Favorite "American Idiot" Character

[singingsparrow]

As Green Day hope to turn this album into a motion picture soon, fans across the boards have frantically been interpreting the characters of the record in their point of view.

Here's a brief description of each of the characters:

Jesus of Suburbia (a.k.a the Idiot of America): A confused, disoriented, angry kid who has no clue where to go, wanting his voice to be heard which is, "Don't want to be an American Idiot". He decides to move away from his Mom and Dad (He refers to his dad as Brad during the album, which probably means his dad is gone and Brad is his stepfather) and lives on the streets in a "Holiday" away from the "redneck agenda". He finds comfort speaking his mind out, but is still alone, and it only distances himself from society on the "boulevard of broken dreams". Just as he begins to think he's losing his mind, he meets St. Jimmy who gets him into the hardcore lifestyle, doing drugs like "novocaine" to ease his mind. Jesus of Suburbia then meets Whasername, who finds love at first sight, seeing her as an "extraordinary girl". But it's all too good to be true, as Whasername sends him a "letterbomb" as though his heart grenade is exploding deep inside him, believing he is not the Jesus of Suburbia and befriending St. Jimmy was just a figment of his father's rage and mother's love that makes up Idiot America. So, defeated, he walks alone in "September", no longer feeling innocent, and when he loses her and St. Jimmy commits suicide, he decides to conform to the American Idiot life by working in a factory though he hates it. He accepts the "homecoming" and believes life just is, while also glad he had his experience on the streets that taught him the grim reality in the alleys behind Idiot America.

St. Jimmy: A hardcore punk, probably as tough as you can get. The epitome of bad, who does drugs and is an anarchy machine. He opens up to jesus of Suburbia, but after Jesus of Suburbia accepts her advice and impression of St. Jimmy, he decides to distance himself from him. St. Jimmy commits suicide at the bayside, which indicates even this world can be cruel for even the toughest man.

Whasername: A rebel girl who's Jesus of Suburbia's love interest. But Whasername doesn't share the feelings Jesus of Suburbia has for her, as Whasername believes that jesus of Suburbia has become everything he's hated and she cannot accept loving someone with that strong sense of self. After sending the "letterbomb", Jesus of Suburbia is haunted by her voice, "NOBODY LIKES YOU, EVERYONE LEFT YOU..." in his head, and learns from Tunny that she is doing fine and living her rebel, rock and roll band lifestyle in a postcard. Jesus of Suburbia continues to regret losing her, with only memories of her remaining.

Tunny: A friend Jesus of Suburbia meets on the streets, seldom mentioned during the album. He's the one who informs Jesus of Suburbia where Whasername has been.

The Underbelly: The posse of Jesus of Suburbia and St. Jimmy.

*****************************************

I imagine if this will truly be made for the big screen, they'll probably be more characters added, but which of these characters do you like the most, or feel the most is perhaps the more appropriate way to say it.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[allow that]

Great poll!

I voted for "Jesus of Suburbia." Maybe because he's the most developed, but I repsect how his inner struggle led him to experience new things and even though he kinda gave up at the end, he still learned a lot and came to peace with things.

[singingsparrow]

Mr. said:

Great poll!

I voted for "Jesus of Suburbia." Maybe because he's the most developed, but I repsect how his inner struggle led him to experience new things and even though he kinda gave up at the end, he still learned a lot and came to peace with things.

Hey, thanks! :) I was getting tired of all these "diva" polls flooding the first page, so I thought I'd attempt to balance out this area with something beyond the pop tarts and Rhythmic formats.

This may be going too far, but lately I've been thinking Green Day should actually turn "American Idiot" into a Broadway production.

Wouldn't that be interesting? I mean, this album is a tragedy of sorts, and we identify many plays as being either comedies, tragedies, histories, or satires.

They could easily design a Broadway format for this play on a proscenium stage formatting. After all, Jesus of Suburbia often distances himself in the pursuit for a better way of living, so to have that proscenium arch there would be mataphoric of his loneliness and attempted closing-up from Idiot America.

I'd definitely give the green light for a motion picture here. However, I don't want Green Day to rush this movie concept. It deserves to give justice to the album and it's about time we had another album based on a rock and roll album. I mean, wow, how long has it been since we had "The Wall" and "Tommy" in theatres?

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[punkydoodle]

SingingSparrow said:

and learns from Tunny that she is doing fine and living her rebel, rock and roll band lifestyle in a postcard.

Thanks for mentioning that! I never connected that that was who Tunny was talking about. I always thought Tunny was just randomly rubbing the fact that he was still living the "rock and roll" lifestyle in Jesus' face, and making fun of him for leaving that behind. Now explain all of "Homecoming" to me, because I think I'm getting lost there. LOL.

I've always felt like Jesus and St. Jimmy are the same person, and I'm having trouble picking a favorite. Cool poll though.

[allow that]

WindWhispers said:

Thanks for mentioning that! I never connected that that was who Tunny was talking about.

