An Exploration of Vulnerability, Fear, and the Journey Toward Trust

In the title song from Life is Strange: Double Exposure “Someone was Listening,” Dodie hauntingly navigates the emotional minefield of vulnerability, trust, and isolation, inviting listeners into a ethereal introspective space where fear and longing coalesce. Dodie’s lyrics, steeped in metaphors and rich with emotional depth, tell a story that is at once personal and universally relatable. For many, the song will resonate as an exploration of the human instinct to protect oneself from pain, while simultaneously yearning for connection and intimacy.

In this article, we conducted thematic analysis of the lyrics to dive into the themes of “Someone was Listening,” dissecting Dodie’s journey as the song moves between isolation and connection, examining the wariness of trust, and ultimately uncovering the quiet hope for meaningful connections. Concluding with speculation on which character from Life is Strange Double Exposure is the songs focus.

Before diving into our analysis, we recommend listening to Someone was Listening by Dodie on Amazon Music and experiencing Life is Strange: Double Exposure on Xbox, PS5, or PC.

Minor Character Spoilers Ahead

Building a Fortress: The Self-Imposed Isolation of Emotional Protection

The song opens with the lines, “I sat for so long that I built a home.” Here, Dodie reveals an image of the narrator sitting alone long enough to construct an entire “home” around her emotions. She goes on, “Lay hands on the bricks and I’d swear from inside, I could feel it.” This home is a metaphor for the psychological walls we build to shield ourselves from emotional pain. These “bricks” represent the barriers we lay between ourselves and the outside world.

For many, the idea of creating a personal fortress is a familiar concept. When the world feels unsafe, we may retreat, crafting emotional boundaries that keep others at a distance. These boundaries can make us feel secure, but they also isolate us from potential connections. In Dodie’s lyrics, the “home” she builds represents a duality which is one of the main aspects of Life is Strange: Double Exposure - while it offers her safety, it also imprisons her, a bittersweet reality that foreshadows the tension between isolation and vulnerability throughout the song and the game.

When Someone Comes Knocking: Fear of Vulnerability and Losing Control

Soon after establishing her “home,” Dodie introduces a visitor, someone who disrupts her solitude. She describes them as arriving with a “mallet and light.” The choice of a mallet, a blunt and forceful instrument, paired with “light,” implies that this person brings both strength and illumination. They may be well-intentioned, trying to break down her walls to bring her into the open. But for Dodie, their arrival is alarming: “Don’t touch my windows, my bricks, or my rules, I won’t hear it.”

This line highlights the narrators resistance. Despite the potential for connection, she fiercely protects her boundaries, afraid of what might happen if they are breached. Many people feel this ambivalence toward intimacy; we crave closeness, yet we fear the loss of control and the exposure it brings. Allowing others inside our emotional “homes” risks having them reject us, betray us, misunderstand us, and leave us feeling emptier than before. Dodie’s lyrics capture this complex dance between the need for connection and the fear of vulnerability.

The Uncertainty of Help: When Trust Feels Dangerous

As the song progresses, Dodie introduces another layer of ambivalence toward trusting others. In the lines, “Stillness means end or is danger just slow?” and “Will I be rewarded or lose even more?” she voices a profound uncertainty. She questions whether remaining isolated is genuinely safe or if it is merely a slow form of self-sabotage. Should she let someone in and risk the potential pain that might follow? Or is it safer to remain isolated and preserve the fragile security she has?

This dilemma is one that often plagues those who have experienced betrayal or abandonment. Trust, once broken, becomes difficult to rebuild, and we may start to question whether the benefits of companionship are worth the potential emotional toll. Dodie captures this internal struggle eloquently, weighing the risk of vulnerability against the potential reward of connection. Her lyrics reveal the painful hesitation of someone who wants to believe in others but is scarred by past experiences.

A Complex Relationship with Trust: Fear, Doubt, and Relationship Anxiety

Dodie’s lyrics repeatedly touch on the themes of trust issues and relationship anxiety, which many listeners may find relatable. In lines like “One was enough now, we should’ve stayed blind,” and “I do not trust you, don’t trust myself,” she expresses a reluctance to engage in new relationships. Her words reflect a kind of emotional fatigue—a sense that one painful experience was enough, and she’d rather “stay blind” than risk more heartache.

This lack of trust extends not only toward others but also toward herself. The narrators reluctance to trust her own judgment hints at a history of hurt, suggesting that past mistakes weigh heavily on her. Many people, especially those who have been through traumatic or emotionally intense relationships, can relate to this feeling. The fear of making the same mistake twice, of getting hurt again, leads to an ambivalence about even attempting to build new relationships.

