Butchers Quote by Robert Bloch
“Then she did see it there - just a face, peering through the curtains, hanging in midair like a mask. A head-scarf concealed the hair and the glassy eyes stared inhumanly, but it wasn’t a mask, it couldn’t be. The skin had been powdered dead-white and two hectic spots of rouge centered on the cheekbones. It wasn’t a mask. It was the face of a crazy old woman. Mary started to scream, and then the curtains parted further and a hand appeared, holding a butcher’s knife. It was the knife that, a moment later, cut off her scream. And her head.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Haunting, 1979
A terrifying vision of a woman’s face appears as a mask, revealing madness and death.
In simple terms: A frightening face shows madness and murder.
Key Takeaway
Beware hidden dangers behind familiar faces.
Themes
horror
psychology
madness
Mood
uneasy
tense
Type
horror
dramatic
When to use this quote
- nightmare
- reading horror
- psychological thriller
- creative writing
Key Concepts
perception
identity
violence
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the mask symbolize?
- How does fear shape perception?
A Different Perspective
The description may glorify violence and trauma.
![“Through a woman [Eve] a curse fell upon the earth; through a woman [Mary] as well there returned to the earth a blessing.” quote by Peter Damian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/82a/peter-damian-41635_blessing_through-a-woman-eve-a-curse-fell-upon-th_2501646.jpg)
![“By the fall a poison was handed to mankind through a woman [Eve], by the Redemption man was given salvation also through a woman [Mary].” quote by Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6be/saint-augustine-328_adam_by-the-fall-a-poison-was-handed-to-manki_439682.jpg)
