The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Hikikomori" by the artist "Zola Jesus"

Zola Jesus's song "Hikikomori" paints a vivid portrait of a person suffering from an acute form of social isolation known as hikikomori. This phenomenon, prevalent in Japan, is characterized by complete withdrawal from society and voluntary confinement to one's home for a prolonged period.

The lyrics are replete with metaphors conveying the protagonist's mental state. "Blisters on my hands" and "a cyst in my head" symbolize the deep inner pain and anxiety experienced by the lyrical hero. He feels detached from reality ("I don't feel the doors and the floor"), and an inner voice ("a cyst in my head") persuades him to isolate himself from the outside world ("Let it go...").

Daylight is associated with danger and discomfort for the protagonist ("I'm worse in the daylight"), while staying within four walls provides the illusion of safety ("I'm safer when I'm inside"). The repeated phrase "Oh, I know I'm home" expresses not so much a sense of comfort as it emphasizes the hopelessness of the situation: home for the hero has become not just a refuge, but the only reality.

The images of "fingers pointed up" and "grasping" hint at the fear of being absorbed by the outside world, which seems hostile and frightening. The protagonist is afraid to even take a step towards this world, as evidenced by the image of the "stairs" he does not dare to climb.

In the final verses, the motif of insomnia ("Now I don't sleep") and anxiety ("Now I'm restless") appears. The protagonist realizes that his condition is abnormal, but cannot find the strength to break free from it. The phrase "Fools crave the outside..." sounds like an attempt at self-justification, an attempt to convince himself of the correctness of his choice.

In general, Zola Jesus's song "Hikikomori" is a piercing cry for help, locked within four walls. It is a story of fear, loneliness and a desperate struggle for survival in a world that seems too hostile and alien.