In discussing our intertwined dynamic with nature, I think deer might be one of the most obvious and imperative examples. Obviously, they’re an animal pretty closely connected to man because we encroached so deeply into their habitats, and because they’re such a commodity in hunting culture. Not only have they become such a universal symbol of innocence, they are so engulfed with our language, the way we continue to discuss.
Deer makeup and costumes recently became quite popularized for their allegory to a loss of innocence. This connected to this overwhelming comparison of them as innocent animals, as incapable of harm. From Disney stories like Bambi, whose family posed no threat and became an easy target, to juxtaposing horror movies that make them the villains because it’s so unexpected by the audience. On social media, it became a trend to dress up as a deer, then utilize red makeup to portray a target directly in the center of their forehead, an ode to hunting and how deer are so often the desired outcome. It played on the same idea as so many people connected it to their experiences with losing their innocence, through grief, through sexual assaults, through abusive instances within their lifetime. In my mind, it connected deeply with stories like that of Melusine. Her experience with a “loss of innocence” of sorts when she’s forced to become this monster, and again when she experiences that extreme betrayal by her husband choosing to directly ignore her instruction to stay away on Saturdays. She goes from this youthful, gently-spirited woman, to a devastated woman who seems to lose herself; she transforms from the docile deer to the mutilated carcass at the hand of man.
When it comes to language, we utilize even the simplest phrases of “Oh dear!” or making it a pet name amongst people. While it all seems quite trivial, throughout our discoveries, it has become more and more clear that nothing about our choices when it comes to language could be considered trivial. Their gentle nature, their ability to be such peaceful creatures made them something people compare to loved ones, those they hold closely because of their inner beauty. It only emphasizes the idea of innocence when we look at the usage of it amongst parents; they consider their children so dear because they’re innocent, young and agile the way deer continued to be represented and perceived. The biggest language choice that stands out is that of “doe eyes”; it’s this label we use for that big, wholesome look in a person’s eyes, the one place it’s nearly impossible to hide emotion. The term comes with this connotation of sensitivity, of gentleness and represents how we view these people, speaking as someone who has been labeled by doe eyes my entire adult life. It truly rounds out this image, this belief in deers as this beautifully simple part of lives, and how we often forget this when it comes to the real thing.
