Morrison: put mirrors on her door

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Marius Hancu - 16 Jan 2010 10:51 GMT

Hello:

"put mirrors on her door"
was it to deflect the devil?

Known?

---
[Pilate was considered witch-like in this community]

[Her experience] had taught her a preferable kind of behavior.
Preferable to that of the men who called her mermaid and the women who
swept up her footprints or put mirrors on her door. She was a natural
healer, ...

Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon, p. 150
---
--
Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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Cheryl - 16 Jan 2010 13:43 GMT

> Hello:
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> Thanks.
> Marius Hancu

I hadn't heard about that particular superstition about mirrors. I found
this:

http://organicanews.com/news/article.cfm?story_id=231

"The most well-known is the horseshoe nailed above a threshold for "good
luck." This is but one of many objects African Americans used to keep
evil from entering the home. Others examples included tacking a bible
verse above the door, painting doors and windows blue (called "haint
blue" in South Carolina), hanging "ghost mirrors" beside the door (evil
is repelled by its own sight), flanking the door with vessels of water,
and hanging a colander or sieve over a keyhole (evil spirits are
obsessive compulsive and must count the holes before entering). "

So it sounds like a way to repel all evil.

Signature

Cheryl

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Marius Hancu - 16 Jan 2010 13:55 GMT

> > "put mirrors on her door"
> > was it to deflect the devil?
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
>evil is repelled by its own sight

Sounds like a good one.
--
Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2010

Morrison: put mirrors on her door