Yes, thanks for your great descriptions Noah. It's always hard for me to actually sit down and follow the whole album, especially since I'm usually doing something else that requires attention while it's on... such as... driving! lol Now I'm all pumped to pay closer attention next time I listen to the CD, Noah did an awesome job explaining it.

[singingsparrow]

WindWhispers said:

Thanks for mentioning that! I never connected that that was who Tunny was talking about. I always thought Tunny was just randomly rubbing the fact that he was still living the "rock and roll" lifestyle in Jesus' face, and making fun of him for leaving that behind. Now explain all of "Homecoming" to me, because I think I'm getting lost there. LOL.

I've always felt like Jesus and St. Jimmy are the same person, and I'm having trouble picking a favorite. Cool poll though.

That's just my interpretation of Tunny at least. Hey, I may be wrong. But I think it makes sense, there's definitely a connection there.

And you're certainly not alone on those who think St. Jimmy is just a new identity Jesus of Seburbia adopts. There's many who believe that too. But I just feel they're two characters, and the lyrical examples I made I feel can prove that.

Now, let me explain, at least my take, on "Homecoming".

(deep breath)

Jesus of Suburbia decides it can't get any worse than this, so he decides to leave the streets, accept conformity and return home, as much as he hates it. He explains it to St. Jimmy, and feeling defeated, St. Jimmy commits suicide, revealing that this cruel world can even taunt the toughest man.

In Part II, "East 12th Street", he gets a new job he doesn't like at all and surrenders to "Idiot America". He feels trapped and devastated. In Part III, "Nobody Likes You", he still is crying that he lost his love interest Whatsername, with her words still plaguing him like a ghost:

"Nobody likes you, everyone left you..."

In Part IV, "Rock 'N Roll Girlfriend", one of his friends from the street, Tunny, sends him a postcard, telling Jesus of Suburbia Whatsername is doing just fine, and they're both living their rock and roll fantasy lives (not together, though), And in the final part, "We're Coming Home Again", he returns home, where he remains numb and defeated, but just comes to accept everything. He finds he just is, and there's nothing more to it.

The final track on "American Idiot" reveals that though he accepts all that has happened, and grateful for the knowledge he's earned from his experiences elsewhere, he still cries that he's lost and can't have Whatsername. He never even knew her name, and is only left with memories of her, wondering what could have been:

"If my memory serves me right,
I'll never turn back time,
forgetting you,
but not the time." )

:'(

That last track really does touch me every time.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[punkydoodle]

Thanks a lot! That's really close to how I heard it as well. I think it's the line about guns and go-carts that always makes me go, "Uhm, ok, I'm missing something." 

And I completely agree about how moving the album ending is. The first few times I listened to the album all the way through, I'd be in the middle of doing something afterwards and wonder why I felt sad. Then I'd realize it was that song that did it! lol.

[Gopher]

SingingSparrow said:

This may be going too far, but lately I've been thinking Green Day should actually turn "American Idiot" into a Broadway production.

oh god no...as much as i like greenday, we dont need old people touring new york and stumbling upon it and have 65 year olds singing boulovard of broken dreams with the people who have this cd (american idiot) and some rap and pop in their collection....(i.e people who like whatever TRL tells them to like)

as good as the movie sounds, itll give me another reason to dislike the band since warning. im already sick of this wave of punk and pop.

[28days]

Whasername

[.Ellie.]

I couldnt agree with you more, old school greenday was so much more uncomcialized as they are now. it pisses me rite off aswell when u have these 12 yr old kids wearing their greenday hoodies,  >:( half of them probably havent even heard "warning" let alone "1039" or "kerplunk". which personally were two of their  best albums, where greenday just didnt give a s**t whether they made number one on the album charts, they were just in it cus they loved there job.

[singingsparrow]

.FaithNoMore. said:

I couldnt agree with you more, old school greenday was so much more uncomcialized as they are now. it pisses me rite off aswell when u have these 12 yr old kids wearing their greenday hoodies,  >:( half of them probably havent even heard "warning" let alone "1039" or "kerplunk". which personally were two of their  best albums, where greenday just didnt give a s**t whether they made number one on the album charts, they were just in it cus they loved there job.

I disagree.

"American Idiot" is their best record to date (the reviews agree as well) and though some tracks are indeed radio-ready, let's face it, all their records have had material that sounds radio-friendly. I thought "Warning" was a catchy track by itself.

Those two nine-minute tracks are by far their most unconventional works of their career.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[Gopher]

SingingSparrow said:

I disagree.

"American Idiot" is their best record to date (the reviews agree as well)f.


Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

the reviewers are rating 50 cent good too. whats that tell ya? the reviewers are mainstream people, and this is easily the best new 'punk' album in this new wave of garbage. (not that its really an accomplishment.; i can play just as good/better then Good Charlotte with a month or two of guitar lessons; im already about equal ;) ) critics are retarted; this isnt the best album, its just the poppiest.