The Candle: One Object's Refusal to Burn Out- Connor Burns

The Candle: One Object's Refusal to Burn Out

            

             Ever since humans first gained the ability to harness fire, our destiny as a species was altered forever.  While our utilization of fire has blossomed into a variety of different uses throughout the ages, from cooking to heating to controlled deforestation, the dawn of the electrical age has rendered the use for fire as a simple lighting source obsolete.  Or at least, one would think it would be rendered obsolete.  Curiously, candles remain as popular as ever in places where entire rooms can be illuminated, quite literally, at the touch of a finger, and my household is no exception.  One would be hard pressed not to find a small, flickering light dancing amidst our darkened living room, its jovial glare glimmering warmly against the rims of wine glasses.  Many other means of going about one’s life which was once considered commonplace has been forced aside by the rising tide of technology.  Horse-drawn buggies which once decorated bustling city streets are now nothing more than novelty tourist attractions, and I can count on one hand how many landline “home” phones I have seen in the past several years.  How have candles managed to avoid meeting with the same fate?

Ceremonial Usage

One association candles have which makes them timeless, in a way, is with holidays and special occasions.  The most common is the birthday, which are most often associated with an array of lit candles scattered on layers of frosting atop a savory cake. Candles not only provide a group of people atmospheric lighting for the presentation of a cake, but are also often used quantitatively: the number of candles on a cake typically corresponds with the next age of life one is entering.  The preexisting longevity of the birthday tradition is a big reason why it- and candles, by extension- persists.  While the tradition of placing candles atop a cake on celebration of a birthday has been around since 15^th century Germany, the practice has actually been around since the time of the Ancient Greeks, where the candle-topped cakes were brought as gifts and offerings to the temple of Artemis, hailed as the Goddess of the hunt.  This become common practice after it was discovered that the round shape, paired with the glow of candles, bore similarities to the moon, a celestial body of wonder and fascination to the ancient Greeks.

Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt.  A figure of great reverence in Ancient Greece.

If the use of candles in secular traditions such as birthdays have managed stay popular, then the fact that candles are still commonplace in religious traditions should come as little surprise.  Religious buildings such as churches are regularly decorated with candles, especially during holy seasons such as Christmas and Easter.  The most famous use of candles in religious ceremonies, however, is probably the lighting of the menorah during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.  While the actual reason why seven candles adorn the iconic instrument remains ambiguous, a commonly agreed-upon interpretation is that each candle represents a day which God spent creating the Earth and mankind.  Candles specifically are used because they represent an “eternal flame”, and a symbol of the will and perseverance of the Jewish people.  On a more broad scale, the light of a candle is so closely tied with religion, specifically in the Judeo-Christian realm, because God’s famous phrase “Let there be light”, is what put an end to the long reign of a cold, dark, empty universe and allowed Earth and mankind as we know if to flourish.  In that vein, light is symbolic of life itself, and the candle is one of our oldest methods of supplying that light, casting out whatever darkness and evil may be clouding our own lives.  Of the Abrahamic religions, Judaism is the one which utilizes candles the most frequently for symbolic purposes- twin candles are traditionally lit every Friday in Jewish households to mark the coming of the Sabbath.

The menorah, an icon of Judaism and the season of Hanukkah

Practicality

            

           As I mentioned, one of the most baffling aspects as to why candles remain so popular is the fact that their practical functions have been rendered all but obsolete by modern amenities, at least in developed nations.  A simple candle, or even dozens of candles for that matter, do not have the luminosity to fill an entire room with bright light.  Even in the infrequent event of power outages, my family has plenty of battery-powered lanterns and flashlights to help us navigate the darkened corridors of our home.  Even with all the appliances that cellphones have managed to displace, their built-in flashlight function should make candles no more than a last-resort option in the event of a power outage.  Still, when our house suddenly goes dark, we grab a flashlight and immediately search for a candle to light. 

