Bad Signs

25 May

Written By Quinn

Nothing in this picture suggests anything of solid predictive value; it's a snapshot of where things are at in a moment. At face value, it all looks pretty hopeless. The telephone box is clearly a significant symbol of communication. Although in this case, we have solid indicators that the words, unlike the rain, dried up. That being said, I note the door is left open. Who was the one who had no words left to say? Did the man hear those words spoken to him, or did he say those words to someone else? That part of the story is not made clear by this image.

I've long since been suspicious of umbrellas. I don't mean suspicious in the superstitious sense, just wary of the symbolism. They're deceiving in their own way; they offer scant protection against a brutal storm and are only suitable for light showers with minimal wind. Umbrellas are familiar objects in art, and their overall symbolic meaning represents a level of protection. Whether that protection is adequate or insufficient is another matter; we need to look at it in context within the bigger picture.

The discarded red umbrella in this picture could offer ample protection against the rain, although the man's feet would still get wet. Those puddles on the floor indicate this situation has been producing emotion for some time. Maybe he doesn't need the umbrella where he's thinking of going? Perhaps he needs to feel the rain on his skin? He clearly used it before stepping foot in that phone box; was something said for him to stop caring about his own well-being?

Rain doesn't have to be a bad omen, but the angle of this downpour coupled with the man's bowing head doesn't imply a summer frolic. He's stood on the edge of what looks like a sheer drop; he is not in a good place. A single bird flies above; is this another ominous sign? In an earlier post, I spoke of Odin's pair of ravens, Huginn and Muninn, representing thought and mind. If this bird is a raven, and it's difficult to tell, it could be symbolic of an idea he has not yet had, and it may well pertain to something from the soul level. There may be nothing left to say on the physical level, but the bird is about to communicate something that may help lighten the thoughts currently weighing on this man's mind. There is nowhere to go but down with the direction he's facing. That bird might even be loud enough for him to stop staring over the edge and look up instead.

Umbrellas, phone boxes, and birds will often appear in images which are significant in mythic relationships. I mean those where you feel compelled to be involved with a significant someone, the relationships that contain a small amount of obsession and longing. The ones that appear to be steeped in coincidence and synchronicity. They're also the ones which can often lead to heartache, despair, or a feeling of ruin. Obviously, this won't always be the case, and the weather will be the best indicator of the primary conditions of the situation. In this instance, things look pretty dire, but the line of communication has not been severed. Despite the apparent impression of hopelessness, stepping over the edge is not his only option. There's protection available from the elements, he can hide in the phone box til the rain passes, or he can pick up the umbrella and be on his not-so-merry way. He just needs to listen to what that bird has to say.

Art by Kasia Derwinska. You can check out more of her work by following the links.

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