The Power of Connection: Acceptance of Fear and the Desire for Companionship

In the final lines, they begin to reconcile the need for connection with their fear of intimacy: “Fear is the loudest, but deep down I know / I’d take the terror, than go it alone.” Despite the terror and doubt, she acknowledges that being alone is ultimately more painful, perhaps due to the figure with the ‘mallet and light’ breaking down some of their barriers. Dodie’s words speak to a universal truth: while relationships bring risk, they also offer irreplaceable rewards—companionship, support, and a sense of belonging.

This realization signals a turning point. Their fear is loud and persistent, yet she chooses to confront it rather than submit to isolation. It’s a courageous moment of self-acceptance and acknowledgment that, though the world may feel uncertain and other people unpredictable, facing those fears can be less painful than remaining entirely alone. This acceptance speaks to a kind of emotional maturity: she understands that genuine connection may bring pain, but it also brings meaning.

Who Might "Someone Was Listening" Be About? Max Caulfield or Safi?

As the title track for Life is Strange: Double Exposure, “Someone Was Listening” seems to be written with a particular character’s journey in mind. While many would first assume the song reflects Max Caulfield, the central character of the original Life is Strange series known for her struggles with isolation and trust, we believe the song more closely aligns with the character of Safi. Both characters, with their respective struggles and inner conflicts, offer potential interpretations of the song’s deeper meanings, but “Someone Was Listening” seems to resonate particularly well with Safi’s storyline.

Max Caulfield: Isolation and Responsibility

In Life is Strange, Max Caulfield is a character who grapples with the weight of responsibility, her introverted nature, and the often alienating consequences of her time-altering abilities. Much like the lyrics of “Someone Was Listening,” Max’s journey was one defined by isolation and hesitation to let others in, fearing both emotional vulnerability and the impact of her choices on those she cares about. She’s a reluctant hero whose ability to rewind time leads her to question her actions, often retreating into herself to avoid hurting others. The line, “I do not trust you, don’t trust myself,” could certainly apply to Max’s struggle to trust her own decisions while bearing the responsibility for altering reality.

However, while Max’s story does contain themes of mistrust and isolation, her experience largely centres on her attempts to save others rather than protect her own boundaries. Much of her isolation is rooted in her unique power, which separates her from others, rather than from a desire to create walls around her own emotions. This makes the song relatable to Max, but the tone and specific emotions in “Someone Was Listening” seem to align even more closely with Safi. In our opinion Max is present in the song but is the figure with the ‘Mallet and Light’, a new force in Safi’s life that shakes her metaphorical foundations and creates a wake of change.

Safi: Self-Protection and Emotional Barriers

Safi, a new addition to the Life is Strange universe, brings a unique perspective that mirrors the self-protective themes in “Someone Was Listening” more directly. Unlike Max, Safi’s story revolves around her attempts to manage her personal emotional boundaries, stemming from a history of betrayals and self-sabotages leading to a profound fear of vulnerability and a desire to keep others at a distance. Safi has created her own emotional mask(s) or a “home,” a place of safety where she feels sheltered from potential pain. The lines, “I sat for so long that I built a home,” and, “Don’t touch my windows, my bricks, or my rules,” reflect Safi’s inner world—a place of self-imposed isolation that she has built up in response to past wounds and betrayals.

Where Max questions the ethics of her powers and the effects on others, Safi’s journey is more inward, driven by a reluctance to open herself to new relationships due to the fear of being hurt. The line, “One was enough now, we should’ve stayed blind,” resonates powerfully with Safi, hinting at past trauma that has left her cautious and hesitant to trust others again. This self-protection and resistance to intimacy is central to her character and aligns seamlessly with the song’s central themes of uncertainty, mistrust, and the fear of loss.

The Intriguing Ambiguity of “Someone Was Listening”

Ultimately, both interpretations hold weight, and the ambiguity of “Someone Was Listening” allows it to resonate with both characters and listeners in different ways. Max and Safi both navigate struggles with isolation and vulnerability, but the song’s specific themes of building walls, fearing emotional intrusion, and struggling to accept help seem to align most closely with Safi’s story. Her journey is one of balancing self-protection with the desire to connect, a theme echoed throughout the lyrics.

In the end, while fans might debate the song’s true inspiration, “Someone Was Listening” speaks to the universal experience of grappling with trust, opening up to others, and the difficult journey toward connection. Whether it was written with Max or Safi in mind, the song captures the essence of both characters’ journeys, giving voice to the inner conflict that defines so much of Life is Strange.

Embracing Uncertainty: The Song’s Final Message

Beyond the game “Someone was Listening” is a poignant reflection on vulnerability, self-protection, and the complexities of human relationships. Dodie’s lyrics capture the emotional ambiguity of navigating intimacy and trust, highlighting both the allure and the terror of connection. Through her journey, we see that protecting oneself may provide temporary security, but it ultimately limits growth and fulfillment.

