Deeper Than My Shadow Character Analysis

In the comics Lighter Than My Shadow, Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, & Me, and “Adventures in Depression” and “Depression Part 2” from Hyperbole and a Half, the main characters are presented as a double, or split, of themselves throughout the comics. Doubling is a unique artistic choice that portrays the character as a multiplication of themselves, offering a varied perception from the familiar character. In the aforementioned comics, each main character struggles with a mental illness. The presentation of each main character as a double of themselves indicates a heightened detachment from reality, in conjunction with a worsening of their respective mental illnesses.
When multiple versions of the main character are presented, each character’s detachment from reality is emphasized on top of their already warped view of themselves. In turn, the idea of reality comes down to each character’s mental state, how they perceive the

For instance, she shares two self-portraits, “Crying in the Bathroom” and “Creepy Baby”, which both show Ellen with dark circles under her eyes and uncomfortable facial expressions (Forney 100-101). Both portraits portray a sense of discomfort and suffering. Ellen decides to draw these self-portraits during her depressive episodes stating, “Inert on a piece of paper, the demons were more handle-able.” (Forney 98). She draws these self-portraits at the lowest points of her depression, and they show a linear progression of her mental illness. However, not every instance of doubling in Marbles indicates a deteriorating mind. At the end of the comic, Ellen is shown counseling her younger self and offering advice (Forney 234-235). This instance of doubling shows resolution, as opposed to deterioration. Nevertheless, the self-portraits presented in Marbles support the idea that doubling shows a degradation of Ellen’s mental