
GET IN THE ZONEš§āāļø:
Imagine feeling like youāre melting from the inside out!! overwhelmed by touch, memory, and the weight of just existing. Thatās the vibe across everything I read, heard, and watched for this project. From a burning airplane metaphor in Ry Book Suraskiās āDecortication of an Airplane,ā to the crazy lyrics of Nnamdiās Semantics, to 2D roller-skating through rejection in Gorillazās Humility, all these pieces explore what it means to fall apartāand how sometimes, thatās the only way to feel whole againš¤·. When I reread Beowulf through this lens, the epic warrior narrative wasnāt inspiring anymore. It was tragic, raw with emotion, and deepš.
IM HERE TO ARGUE...my point...: Postmodernism reframes traditional hero stories like Beowulf into emotional horror stories about fragility, isolation, and the lies we tell ourselves to feel in control. (less about being cool, more about emotions).
MAGICAL REALISM, METAPHOR & MELTDOWN:
Suraskiās āDecortication of an Airplaneā shoves us into a girlās mind during a deeply disturbing massagešŖ. Her skin feels oily, and gross until she imagines a plane crash that peels metal from the sky and leaves her clean in flames. That fire becomes her rebirthš¦āš„. This surreal moment ties directly to Beowulf, where the heroās death is described without honor or glory: āHe fell to the earth, and his life-blood came out, and he drank it in war.ā (Donaldson 58). Instead of lifting Beowulf up, this moment drags him back to earth both literally and emotionally. Itās a collapse, definitely not a win. Postmodernism uses magical realism to transform stories of strength into metaphors for breakdown. Just like Suraskiās girl, Beowulf is remade through suffering... except it doesnāt look pretty.š
IDENTITY CRISIS & EMOTIONAL NOISE:
In Nnamdiās Semantics, the music spirals very anxiously, jumping between genres and thoughts with no clear structure. That chaos is the point. He sings, āput it on me,ā like someone trying to hold responsibility just to feel something solid. It reminded me of Beowulfās line: āFate often saves an undoomed man when his courage is good.ā (Donaldson 15). Sounds brave, right? But what if thatās just Beowulf trying to psych himself up? Postmodernism flips this line into a coping mechanism A.K.A. a fake confidence trick. Like Nnamdi, Beowulf might be performing bravery while everything inside him unravels. In both pieces, words become slippery. Meaning breaks down. Itās a kind of literary semantics, where we realize no one really has control. Weāre all just trying to sound like we do!
SIMULATION, SOLITUDE & SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE:
Gorillazās Humility shows 2D smiling and skating solo under the sunš“, but thereās loneliness underneath. He reaches out for a handshake, only to be misread and left hanging (ouch...). The song title suggests heās groundedābut the visuals say otherwise. That tension reflects Grendelās introduction in Beowulf: āLonely and joyless he lived...ā (Donaldson 5). Grendel is framed as a monster, but postmodernism sees him as a symbol of emotional isolation. Just like 2D, heās misunderstood and unwanted. When viewed this way, Beowulf becomes less about killing evil and more about misreading pain. The line āHe was alone, the last of his raceā¦ā (Donaldson 64) drivesš this home. Legacy doesnāt matter when no oneās left to see it. 2Dās solo skate and Grendelās constant misery both show that even loud lives can end in quiet sadness. Postmodernism exposes this emptiness, and invites us to sit with it, not solve it ( something we always do).
AAAAND THATS A WRAP!
In the original telling, Beowulf is about courage, strength, and honor. But through a postmodern lens, and next to digital pieces like Semantics, Humility, and Decortication of an Airplane, those same moments feel more fragile, distorted, and real. We see not just the myth of heroism, but the collapse underneath it. These stories arenāt trying to inspire. Theyāre showing us what it means to hold it together when youāre barely holding on. sounds like some of use could use a second read through, GO AHEAD!!

I love how colorful and entertaining your post is! Your analysis is very strong as I like how you centered on emotional collapse, in Suraski, Nnamdi, and Beowulf too! Your commentary on Grendel I found very interesting. The way you framed him as a symbol of isolation beyond a monster was an important point that I think is often overlooked. It made me think about how much meaning gets lost when we look at only stories though a heroic lens.
OMGGG, Fifi McGiggles here! This post is like a rollercoaster but for emotions, and Iām so totally obsessed. Feeling like you're going crazy? Cause same. Beowulf ending up not being a hero but actually big hot mess? YAS, postmodernism giving us that gossip! I am here for it! The girl that imagined the plane crash during her massage? Epic!!! And Beowulf falling to earth not as a hero but a hot mess? Literally me. Nnamdiās chaotic music? Sounds like my brain trying to remember the info I told myself I remembered before the test. LOL Basically, stories about heroes are just sad... I love me a good meltdown! Go read and get ready to cry. āļø
- Fifi McGiggles out
I love how you reimagine Beowulf as a story about emotional breakdown instead of just heroics. Itās cool how you blend intense works like Nnamdiās Semantics with surreal pieces to highlight that breakdowns, not bravery, are what really matter. The connections between Grendelās isolation and 2Dās misunderstood nature show that even monsters and pop icons crave connection, making your analysis feel super relatable!
In this source, you brought out the emotional tension in Beowulf, creating a real atmosphere and making intentional connections. The emotions were also brought out in the short story "Decortication of an Airplane" by the comparison to the death of Beowulf, ultimately contrasting life and death and destruction amongst the chaos of postmodernism. I love the clarity you show and the lonesome images you create in the mind, despite the colorful images and words you add.
Okay waitāIām obsessed with this. You took Beowulf (which usually feels super stiff) and made it feel realĀ and emotional. That āmelting from the inside outā line? So accurate.
The way you broke down āDecortication of an Airplaneā and tied it to Beowulfās death? Genius. And the Nnamdi comparisonāhim spiraling vs. Beowulf faking confidence? That just clicked.
Also the Gorillaz connection?? 2D being all smiley but lonely? That hit hard. You really pulled the sadness and isolation out of these pieces in a way that made so much sense.
This post was deep but fun and super clear. Seriously loved reading it. #RIPBeowulf indeed.