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Lessons of Fraggle Rock
This Little Light of Mine, I'm Gonna Let It Shine
Down in Fraggle Rock, a race of microscopic crystalline entities called Ditzies provide most of the light (other sources being cave entrances, such as the ones to Outer Space, the Gorg's Garden [both the tunnels and the Gorg's well], etc). Without this light, all life seems to "go to sleep," leading ultimately (though never dwelled on) to the Rock's demise as a whole. In this article we will explore their nature and meaning, both to Fraggles and to the audience.
We first hear of their existence in the episode, "The Day the Music Died." Gobo Fraggle requests quiet as he tries to write his Glory Song, unwittingly leading the Rock to darkness as the Ditzies begin to die off. The Ditzies claim to be the primary light source to the Rock. They must live on the cave walls, considering the lighting seems to be coming from either the walls themselves or some small light source hidden in some crevice. Fraggles cast shadows on the walls, so the light we see illuminating the walls is also powerful enough in some areas to illuminate parts of the surrounding tunnel or cave, much like a liquid-crystal display (LCD) arrangement might. For most of the series, they serve simply as background lighting. However, other than the above-mentioned episode, they might be credited with guiding Sprocket in "Sprocket's Big Adventure" and creating a new tunnel for the Fraggle Five in the finale, "Change of Address." Considering the tunnels in the T. Matthew Fraggle Room light up with very distinctive colors when they warp Fraggles to Outer Space, they might also be present in "Uncle Matt's Discovery" and "Red's Blue Dragon." However, in "The Day the Music Died," the Ditzies are able to summon their strength to float in midair and speak in a light, high-pitched, harmonic voice ... though this appears to weaken them substantially until Gobo discovers how to revive them. They live off of music, as it turns out, and they only seem to be able to generate light in its presence. Music seems to be a rather broad term, since Cantus' pipe, touching resonating stones in the Singing Cave, and ringing bells will also cause them to generate light. They might also supply their own music as well; if you notice, Rock inhabitants are accompanied with instrumentals even if they have no instruments anywhere in the vicinity. They seem to be able to imitate a wide range of musical instruments of various types, from strings to percussions to winds. This is not to say that there is a purely scientific reason behind the Ditzies, however. Although with some research I could probably come up with some basic properties of crystals, I shall not do that here, as this is more about their meaning rather than their physiological structure.
What do the Ditzies mean to the Fraggles? They are not the sole light source, as the opening to the Gorg well provides much light to the Great Hall and Gobo frequently has a fire going in his room. When the Ditzies begin to die off, the Fraggles are put to sleep, and I use the phrase deliberately. Just as the Fraggles have symbiotic relationships with the insectoid-mammalian Doozers and the gigantic primate Gorgs, there also appears to be a symbiotic relationship with the Ditzies in that their survival depends on the Ditzies' lives and vice versa. However, I think it goes well beyond mere physical symbiosis. They appear to symbolize faith itself. In their introductory episode, Gobo does not just spontaneously sing, like many Fraggles do. He tries to write the Glory Song consciously, and his efforts show nothing of his natural talent. Again, in "The Bells of Fraggle Rock," Gobo tries to prove the existence of the Great Bell and risks killing everyone in the Rock when it freezes over. Only when he just appreciates the holiday for its own sake instead of trying to find evidence of its origin is the Rock saved, though that particular episode does have some interesting pieces of evidence, such as a cave shaped as a bell and the strong sounds of a large bell that cannot come from any of the Fraggles' small bells. Uncle Matt, depressed that Gobo (and practically everyone else) thinks of him as an old bumbler, finally opines that exploring holds no more magic for him anymore. As if on cue, he stumbles into a room with numerous portals to Outer Space. In the finale, Gobo and the rest of the Fraggle Five are distraught that they could not talk to Doc before he left the workshop. In response, a magical tunnel opens, allowing them to walk straight to him to deliver a message about faith in magic.
Light has always been a powerful symbol. The universe, no matter what the religious or scientific explanations about its origin, begins with a large explosion of light which brings order to a senseless chaotic darkness. The sun, the moon, the stars ... all have been symbolized or worshipped as life-creating beings or as powerful guides to help humans and other beings find their way through life. Plato likened ignorance to living in a dark cave, while the learned lived outside in a light-filled world. Most religious iconography contains some reference to light, as beings either glow, have halos, etc. Indeed, like the Fraggles, we can lose energy when the light disappears, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder, a type of lethargic depression brought about by lack of natural light. Even in video games, "leveling up" and acheiving certain attributes or skills are represented by a light-filled aura.
The importance of light in Fraggle Rock is only really touched on overtly in one episode throughout its entire run, but the environment and plots are so well-detailed that it never really misses an episode. The theme that light gave life and knowledge and represented faith is prevalent in each shot, particularly in the more mystical episodes with Cantus the Minstrel, who is typically present "on magical occasions" (note that he helps Junior Gorg with the assistance of a lantern). What with all the problems happening in the world today, we might all need to reconnect with that sense of divinity or mysticism, or else we might truly suffer the fate of Plato's cave dwellers or Fraggle Rock as the Ditzies die. Regardless of one's religious sensibilities or lack thereof, an appreciation of the inter-connectedness and sacredness of life itself is necessary to our species' survival. Indeed, as we continue to influence the climate, this appreciation will also have effects on non-human life as well ... maybe even Fraggles we don't even see.
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