Poetry is increasingly turning to the specific issues of any branch of knowledge, often sounding to people not involved in it as something completely incomprehensible. So, in Oksimiron’s song “Chitin Veil” there is a call to remove this same veil from the lyrical hero. The question is, and what, strictly speaking, does this metaphor mean.
Seventh Grade Journey
At one of the lessons of biology, zoology, natural sciences (it all depends on the profile of the school), children study such a type of animals as arthropods. Among them, at present, such superclasses as crustaceans, trachea, and chelicera are distinguished. In other words, these are crabs, crayfish, shrimp, millipedes, butterflies, sea spiders and many other wonderful creatures, which together are the causes of phobia in seventy percent of earthlings.
Arthropods themselves in their number account for eighty percent of all representatives of the animal world of the planet. But what is chitin cover?
Animals of this type do not have a skeleton in the usual sense of the word, that is, an endoskeleton. Instead, they have an exoskeleton, that is, an external skeleton. It is called chitin cover.
Biological significance
If the essence of the concept is clear, then the following question arises: why do we need arthropod chitin cover? They need an exoskeleton exactly for the same reason that other vertebrates need an endoskeleton. Sclerite - another variation of the name - is necessary to perform a number of functions:
- supporting function - it serves the animal for support, stability;
- fastener function - muscles are attached to the chitinous cover from the inside;
- moisturizing function - a cuticle is included in the composition of the chitinous cover, which contains a gland that produces a secret that protects the animal from drying out on land;
- protective function - protection of the animal’s soft body from physical damage, shock;
- motor - the same cuticle is an extremely convenient material. This allows arthropod animals to move in sometimes unpredictable directions due to the fact that it acts as a bending material connecting segments to each other.
In addition, in the course of evolution, in some cases, the exoskeleton was transformed, transformed into jaws and claws, allowing grabbing, chewing and crushing prey.
Obviously, such a chitinous cover is a vital condition for the survival of the species.
In the case of flying or jumping arthropods (grasshoppers, for example), the lightness of sclerite, which allows flying or jumping, is of particular importance.
Exoskeleton as a metaphor
If the concept of chitinous cover as a biological term is more or less clear, then what is chitinous cover as a metaphor? What does the poet mean when referring to him?
It is customary to consider a person from two sides: what he prefers to show to society, and what he hides inside himself. As a rule, speaking of the first in the context of “protective armor”, we are talking about cynicism, practicality, reasonable egoism, self-irony - all those things that allow you to protect yourself from someone’s aggression, poisonous environment, but make it hard for the wearers in someone’s eyes. The second in this context is kindness, gentleness, all that a person can be hooked and wounded for.
In other words, the second is a soft “body” that is easy to hurt, and the chitinous cover is protection.
And we never know what we lost. Ahead of the whirlpool, I am vulnerable, do not remove my chitinous cover. But who is now touching your face with your hands? Ahead of the whirlpool, do not spare me! Take off my chitin cover!
By these lines, Oxxxymiron means that you can truly live and feel only by getting rid of the protective layer and allowing someone to touch that soft and defenseless against the external threat that exists in each of the people. This is what the chitinous cover is in the song of the same name - a passive-aggressive defense from the world, beating at people who may become close.