Dodie’s words remind us that while isolation may feel safe, it often becomes a prison of its own. Her message is a reminder that life, with all its unpredictability, offers more hope and richness when we open ourselves up—even if doing so requires us to risk the very fears we’ve spent a lifetime avoiding. In the end, Dodie’s song encourages us to embrace the unknown, to trust ourselves and others, and to remember that while vulnerability is frightening, it is also what makes us fully human.

Full Lyrics

I sat for so long that I built a home

They'd tap at the windows and think they were bones

Lay hands on the bricks and I'd swear from inside, I could feel it

Now here you are with your mallet and light

Out of your own house, you think it's alright

Don't touch my windows, my bricks, or my rules, I won't hear it

Open the door, how do I know Stillness means end or is danger just slow?

I do not trust you, don't trust myself

But someone was listening when I called for help

Can't tell the difference on unsteady floor

Will I be rewarded or lose even more?

Safety in numbers, but I never said I was ready

Open the door, what if we find

One was enough now, we should've stayed blind

I do not trust you, don't trust myself

But someone was listening when I called for help (I called for help)

Fear is the loudest, but deep down I know I'd take the terror, than go it alone

Thematic Analysis Conducted for this Article

The song "Someone was Listening" by dodie explores themes of vulnerability, fear of change, and the complex dynamics of trust and safety in relationships. Here is the full break down the main themes in this introspective piece:

1. Isolation and Self-Protection

• In the lines, "I sat for so long that I built a home," and "Lay hands on the bricks and I'd swear from inside, I could feel it," the speaker describes creating an emotional "home" or protective shell. This home, though safe, also suggests a kind of self-imposed isolation—implying that the speaker has spent a long time building walls around themselves for safety and security.

• The windows and bricks act as metaphors for boundaries the speaker has carefully constructed to shield themselves from external threats or emotional harm.

2. Fear of Vulnerability and Loss of Control

• When the speaker says, "Now here you are with your mallet and light... Don't touch my windows, my bricks, or my rules," they express an apprehension toward someone attempting to break through their protective layers. The use of a "mallet and light" symbolizes a forceful, perhaps well-intentioned, attempt to bring clarity or connection. However, the speaker resists this intrusion, fearing the loss of control over their carefully guarded emotions.

• This wariness is further reinforced in lines like "I do not trust you, don't trust myself," showing internal conflict about whether letting someone in is safe or worth the potential emotional cost.

3. Uncertainty and Ambivalence Toward Help

• In "Stillness means end or is danger just slow?" and "Will I be rewarded or lose even more?" the speaker grapples with the ambiguity of stepping out of their comfort zone. These lines underscore a hesitation to change, perhaps stemming from previous experiences where help or openness led to disappointment or hurt.

• Despite their fear, they acknowledge, "But someone was listening when I called for help," suggesting a complicated gratitude or reliance on external support, even as they remain wary.

4. Trust Issues and Relationship Anxiety

• Lines like "One was enough now, we should've stayed blind," and "I do not trust you, don't trust myself," indicate a deep-seated distrust, both toward others and toward their own judgment. This speaks to a fear of intimacy and perhaps a fear of past mistakes repeating themselves in relationships.

• The speaker is caught in a cycle of wanting connection but fearing that trust will lead to pain or betrayal, highlighting an anxiety around vulnerability and attachment.

5. Acceptance of Fear Over Isolation

• In the final lines, "Fear is the loudest, but deep down I know I'd take the terror, than go it alone," the speaker acknowledges that, while fear dominates their thoughts, the need for companionship and connection ultimately outweighs the desire for safety in isolation.

• This realization underscores the complexity of human relationships—despite the risks, the possibility of meaningful connection provides something valuable, perhaps irreplaceable.

6. Ambiguity Between Safety and Danger

• The lyrics consistently blur the line between safety and danger, with phrases like "Stillness means end or is danger just slow?" reflecting an uncertainty about whether isolation (or remaining closed off) is safe or whether it's slowly harming them.

• This theme of ambiguous safety also speaks to an inner conflict about whether staying guarded protects or restricts them, underscoring the difficulty of balancing self-protection with the desire for meaningful relationships.

In summary, "Someone was Listening" poignantly captures the struggle between the comfort of emotional walls and the frightening vulnerability that comes with letting someone in. Dodie's lyrics navigate themes of trust, self-preservation, and the longing for connection, ultimately suggesting that while relationships are terrifying, the alternative—complete isolation—is perhaps more daunting. This theme resonates as a complex but relatable reflection on the human desire for intimacy despite the inherent risks involved.