Alice Margatroid ? Plastic Mind
Plastic Mind is the first truly dark piece that we have really been exposed to, not in its content, but what it implies. There are three distinct parts to the piece, not counting the introduction, each one getting more and more subdued and morose ? considering that this version of Alice is a child I can only suggest that her upbringing has not been the most caring or attentive. Considering what goes on in the third part of the piece I would consider suggesting that she has serious abandonment issues which have led to a certain destabilization of her mind. Despite Gensokyo+, I am having trouble putting a positive spin on the conclusions I?ve come to.
The introduction starts off innocent, no melody present, only broken minor chords, harsh and cold, going up and down with a token accompaniment to give an impression that whatever Alice has to say or show is hidden underneath a tense, emotionless exterior. Faced with strangers, she clams up, seemingly instinctually more than anything else, to avoid contact with them. Future developments will show that this is possibly a learned behavior.
The first melodic theme has Alice opening up to the listener. It?s likely that, despite the nature of any previous encounters she has had, she desires the company of others, and is unable to maintain her distance for a long time. The motif here is generally gentle and positive: the melody is in major, and consists of long notes that are able to play out their full length, avoiding the rushed feel of a faster tempo. There is no complexity here, the motif consisting, variations aside, from no more than 8 notes ? this version of Alice has a simplicity appropriate for a child, yet there is a spark of a mature self-control that, upon first glance, gives the impression of a well-adjusted little girl with good manners and a refined attitude.
The second part quickly lets the listener know that all is not as it seems, however. The tonality takes a turn for the minor, and the melody suddenly becomes far more elaborate than the simplistic motif of the first section, really emphasizing a sudden feeling of unfulfilled desire, the chord progressions really emphasizing this by adding tension, confusion and a certain despair to the music. The pace of this section is slightly raised, the calm demeanour the listener saw previously replaced by an uncertain desperation, as if Alice herself knows that something is wrong with her, but she doesn?t know what.
The third part then explains to the listener what?s going on, at Alice?s expense. The melody is reduced to an anguished wail, every part of it in minor. It never strays far from its tonic note, which, in the context of desperation, suggests that Alice has simply given up looking for solutions. The accompaniment is a set of single, long, deep notes, reinforcing the notion of something unfathomably deep to a child being present in Alice?s life, forcing her to acknowledge things that should not be present in her life at this stage. The presence of long, single notes in both melody and accompaniment is what gives me the impression of Alice?s abandonment issues ? she is always alone, and this has reflected poorly on her growing up. Perhaps she has been hurt when reaching out for contact, which is why she tends to freeze up in the presence of strangers, but her needs are more powerful than her fears, and she always opens up to anyone around her, for better or worse. It seems that she is unable to ever forget her solitary existence, which leads her into chronic depression, whether she is in the company of others or not.
I realize this analysis is more grimdark than usual, but I really can?t pull something positive out of Plastic Mind. If it ended on a positive note, somehow pulling back into major, maybe, but it just ends in the pit of depression it dug itself. Maybe someone else has some clever ideas. Ack, I?m depressed myself, now.
