7. Taking Down the Mirrors of the Salon
Jose’s contact with the salon reflects in a moment of great symbolism a potent metaphor for his change. Knowing that might be the last time he would see this version of himself, he spent time carefully reading his mirror before the makeover started. Salvia’s decision to eliminate the mirrors was a psychological tactic meant to maximise the effect of the change, not only a pragmatic one. Jose’s lyrical ask to see himself “one last time” demonstrated his great awareness of the importance of this event. With great self-awareness and future hope, his remarks, “Leave the doors over the mirror open for the moment so I can see myself for the last time, then close them to see if when they open again, it’s as if something else really opened up in my life, like a symbol.” This ask turned an ordinary salon process into a potent personal metamorphosis ritual.
zi ang