go in and out of it and absorb and what have you but the cell is very distinctly defined by its wall and it can control what is going in and out of it. Now, absorbtion lines being frayed, i feel kind of like that is saying that her distinctive lines are not intact, that she isn't as able to control the fluids going in and out, metaphorically speaking. Now, to me, this connected with her references of feeling like somebody's "twin peak-a-boo, hiding underneath your skin".. like her distinctive lines are frayed and she is merging with this other. I don't know if i'm making any sense.
i would like to discuss suede more, though.. is there another thread i should do this on, or is here good?

[MLA]

Here is fine, apple green. As for the fear thing, it's printed in the booklet as "and I fear. my fear is greater than my faith but I walk. the missionary way." so I think her fear definitely is greater than her faith (which takes some courage to admit) but she's going on anyway, which is really the best way to find more faith. It's one of my very favourite Tori lines.
Thanks to everybody who has talked about the absorption lines thing. I think you're all making sense and it's really helping my understanding of the song. You're all such nice helpful people

[LC]

Group hug!
(even though i didn't have input in this thread)
I just felt a group hug was needed.

LC
(who has allergies and can't think straight)

[supernova]

Hi, I'm very new here but...as far as what absorption lines
are *scientifically*, I think I can help.

Let's say you have a star sitting out in space. Between the
Earth and the star there's a lot of dust and gas blocking your
view. So some of the light from the star gets absorbed before
you get to see it. If you spread the light of the star out into
its different colors you can usually see dark patches where
the dust and gas has absorbed the star light. Those are
absorption lines.

Was that just really confusing or did it help?
Personally, I think she probably just found the phrase interesting
and I like your interpretations.