Perhaps this because candles provide us with a sense of warmth and security as blistering winds rage just beyond our rattling windows that brighter, synthetic, more industrial lights cannot emulate.  Research into the psychology behind candles and their effect on mental health actually gives credence to this hypothesis.  Unsurprisingly, research has shown that anxiety-prone subjects felt generally less anxious in a candle-adorned environment as opposed to an environment lit via fluorescents.  A study conducted by the University of Toronto Scarborough shows clear evidence of low light inducing feelings of calmness and relaxation, whereas the opposite is true of bright, intense lights.  Subjects in both the bright light and low light groups were asked to assess how aggressive they perceive a fictional character to be while in their respective environments, and those in the low light group generally saw less aggression in the same character than those soaked in the bright lights.  Furthermore, this study suggests that low light may subdue our reactions to various other stimuli that you probably would not expect.  The groups also sampled spicy chicken wings, and those under low lights generally had a less strong reaction, considering the same wings to be more mild tasting than the bright lights group.  This is probably the reason why candles are so commonly used in conjunction with meditative practices and prayer; in places where one aims to rid themselves of all their mental woes and be at peace with their inner selves, or perhaps even attempts to communicate with a higher power or a loved one who has passed on, candles are a virtual necessity in crafting an environment which would allow one’s mind, body, and soul to be at ease. 

Candles, or lights mimicking candles, can almost always be found in meditative spaces

If candles are impractical nowadays when it comes to lighting a room, then they are perhaps even more impractical when it comes to heating a room.  Of course, with the luxury of modern heating units, no man-made fire is necessary to keep us cozy on those harsh winter nights.  Still even before heating units became commonplace, people would rely on fireplaces to provide warmth to their homes.  Fireplaces, like candles, have managed to persist into the modern age alongside candles despite the rise of modern heating.  Sure, there may not be too many new homes that are being installed with fireplaces nowadays, but for homes like mine that do have them, the fireplace still sees fairly regular use.  When heat or light can be delivered to a room with a simple twist or flick of the wrist, respectively, we still find it worthwhile to go through the task of burning some logs on the fireplace.  We light candles much more than we light the fireplace, but still, there must be something about the atmosphere provided by candles and the fireplace that stands unrivaled by electrical lights, something which humans are biologically primed to gravitate towards.

Emotion

While a wide variety of designs exist in candles, whether that be in terms of length, color, scent, or the holder which contains them, their form and general function remain largely the same: a tower of wax with a single flame dancing atop its peak.  Given this fairly standard structure, it is surprising just how versatile candles can be when it comes to eliciting different types of emotions in us, depending on where they are.  Candles atop a cake create joy and a sense of accomplishment to some.  Candles lining the walls of a church may make someone feel spiritual in their connection to God or perhaps sentimental in connection to a loved one who has passed on.  Candles in funeral homes or at burials add to the event’s somber atmosphere.  Lonely candles acting as the only source of faint light amidst the dim corridors of an old mansion have potential to inspire fear and unease.  Candles acting as a centerpiece for a fancy dinner date may elicit romantic or even lustful feelings.  Candles in a spa setting or accompanying a nice massage are likely to make you feel more tranquil.  Candles acting as the metaphorical cherry on top of a Jack-O-Lantern during a seasonal pumpkin carving are sure to generate youthful jolliness in just about everyone involved.  Depending on where you place a candle, it seems that candle can hold different meanings or implications.  But is it the environment that makes the candle?  Or does the candle create the environment? 

Take the old mansion, for example.  Without the candle, there is simply darkness.  Unable to make out what is directly in front of your nose, little is left for the imagination run wild.  When there is a candle present just to barely give some light to the room, your mind conjures up images of what may be hiding just out of your range of view.  The flickering candle makes the surrounding shadows come alive; the faint light from the candle allows the element of the unknown to tighten its grip on your psyche.  Ironically, sometimes a little light is all we need to make the world around us seem much more sinister.

Though we may not like to admit it, humans are driven by emotion.  We are constantly in search of things that will make us happy, and for some, we are simply looking for things that make us feel.  I would not consider sadness or fear to be “positive” emotions, or feelings that you would expect people to actively seek out, but there are massive markets out there for dramas and horror movies, books, television shows, etc.  In our clamoring for the next rush or even sprinkle of emotion, candles have the uncanny ability to satisfy those needs, adapting whatever environment they inhabit to create whatever atmosphere one may seek out.

Symbolism

By now, candles have become something of an icon.  Sure, candles can take on a different meaning depending on where they are placed, but the single candle, isolated from any outside influences, is symbolic of life.  Fire has long been symbolic of fuel, energy, power, and passion, some of the very intrinsic elements which inspire humanity’s continual drive to prosper.  Candle are more than fire, though, they are a contained fire.  There are few better and more succinct examples of humanity’s achievement in harnessing one of nature’s most destructive forces than the candle.  In a way, candles are representative of the trait of defiance, achieved through our unique ingenuity, which has defined us from the dawn of our species.  Much like humanity, one of our most rudimentary inventions refuses to die out, continuously pushing forward into the future against all odds.

