Author Archives: emmorris@usc.edu

Bloody Mary

Transcription: “We played Bloody Mary at sleepovers. I was told to go into the bathroom, close the door, turn off the lights, close my eyes, and say her Bloody Mary three times. When you opened your eyes, you were supposed to see her. If she liked you, you were safe. If she she didn’t like you, she would claw your eyes out. When I was younger, I would always open the door and then turn off the lights before leaving the bathroom because I was scared of being in the dark bathroom for even a second. I also would be careful not to even think the name Bloody Mary when I was in the bathroom because I didn’t want to accidentally summon her.”

For another version of this folklore, see “Bloody Mary.” Supernatural. The CW. 11 Oct. 2005. Television.

Bloody Mary is both a game and a ritual. Like all games, Blood Mary has rules. Participants must close themselves in a dark bathroom and say her name three times. If the rules are not followed correctly, Bloody Mary will not appear. By repeating the game at sleepovers, it becomes ritualistic. Blood Mary is a ritual since it has a specific time and space. This version of the ritual takes place in the space of a bathroom and at night time. The rules can also be read as ritualistic. For example, the repetition of Mary’s name can be considered a chant used to summon the supernatural.

My informant was a child when she learned about Bloody Mary. She heard about the game from other young girls and played the game at a sleepover. A sleepover, as a coming together of girls, provides an opportunity to share values. The premise of a vengeful spirit heightens fear to reinforce behavior. By spreading both the legend and acting out the game/ritual, the girls become their own cultural reinforcement of good behavior. In order to survive Bloody Mary, you had to be good, which creates a distinction between being a good girl versus a bad girl.

I would argue that one of the reasons Bloody Mary takes place in the bathroom is because it is a place in which we are vulnerable and exposed. The ritual is performed in the dark to inhibit a reliance on our most important sense. Overall, the game is designed to unsettle the participant by placing them in an ambiguous space.

 

Spanish Proverb 4

Transcription: “El hábito no hace al monje.”

English Transcription: “The habit doesn’t make him a monk.”

The “habit” in the phrase does not refer to a repeated action but instead to the dress or uniform of a monk. “Monk” usually refers to an individual of high morals who took religious vows and lives in a monastery. This phrase is not always applied to a man. The proverb could be made feminine if “el monje” was changed to “la monja,” which means “nun.” However, the gender of the phrase does not change its meaning: clothing can become a form of deception.

Regardless of which religious order is used in the phrase, it refers to an individual who is not who they seem on the outside. The habit becomes a metaphor for someone who uses their clothing to disguise their true character. A person who dresses like a monk is not necessarily a good person. In more common day terms, a person who wears athletic clothing is not always an athlete, and a person who wears classes is not always intelligent. Appearances can deceive, and this proverb is used when one learns the true identity behind the disguise.

This proverb could be used casually in a conversation. For example, “I was wrong about John. He dresses nicely and seemed like a good person, but he turned out to be a jerk.” To which a friend might respond, “Well, the habit doesn’t make him a monk.” The proverb is a cautionary phrase that encourages the deceived to be more careful in the future.

 

The Lost Dutchman

Transcription: “This story is called the tale of the Lost Dutchman. The mountains east of Phoenix are called the Superstitions because of all the weird things that happen out there. According to the Apache, sand storms come from a cave in the mountains that is said to be a gate to Hell…they say an evil wind kicks dust out and it covers the valley in a sand storm. In the Superstitions, there are a lot of minerals, most importantly gold. In the mid 1800s, there was a dutchman who was out prospecting and he got lost…I think he got lost and stumbled upon a cave. At the front of the cave, there was supposedly skeletons and old pots that looked like they came from the conquistadores. He opened up one of the pots, and he found giant gold nuggets. He found more gold as he went further into the cave. He filled up his bag with gold and then left the way that he came. When he went back to town, he told people about the gold he found. The next day, he tried to lead a group of people back to the cave, but he couldn’t find it. People are still looking for it today. They never found it. The landmarks that the dutchman described are real, such as Weaver’s Needle.”

