structure

Introduction
Theory
Inspiration
​​Creative writing exercises
​Stay grounded & motivated
​Share your text with us

introduction

Mirrors are not mere objects of reflection; they are potent metaphors, psychological tools, and philosophical provocations. They reveal and distort, replicate and invert, expose and conceal. To look into a mirror is to confront oneself and, simultaneously, to encounter an other. In this lesson, we explore the manifold dimensions of mirrors across disciplines—psychology, philosophy, literature, and cinema—before delving into creative exercises that invite you to write through the lens of the mirrored self.

Mirrors demand us to ask: Who am I in this reflection? What parts of myself do I refuse to see? What happens when the mirror reveals more—or less—than I expect?

theory

Psychology: Lacan’s Mirror Stage

Jacques Lacan’s mirror stage theory highlights the psychological importance of mirrors in shaping the human sense of self. According to Lacan, the mirror stage occurs in infancy, around six to eighteen months, when a child recognizes their reflection for the first time. This moment creates the first sense of an "I," but this self-recognition is inherently illusory.

• Idealized image: The child sees a unified, coherent image of themselves, but it contrasts with their fragmented bodily experiences. This image becomes an unattainable ideal, setting the foundation for the human desire to reconcile reality with the ideal self.
• Alienation: The mirror both unites and divides; while it offers an image of wholeness, it separates the child from their authentic, unarticulated experiences.

In contemporary psychology, the mirror retains its symbolic potency:

• Self-awareness: Mirrors are tools for introspection and self-scrutiny, often becoming stages for self-criticism.
• Identity exploration: In therapeutic settings, mirrors are sometimes used to confront body image issues, self-esteem, and dissociative states.

Philosophy: Borges and the Infinite Mirror

Jorge Luis Borges often used mirrors as metaphors for infinity and the uncanny. In The Aleph, Borges describes mirrors as “abominable” because they multiply reality, creating endless copies and distorting the original. The mirror, for Borges, is a portal to an infinite regress, where reality and illusion blur.
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Philosophically, mirrors question the nature of reality and representation. When writing, consider:

• Can a reflection hold truth, or is it inherently deceptive?
• How does the infinite nature of reflection destabilize our understanding of reality?

inspiration

In Fritz Lang’s M, the mirror becomes an interrogator, reflecting guilt and fear. The murderer’s distorted reflection speaks to the duality of his character: the façade of an ordinary man versus the monster within. The reflections also implicate society itself, suggesting collective responsibility for the creation of such evil.

Analysis:

• The mirror acts as both an accuser and a witness. What does it mean to see oneself judged in one’s reflection?
• The distortion of the reflection mirrors the distortion of moral clarity. How do we judge what we see?

​Questions:

• How do mirrors in art and life force us to confront uncomfortable truths?
• Can we trust what is reflected, or is it always a construct?

creative exercises

Exercise 1: The shift, the becoming
Mirrors do not just reflect—they distort, reveal, and transform. A reflection in a mirror is never static; it moves, shifts, and mutates with the observer. Use the metaphor of a mirror as a portal to explore the transformation in your text.

Prompt:
Explore the idea of transformation—not just as a subject but as the very essence of your writing. Your text should become something else as it unfolds, mirroring the concept of change. How does it begin? How does it mutate, evolve, or dissolve? This shift can manifest in style, tone, format, or narrative structure.

Instructions:

1. Begin in one state—be it a stream of consciousness, a rigid structure, or fragmented chaos.
2. Gradually guide the text to transform into something entirely different. For instance:
   • Chaos could crystallize into order.
   • A stream of thought could harden into poetry.
   • A prose piece could shed its skin and become dialogue.
3. As you write, embody the concept of infra-thin (Marcel Duchamp’s term for barely perceptible thresholds of change): the moment between two states of being.
4. Use sensory or abstract transitions to depict this becoming—not just conceptually, but experientially.

Reflection:
After writing, ask yourself: How does your text reflect the process of becoming? Did it surprise you as it changed? What is left of the original form?

Exercise 2: The ouroboros—A snake eating its own tail
Mirrors are inherently cyclical—what they reflect always loops back to the observer. Writing about circularity through the lens of mirrors creates layers of reflection: the image, the act of looking, and the infinite loop between them.

Prompt:
Write a text that embodies circularity. Start where you end and end where you start. This cyclicality should not just be evident in the narrative structure but should ripple through the sentences, ideas, and even words.

Instructions:

1. Structure the circle:
   • The text should loop seamlessly; when the reader finishes, they are compelled to begin again.
   • Consider embedding smaller cycles within larger ones: phrases that echo themselves, mirrored imagery, or repeating rhythms.
2. Sentence and word-level cyclicality:
   • Experiment with phrases that begin and end with the same word.
   • Use imagery or motifs that spiral back into themselves.
3. Theme and content:
   • Reflect on ideas that are inherently cyclical: time, life and death, growth and decay, the seasons, or habits.
   • How does circularity influence meaning? Does it feel like resolution, futility, or eternal return?

​Reflection:
How does the cyclical nature of your text shape its meaning? Does the repetition create comfort, tension, or ambiguity? Where does the beginning truly end?

stay grounded and motivated!

"Mirrors are tools for exploration, but they can also provoke discomfort. In writing, they invite us to step into spaces of vulnerability and confront hidden parts of ourselves and our characters. When writing feels overwhelming, take a step back and reflect—literally or figuratively. Look into a mirror and ask: What am I afraid to see? Use this moment of introspection as fuel for your creative work. Remember, mirrors are not only surfaces of reflection but also doorways to deeper understanding. By writing through the mirror, you push boundaries, discover layers, and embrace the dance between self and other. Keep writing. Keep reflecting. Keep questioning."​

​​​​​​​—Anna Ádám
Founder of the School of Disobedience

Photo: Fortepan / Nagy Gyula