            It is difficult to foresee just how long our species will continue to dominate the Earth, but we do know that the lifespan for individual members of our species is limited.  This concept of death can be a difficult one for many to come to even grasp, let alone come to terms with, especially in cultures where the open discussion of death is taboo.  Candles, simple as they may seem, might be able to help us make light of this complex subject matter.  If the flame atop the candle is representative of life, then the inevitability that the candle burns out is representative of the loss of life.  Nothing lasts forever, but it can be beautiful to know that the candle has given its “life” in order to make us happy.  Likewise, humans need not be preoccupied with what awaits us beyond our own lives, as it is something we will experience regardless of our efforts to the contrary.  What we must focus on is living a life which illuminates ours and brightens the lives of those around us.  Do this in life, and you can enter death knowing that you lived your life as our maker intended it, just like a candle.

What’s Up with Scented Candles?

Just this past weekend, while celebrating our Mother’s Day festivities, my mom was ecstatic to receive a new lavender-scented candle for our bathroom, eager to pass it around my family as she invited us all to give it a whiff for ourselves.  She is not alone in her affinity for scented candles: the market has seen a meteoric rise in recent years.  What can we attribute this to, and does a distinct scent really add so much to something which has already been around for hundreds of years?  Cost certainly is not the reason- there are far cheaper ways to make a room smell fresh.  In terms of light and heat, even the high-end scented candles are no more effective than a cheap birthday candle.  Just as humans rely so heavily on visual elements when assessing an environment, so too are we reliant upon what we are smelling.  The most extravagant dinner date imaginable, complete with an entire cornucopia of candles as its centerpiece, would be ruined if the room reeked of raw sewage.  We are constantly seeking to optimize our living spaces for the enjoyment and comfort of both ourselves and others, and to do so we must attune the environment to satisfy all our senses.  Scented candles have the unique pitch of providing a two-in-one deal to satiate two of our most prominent and potent senses.  Furthermore, evidence suggests that the scented facet of candles may amplify the candle’s preexisting ability to alleviate stress and anxiety and improve mental health overall.  

Shelves lined with scented candle assortments have become a mainstay of American consumerist culture

There is also the aspect of aesthetic which must not be understated.    Morwenna Ferrier of “The Guardian” theorizes that added visual elements which denote class and sophistication are invaluable in “the age of the bathroom selfie”.  As visually pleasing as scented candles may be, they may be demonstrative of a mounting insecurity within our world.  As our private spaces become increasingly less private with the dawn of social media, we seek to adorn our spaces with objects of sophistication, no matter the cost, lest we find ourselves as outcasts among the very people we seek validation and approval from through the screens of our phones. 

An Eternal Flame

            

Appropriately, just as candles serve as a symbol of humanity’s defiance against the forces of nature, candles too have defied all odds and expectations, simple sticks of wax persisting well into the 21^st century.  It would be a difficult task to say just how much longer candles will continue to light the world around us.  Will candles by swept away, just like with countless other objects, by some wave of new technology in the next few years?  Or will we still be lighting candles in our homes on the surface of Mars?  Only time will tell, and though a single candle cannot last forever, their history and significance to our species continues to burn bright.

 Bibliography

Ferrier, Morwenna. “The Cult of 'Smellness': What's behind the Extraordinary Rise in Sales of Scented Candles?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 19 Dec. 2018, www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/dec/19/the-cult-of-smellness-whats-behind-the-extraordinary-rise-in-sales-of-scented-candles.

“The Origin of Birthday Cake and Candles.” ProFlowers Blog, 22 Apr. 2015, www.proflowers.com/blog/origin-of-birthday-cake-and-birthday-candles.

Cartwright, Mark. “Artemis.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 11 May 2020, www.ancient.eu/artemis/.

Breaking Matzo. “The History & Meaning of the Menorah.” Breaking Matzo, 26 Sept. 2018, breakingmatzo.com/philosophy/the-history-meaning-of-the-menorah/.

Symplicity Communications. “How Light Affects the Brain.” Symplicity, 28 Nov. 2019, symplicitycom.com/2019/11/06/how-light-affects-the-brain/.