Do Not Disturb

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of physical and emotional domestic abuse, violence, and death.

Mirrors form an important motif in the text, reflecting the theme of Appearance Versus Reality. The nature of mirrors, which show a reflection of the self, are often used in literature and film to convey a duality within a character or some secret they are keeping hidden. In Do Not Disturb, mirrors are prevalent throughout, as are the secrets, lies, and hidden truths that the characters maintain.

A mirror first appears after Quinn kills her husband. She thinks, “When I get out of the shower, my skin is bright red. I wrap a towel around my body and stare at myself in the mirror over the sink” (17). Quinn is “bright red” because she spent so long in the shower scrubbing herself, trying to get the blood off her skin from killing Derek, but also trying desperately to get rid of the vivid memories of her abuse. For Quinn, she has been living two lives: One where she projects happiness in her marriage and another where she suffers from Derek’s abuse without telling anyone. Now that he is dead, she must keep the secret of killing him.