Vignette

The song 'Vignette' by Twenty One Pilots deals with deep and dark themes, reflecting on internal struggle and the feeling of despair. The lyrics begin by describing a state of disintegration, where the protagonist tries to pull himself together. The metaphor of “peeling from his bones” suggests a sense of loss of identity and self, as he desperately tries to keep himself whole. The reference to “greener grasses” can be seen as a search for something better, a hope that things will get better, but which always seems out of reach, as in the phrase “the neighbor's grass is always greener”.

The repetition of the phrase “It's a tribute to zombies of which I've become” indicates a sense of apathy and dehumanization. The protagonist feels like a zombie, with no direction and no life. The question “Where do I go from here?” reflects the confusion and a lack of purpose, a common feeling in moments of personal crisis, especially in the fight against addiction, as Tyler has already admitted to experiencing. The fight against the 'vignette' symbolizes the battle against darkness and loss of clarity, where “tunnels cave” and “visions fade” represent the feeling of being swallowed up by one's mind. In addition, in the fictional city of Dema, we see in the clip for Overcompensate that several citizens have given in to vialism or have fallen victim to the bishops of their respective districts, in other words, Clancy pays tribute to these zombies who have been swallowed up by a world guided by religiosity.

Denial is a recurring theme in the song, especially in the repetition of “No, not me, it's for a friend”. As we know, this defense mechanism is common in people who still can't admit to having a problem with some kind of addiction, be it to drugs, drinking, gambling, etc. Thus, some verses can be interpreted as a way of avoiding facing one's pain and suffering by projecting these feelings onto someone else. The insistence on this denial also suggests the difficulty in accepting one's vulnerability and the reality of one's problems. In other words, 'Vignette' is a powerful reflection on the internal struggle, the search for clarity, and the difficulty of facing one's addictions.