there is a vision i have (and which i’ve had before) of a heart surrounded by a wall of metal knives.  it is this wall which prevents any sort of intimacy, socialization, or “stopping”...  because the wall maintains a person on a sort of quest of obligation, whether it be protecting others (usually, it is this), or avenging others.  in fact, the entire vengeance plot-line is an accurate representation of the metal element theme.  a loss occurs, and in the face of that loss, an individual stretches his or her entire existence upon redemption and vengeance, forsaking the normalcy of warm social relations.

in the fairy tale, the frog prince (the brothers grimm version), there is this odd reference to a character, i believe his name was iron henry, who was a friend of the prince.  while driving a carriage carrying his friend the prince to his marriage, there is a sound of groaning metal.  when asked what the sound was, iron henry admits that it was the sound of metal bands breaking from around his heart...

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