The Significance Of The Flashlight

[Silent_Storm]

==Spoilers==

When I was playing Silent Hill 2 recently I noticed something.
As you walk into the room in the apatments with the manequin, it is wearing the same clothes as Mary, as I'm sure you know.
However the fact the light is shining right at James Sunderland, do you think its an early sign of his fear that Mary hates him and is watching over him with wrath not forgiving hom for killing her, which only comes out later on in the game.

Thoughts please

[Monster]

Probably, I mean it seems to fit the story.

[SilentWren]

I thought the sewing mannequin being dressed like Mary was indicative of her presence in the town, so it's entirely possible that this is a valid theory.

It's something small, but you can't take anything for granted with a series this symbolic.

The fact that the flashlight was on it actually confused me at first--"illuminating the way" for him, even though the journey is one he takes (pretty much) alone. But the whole time he's trying to remember something about Mary, so it works.

[MartinStatic]

I initially thought it was her 'watching' him as soon as I seen it.
It's a nice and visual symbol.

[The Adversary]

Mary is James' light, leading him through the story, just as there is a light in the fog leading James to Lakeview Hotel.

[AuraTwilight]

Mary is also James' ray of hope, yadda yadda.

[paladin181]

And as a basis to the story, James takes the light from "Mary" to continue his trek, much like he took the light of life from her to get on with his life.

[lain of the wired]

^Whooooo... good one. Maybe it's also her way of sending a message to him (or his way of saying that she'd send this message to him if she could): "I want you to see the light and survive." It's easier to play the game when you can see the enemies, after all.

[SHF]

Think of it as a lighthouse guiding ships.
That's pretty much what it symbolizes: Mary is James' Light.

[lain of the wired]

I don't understand posters that don't bother to read the thread before posting. helldescent, Adversary literally said exactly that. It's not even pages back yet- it's the same first fucking page.

[alone in the town]

And, while we're swinging at softballs, "seeing the light" is a metaphor for "discovering the truth", which may or may not have something to do with this story at some point.

In this particular example, finding the flashlight coincides with the very first example of a manifestation which is very clearly his personal mental property, without any metaphorical trappings--it's Mary's own dress. It is at that point which James can no longer possibly believe that he has walked into some mere random disaster. It's his first true stamp of ownership.

[SHF]

I don't understand posters that don't bother to read the thread before posting. helldescent, Adversary literally said exactly that. It's not even pages back yet- it's the same first fucking page.

I'm saying that I agree with him.

[PoemOfTheLastMoment]

There's somthing else i've noticed in that room... there's a sewing machine and sculpting tools around Mary's dress...almost as if the mannequin was sewn together in that very room waiting for James to show up and chance upon it..

[The Adversary]

Job 10:8.

Or perhaps Mary was a seamstress. . . .

[lain of the wired]

There's somthing else i've noticed in that room... there's a sewing machine and sculpting tools around Mary's dress...almost as if the mannequin was sewn together in that very room waiting for James to show up and chance upon it..

OR that's what mannequins are used for- sewing. I also have a mannequin in my room, next to my sewing machine. Because that's what it's for.

You're going for the mannequin was the thing sewn together just for James? Not the clothes? Really?

[Tillerman]

In addition to all those psychological reasons, it could also just be something they did because they thought it would make the player uncomfortable. All the games are filled with little touches like that designed to make the player feel ill at ease, and they work pretty well, too!

[Uyrikeustek]

Haha I didn't even know that there would be any significance with the flashlight in that situation. I just thought that it all had to do with the dress and the light was just...there.

[LeriSuccubus]

Because the light was shining at my vision, I think that I thought the mannequin was a person at first. Maybe the intention was to make it seem like it was a person, but it's nothing more than a mannequin

[KingCrimson]

I think it represents James' hope of finding Mary, since after he learns the truth the flashlight dies.

[AuraTwilight]

Er, the flashlight dies BEFORE he learns the truth.