im curiouse as to what peoples thoughts on the being held down and being painted with a dry brush thing are. and why does it leave a mark when he does it himself?
i think its symbolizing, that he is trying to leave a mark on him, but, when he paints himself he is acknowladging it maybe. OR, considering the molestor is a black figure, he is trying to turn the little guy into him, but only when he succombs to it himself is he turned to what the other was (the paint being black) but its an eventual process he undertakes e.i. only painting one stripe. and thus, "do unto others, what has been done...".
I think that the little guy painting himself represents him "becoming his terror", but I think that the fact that the larger, black figure couldn't mark him with the brush but he could mark himself is very significant. I never really paid much attention to it before, but I think it means that no matter how someone may abuse you and no matter how hard they try to change you, they cannot turn you into them. That is a change that you make on your own.
__________________ I've got that Eve's Bayou sense of touch so I fought/ to touch every hand of a fan and read their thoughts/ Battered wives...molested children/ roaches on the floor, rats in the ceilin....