 

The story transcribed above can be classified as a legend since it takes place in a real-world setting. The legend began less than two hundred years ago in Phoenix, Arizona. Since that area has strong ties to its Native American heritage, many Native American folk stories have mingled with those of American settlers. My informant has no connection to Native American culture, but he recently moved to Phoenix and learned the stories.

The mountains are called the Superstitions due to the strange phenomena that occur. Apache folklore explains the mysterious occurrences as a result of the Superstitions having a cave that is a gateway to Hell. In addition to the religious folklore surrounding the mountains, they are also said to be rich in gold. An American settler was wandering through the mountains and found an abandoned gold mine. He collected as much gold as he could carry and returned to his town. When he tried to lead a group back to the mine, he could not find it.

This legend reminded me of the City of Gold since the stories share motifs. Both stories include gold, natives, and a settler’s inability to retrace his steps to the hidden gold. My informant’s retelling of the story seems to combine two different stories, one of Native American folklore and one of a quest for wealth. The combination of stories exemplifies how American and Native American folklore influence each other.

 

Halcyon House (Washington D.C.) History

Transcription: “I don’t know how substantial this actually is but there is a haunted house with 13 different spirits. The house is called Halcyon, and it was built in the late 1700s by a Revolutionary War veteran. He died in debt and is seen looking out over the Potomac River with a telescope waiting for his good fortunes to come up the river.”

My informant is a tour guide in Washington, D.C. One stop on his tour is an old house rumored to be haunted. The building is a residential property, therefore, my informant has never been inside the property himself, only heard the stories required as part of the city tour. The residential property is known as Halcyon House and it is intrinsically connected to American history. The property was built close to the Potomac River in 1787 by a Revolutionary War veteran. Instead of fulfilling the newly established “American dream,” the owner died in debt. Since the ghost stories take place in a real world setting and involve a historical figure, they fall under the category of legend.

Most major cities are built near water to provide access to trade. The Potomac River opens up Washington D.C. to trade with other cities, thus the river was reasonably associated with wealth and trade. The ghost of the Revolutionary War veteran is said to be seen looking out over the Potomac River with a telescope in the hopes that he will see wealth on the horizon.

A common theme in ghosts stories is that the ghosts remain trapped in the physical world because of unresolved regrets. The ghost story of the Revolutionary War veteran fits into this theme, possibly to provide an explanation for the spirit sighting or to romanticize the tragic failures of a man who fought for our country’s independence.

I was surprised when I learned that the house remains a residential property. As a historical landmark and spiritual haven for ghosts, the owners are living out a legend in more than one way.

 

Día de los Muertos Traditions

Transcription: “We don’t do a big ofreda. My mom puts out photos of my grandma and lights a lot of candles on that day… I guess in remembrance of her spirit. We don’t eat the special bread.”

When I first asked my informant to tell me about any of her family traditions, she immediately thought of Día de los Muertos. Día de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated by those of Mexican descent. The celebration remembers those who are no longer living starting on October 31 and ending on November 2. During that time, the spirits of the dead were thought to be able to come to earth and mingle with the living.

My informant’s family is from Mexico and she is originally from Texas, therefore, she has a strong connection to Mexican culture. When I asked about her Dia de los Muertos practices, she explained that the traditions her family follows on the holiday are simple. Although her family recognizes Día de los Muertos, it is not an integral holiday in her family tradition.

Every year, her mother sets up Día de los Muertos decorations. Día de los Muertos is known for its extravagant ofrendas, or offerings, to the dead. Since Día de los Muertos is not a popular holiday in her family, they do not set up elaborate ofrendas. Instead, they set up pictures of deceased relatives and light candles. Her family’s decorations may be simplistic, but they accomplish the same goal as the ofrendas. Both honor the dead by recalling their image to the minds of the family and invite a spiritual form of remembrance.

According to my informant, there is a special type of sweet bread that is eaten on Día de los Muertos, but her family does not usually buy it. My overall impression was that her family celebrates Día de los Muertos not because they believe in the holiday, but because honoring the dead is central component of their culture.