#magdalene

Messing around trying out some new brushes on something really indulgent.

magdalene on her own is already an incredibly interesting character as compared to most of isaac's other identities - instead of being directly based on an existing biblical figure or stage of decay, magdalene is more closely connected to his mother, the connection that they hold, and isaac's own femininity and happiness as a whole. each part of her character holds a distinct history in isaac's life, including her appearance; a wig gifted to him by his mother, serving as another factor of their connection and the joy it brings isaac.

which then makes it all the more interesting to consider the appearance of tainted magdalene, her "abused" counterpart; the hair is distinctly duller in color and shaved on one side, much unlike what an actual wig would look like. at a first glance this choice in appearance may seem strange, maybe even haphazard, but is in reality a choice that makes complete sense given isaac's experiences and reflects the pain he feels at being stripped of his identity.

on multiple occasions it has been made clear that isaac's baldness comes from isaac's mother shaving his head (1) (2); while the purpose itself is unclear, the effect of it very much is. it strips isaac of his own identity without his input, and the resulting misery is shown clearly through the corruption or "tainting" of the identity that most encapsulates his happiness - magdalene. this act of shaving isaac's head is reflected in her appearance, and while it may be a fake wig in reality, the feminine identity that it holds is very much real to isaac. one part of her hair being gone expresses his feelings in that part of him being stolen, while what remains signifies that it remains something real and true to isaac.